FH 10/22 Open Date

[Red Neck]

Just saw this on the Virginia board that two schools are looking for games on FH's open date. Location Norfolk. I know nothing more than what's posted.

Maury High School in Norfolk, VA is looking for a varsity football game on Friday, October 22nd.

If interested, please contact Athletic Director Tommy Staples at 757-572-2066 and / or via e-mail at tstaples@nps.k12.va.us.

Lake Taylor need a game Game 10/22 Please call Hank Sawyer (757) 692-3200

 

[TDHelmick]

I've had this up for a couple months on the VHSL open dates page:

https://www.vhsl.org/open-datescoaching-vacancies/

This Oct. 22 hole has been a thorn for me personally since last January in regards to filling it. Many teams have turned FH down and FH has turned some games down.

So for those that say we just want kids to have a game, no - that concept is near the bottom of the pyramid. More important factors include money, distance, injuries, competition level, playoff seeding - they all outweigh just playing a game. And this is pretty much for 90% of all coaches/programs so no pointing fingers. It's just the way the high school football world turns now.

 

[ed r forshey]

Every one, and I do mean all, Schedule in hopes of getting in the playoffs
Good teams can beg till they turn blue, but seldom get any to play them,

hell Martinsburg have 4 trips of 4 hours or more 1 way
2 over 6 hours
You would think this year since everyone makes the MD playoffs someone would agree to play FH to test their self
Nope its all about playoff seeding, can't risk a L

Hate to say this but Playoffs has ruin high school football in all 50 states

 

[Tony54]

Maury is a very good program. They have a lot of talented kids and it would be a very stiff test for Fort Hill. I would love to see that game

 

[