E:60 - St. Frances, BW and the entire private school teeanage sports quandary

[Lagmeister]

This is also a joke, I have said numerous times that WMD schools are clearly avoiding FH because of their local dominance, but there's no comparison to the SFA situation. SFA is willing take on all comers, while FH is also running around trying to avoid certain schools. And FH has definitely contributed to their scheduling issues. First of all they left the CVAL, where they had a set schedule, to avoid Martinsburg. I've previously mentioned several times I know the kick-off classic promoters reached out to FH looking to set up games and FH declined. And just in the last two years, you see where Dunbar, Middletown and Lackey have reached out looking for games but they couldn't pick up the phone, but Capitol Christian and Silver Oak are on speed-dial, lol. And I'm sure other schools have called that haven't been made public. And can somebody explain why they dropped Friendship this year?

I also want to point out this thread is about SFA and BW, once again people make every conversation about the FH schedule and then they wonder why we're always talking about it, lol

Let me then add some additional chuckles to the thread:

FH is a school from a rural area with an ever decreasing population base. What they have is whatever the shrinking demographic gives them and whatever their coaching staff can produce from same.

The difference between FH and SFA is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. SFA has the best coaching and the best football team that money can buy.

Whomever SFA or FH chose to play... can play... or, whoever chooses to play or not play either school is completely and utterly beside any point I have made in this thread.

FH's scheduling problems come from being a winning program in a rural area. SFA's scheduling problems come from how they chose to spend their money. As I posted before.... It's sports dammit.

 

[BoyznBlue]

I never posted that I attended a private school. I went from the Columbia Street School to Allegany (7-12) and then to Frostburg University. Which, incidentally, I have also posted several times.

I also never posted that private schools could not do as they pleased. My position - which was clear - was a moral stance against SFA. Read again.

I stand corrected.

 

[BoyznBlue]

Let me then add some additional chuckles to the thread:

FH is a school from a rural area with an ever decreasing population base. What they have is whatever the shrinking demographic gives them and whatever their coaching staff can produce from same.

The difference between FH and SFA is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. SFA has the best coaching and the best football team that money can buy.

Whomever SFA or FH chose to play... can play... or, whoever chooses to play or not play either school is completely and utterly beside any point I have made in this thread.

FH's scheduling problems come from being a winning program in a rural area. SFA's scheduling problems come from how they chose to spend their money. As I posted before.... It's sports dammit.

I agree that it's not the same issue. I'm not even sure why FH is being discussed in this thread. Except for the fact that some people just love talking about the FH schedule.

 

[PowerRamRight]

I agree that it's not the same issue. I'm not even sure why FH is being discussed in this thread. Except for the fact that some people just love talking about the FH schedule.

FH was brought up in the very first post in this thread by Todd.....that's why.

 

[CometCrazy21]

Not one central place that I know of. They pretty much all scattered. Baltimore Sports and Life set up a HS forum and you can find me on the MoCo boards.

Noted, thanks Eagle.

 

[BoyznBlue]

FH was brought up in the very first post in this thread by Todd.....that's why.

This discussion would have been the same without mentioning FH. As I said previously, the comparison with SFA is not even close. If people want to talk about FH ask them to explain why they dropped Friendship. SFA is looking to play good competition, not dropping games.

 

[cumbfanatic]

Serious question. In recent years has FH played a team they lost to or have they dropped them after losing?

 

[loco09]

Serious question. In recent years has FH played a team they lost to or have they dropped them after losing?

From a quick glance back through 2010-present Friendship is the only one that looks like a straight drop after a loss, possibly Martinsburg but thats a whole thread on its own. TJ they played home and away and split. Mt. St Joes they played twice and split the series. North Hagerstown they played home and away and split, Im not sure the factors of not renewing those series, my guess is more to it than just FH saying "no" at least for a few of them. FH simply hasnt lost many games recently so there isnt much of a sample size, they lost to Keyser but kept them on the schedule.

 

[TDHelmick]

The AMAC dropped Fort Hill. The MIAA dropped St. Frances. It is EXACTLY the same. We are talking about a league telling an opponent no thanks in football, but we will play you in the other sports.

The reason why can be open to debate, but there is no disputing the fact two high school leagues in Maryland told its best football team they refuse to play them.

And if anyone believes the scoreboard results had nothing to do with either case there is no sense even discussing these issues.

 

[PowerRamRight]

This discussion would have been the same without mentioning FH. As I said previously, the comparison with SFA is not even close. If people want to talk about FH ask them to explain why they dropped Friendship. SFA is looking to play good competition, not dropping games.

The question you asked was answered, quite clearly. Not sure why the Friendship schedule was brought up on this thread - maybe start a new one.

 

[Waggle Pass]

This discussion would have been the same without mentioning FH. As I said previously, the comparison with SFA is not even close. If people want to talk about FH ask them to explain why they dropped Friendship. SFA is looking to play good competition, not dropping games.

The real question is why FH was playing basically a prep school like Friendship in the first place.

You brought this up last year after Friendship beat FH. I did some checking at that time and over the last, I either checked five or seven years, the only MD publics to play Friendship were Dunbar and Friendly. Both were for one year. I think I asked you if you questioned those schools why just one year. Still waiting for an answer....

 

[BoyznBlue]

The AMAC dropped Fort Hill. The MIAA dropped St. Frances. It is EXACTLY the same. We are talking about a league telling an opponent no thanks in football, but we will play you in the other sports.

The reason why can be open to debate, but there is no disputing the fact two high school leagues in Maryland told its best football team they refuse to play them.

And if anyone believes the scoreboard results had nothing to do with either case there is no sense even discussing these issues.

Hmmm, aren't Allegany, Mountain Ridge and Southern (Fort Hill opponents in 2018) members of the AMAC? Can you post a link to where it's reported the AMAC dropped Fort Hill? Are three members of the MIAA playing SFA this year?

Also, please answer the question about why Fort Hill dropped Friendship.

 

[BoyznBlue]

The real question is why FH was playing basically a prep school like Friendship in the first place.

You brought this up last year after Friendship beat FH. I did some checking at that time and over the last, I either checked five or seven years, the only MD publics to play Friendship were Dunbar and Friendly. Both were for one year. I think I asked you if you questioned those schools why just one year. Still waiting for an answer....

If you had "did some checking" you would know Friendship is a public charter school not a prep school. There's a huge difference. Also, FH is playing Loyola Blakefield this year, which is an actual prep school.

To answer your question about Dunbar and Friendly, I actually don't know why they were just one year. I'm not sure why that's important. I do know FH/Friendship had a two year agreement and FH told Friendship they didn't want to play in 2018. My question is why? If it's so hard for FH to get games, why decline what would have been a quality opponent at Greenway? You can't blame the MPSSAA if you are dropping games and not returning phone calls when schools are trying to reach you.

 

[TDHelmick]

Hmmm, aren't Allegany, Mountain Ridge and Southern (Fort Hill opponents in 2018) members of the AMAC? Can you post a link to where it's reported the AMAC dropped Fort Hill? Are three members of the MIAA playing SFA this year?

Also, please answer the question about why Fort Hill dropped Friendship.

Hmmmm, aren't Frankfort, Northern, Hampshire and Keyser (not Fort Hill opponents in 2018) members of the AMAC? The MIAA didn't drop St. Frances, some teams just chose not to play them in football. Same with the AMAC. There is no need to dig up an article that shows AMAC teams chose not to play FH, check the schedule.

Why didn't Fairmont Heights honor a signed contract last year with FH while the MPSSAA did nothing? FH is not a football factory that pays top level kids to transfer and play football at their program with half the student population there to put a helmet on. That is why they don't play any team on the planet or a national schedule such as SFA has decided to do.

If you really want to hear SFA cry discrimination, have the MIAA put a system together where only the top teams play for the title but no one in the league has to play SFA during the regular season.

 

[FHHSAHS]

I'm really not delving into the argument/debate overall..it is a good one though, pretty respectable and good points all around and I enjoy the reading.

But just a statement from me, I dont think FH should've dropped FCA. To me it was a hasty reaction to an ego bruising. That's only my opinion. I wanted another crack at them on our turf dammit.

 

[BoyznBlue]

Hmmmm, aren't Frankfort, Northern, Hampshire and Keyser (not Fort Hill opponents in 2018) members of the AMAC? The MIAA didn't drop St. Frances, some teams just chose not to play them in football. Same with the AMAC. There is no need to dig up an article that shows AMAC teams chose not to play FH, check the schedule.

Why didn't Fairmont Heights honor a signed contract last year with FH while the MPSSAA did nothing? FH is not a football factory that pays top level kids to transfer and play football at their program with half the student population there to put a helmet on. That is why they don't play any team on the planet or a national schedule such as SFA has decided to do.

If you really want to hear SFA cry discrimination, have the MIAA put a system together where only the top teams play for the title but no one in the league has to play SFA during the regular season.

You really lost me on this response. We don't have to agree but you should at least make sense. You wrote less than 24 hours ago that the MIAA dropped SFA, now you're saying the MIAA didn't drop SFA? Which one is it? As I said, the SFA situation has nothing to do with FH. Now you're scrambling around contradicting yourself trying to explain it. FH is playing 3 AMAC schools this year. Every MIAA A school has dropped SFA. IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, check the schedule, lol.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-va-sp-miaa-football-update-0806-story.html

You can read my responses from last year or even 5 years ago, I never gave Fairmont Heights (or any other team) a pass for not honoring a signed contract. And I agree with you that neither FH, nor any other Maryland 1A team, should play football factories like SFA, Good Counsel, St. John's. But what does that have to do with the Friendship question? I'm confused why you would drop a home game against a good 1A level opponent when you keep saying how hard it is to schedule games?

 

[Lagmeister]

You really lost me on this response. We don't have to agree but you should at least make sense. You wrote less than 24 hours ago that the MIAA dropped SFA, now you're saying the MIAA didn't drop SFA? Which one is it? As I said, the SFA situation has nothing to do with FH. Now you're scrambling around contradicting yourself trying to explain it. FH is playing 3 AMAC schools this year. Every MIAA A school has dropped SFA. IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, check the schedule, lol.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-va-sp-miaa-football-update-0806-story.html

You can read my responses from last year or even 5 years ago, I never gave Fairmont Heights (or any other team) a pass for not honoring a signed contract. And I agree with you that neither FH, nor any other Maryland 1A team, should play football factories like SFA, Good Counsel, St. John's. But what does that have to do with the Friendship question? I'm confused why you would drop a home game against a good 1A level opponent when you keep saying how hard it is to schedule games?

You make good points. I interpreted some of Helmick's phraseology as being 'figuratively speaking' as it were. It's been fairly detailed through this thread how all the droppings (appropriate word there) took place.

 

[TDHelmick]

I'm usually pretty open door about things. But my discussions with the FH coaches concerning FCA and the 2018 schedule will remain private.

I find game options for numerous schools. Coaches say yes or no and that is their absolute right to do so.

Although I will add that is was too bad the FCA game last year came off the heels of the Melbourne CC game. I don't think it means FH could have beaten FCA on another week but I do know FH was totally zapped physically and mentally after that big Melbourne CC victory. It took FH until Wednesday to practice. I knew when FH took the field at FCA they were royally screwed. I recall one FH coach saying during warm ups it looked like his kids were on muscle relaxers. Next thing we knew it was 24-0 FCA in the 2nd quarter and the field thermometer said 106 degrees. LOL it was hot. Don't confuse this with an excuse, FCA was the better team. Just saying FH doesn't have the luxury of picking and choosing when to play games and I believe they would have played with their feet under them more had the FCA game been earlier in the year. But hey, that's why playing in the SEC is brutal...a grindstone every Saturday. At the same time the SEC teams actually have subs to put in. Small 1A schools are not suited for that grindstone.

On that note, if I were Alco there is no way I'm loading up a tough Week 2 opponent after the Dunbar opener. We saw the results of doing such when they traveled to Chestnut Ridge the next week last season. Much the same...Alco was zapped mentally and physically.

 

[Redwhite90]

Wow , so I guess they win the conference without even taking a snap. Somewhat of a hollow title. Kind of like being voted president of U.S.S.R. in 2018.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/msn/m...itle-no-teams-will-have-to-forfeit/ar-BBLNHWA

 

[TDHelmick]

Wow , so I guess they win the conference without even taking a snap. Somewhat of a hollow title. Kind of like being voted president of U.S.S.R. in 2018.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/msn/m...itle-no-teams-will-have-to-forfeit/ar-BBLNHWA

So Archbishop Spalding and Gilman both were OK with playing St. Frances, but SFA bailed to play a national schedule. I had a feeling this would follow suit just like the AMAC...in other words no more MIAA football but they will play each other in every other sport.

 

[bigdawgrefwmd]

this is the dumbest thing ever, most of the Schools dropped them but 2 schools did not but St Frances replaced them on their schedule as well so Now they Call them league Champions yet they won't play 1 game in the league Not 1 Game yet all of the other Teams are playing each other and they aren't even keeping league standings?????? WTF is this world coming too? Why not just move on without them in Football and hell if they don't like that move on without them in all sports. It seems as if the people that run this league is afraid of this Coach at SFA because they should tell him to go get ........

 

[glamourbyjim]

I'm usually pretty open door about things. But my discussions with the FH coaches concerning FCA and the 2018 schedule will remain private.

I find game options for numerous schools. Coaches say yes or no and that is their absolute right to do so.

Although I will add that is was too bad the FCA game last year came off the heels of the Melbourne CC game. I don't think it means FH could have beaten FCA on another week but I do know FH was totally zapped physically and mentally after that big Melbourne CC victory. It took FH until Wednesday to practice. I knew when FH took the field at FCA they were royally screwed. I recall one FH coach saying during warm ups it looked like his kids were on muscle relaxers. Next thing we knew it was 24-0 FCA in the 2nd quarter and the field thermometer said 106 degrees. LOL it was hot. Don't confuse this with an excuse, FCA was the better team. Just saying FH doesn't have the luxury of picking and choosing when to play games and I believe they would have played with their feet under them more had the FCA game been earlier in the year. But hey, that's why playing in the SEC is brutal...a grindstone every Saturday. At the same time the SEC teams actually have subs to put in. Small 1A schools are not suited for that grindstone.

On that note, if I were Alco there is no way I'm loading up a tough Week 2 opponent after the Dunbar opener. We saw the results of doing such when they traveled to Chestnut Ridge the next week last season. Much the same...Alco was zapped mentally and physically.

 

[glamourbyjim]

Glad to see your thoughts on the FCA game, and in my opinion the Dunbar game also. The games before were very demanding and I did not think FH played their best game. I thought FH sounded like they were tired. They looked tired in the Commercial Videos. Glad to see my thoughts were shared. FH just did not have enough subs. This is going to be a problem for both Fort Hill and Allegany as long as school populations keep dropping. Too bad.

 

[BoyznBlue]

Glad to see your thoughts on the FCA game, and in my opinion the Dunbar game also. The games before were very demanding and I did not think FH played their best game. I thought FH sounded like they were tired. They looked tired in the Commercial Videos. Glad to see my thoughts were shared. FH just did not have enough subs. This is going to be a problem for both Fort Hill and Allegany as long as school populations keep dropping. Too bad.

I think some parts of the fanbase have grown accustomed to the weak opponents in 1A. In the playoffs you're supposed to play tough demanding games in back-to-back weeks. That's generally how it works in 2A, 3A and 4A. Last season was the first year FH didn't face a team (Northern, Kent County, Forestville, Surrattsville) where they could rest their starters in the second half

 

[Redwhite90]

I

Glad to see your thoughts on the FCA game, and in my opinion the Dunbar game also. The games before were very demanding and I did not think FH played their best game. I thought FH sounded like they were tired. They looked tired in the Commercial Videos. Glad to see my thoughts were shared. FH just did not have enough subs. This is going to be a problem for both Fort Hill and Allegany as long as school populations keep dropping. Too bad.

It's a problem for every 1A school in the state and is only exacerbated when the powers that be decide to change the classification numbers and allow larger schools to drop down into 1A in order to end dynasties (i.e. Fort Hill vs Dunbar and Lackey)

 

[Lagmeister]

Glad to see your thoughts on the FCA game, and in my opinion the Dunbar game also. The games before were very demanding and I did not think FH played their best game. I thought FH sounded like they were tired. They looked tired in the Commercial Videos. Glad to see my thoughts were shared. FH just did not have enough subs. This is going to be a problem for both Fort Hill and Allegany as long as school populations keep dropping. Too bad.

This year may well be the beginning of the 'tell all' about area football, especially the rivalry.

 

[TDHelmick]

I think some parts of the fanbase have grown accustomed to the weak opponents in 1A. In the playoffs you're supposed to play tough demanding games in back-to-back weeks. That's generally how it works in 2A, 3A and 4A. Last season was the first year FH didn't face a team (Northern, Kent County, Forestville, Surrattsville) where they could rest their starters in the second half

VERY TRUE!!!
The Alco, Lackey, Dunbar run this year for FH through the playoffs wore on them unlike any other of the previous four playoff seasons. Exceedingly much tougher. I recall seeing FH win the overall #1 seed at the end of the regular season over Dunbar by a few tenths of a point and knew it meant FH would have to go through Lackey or Douglass to reach the Dunbar final.

Which case Dunbar got the easy road to the final this year. Would have been curious to see the Poets play Lackey because I felt Lackey matched up better with Dunbar especially in the speed department.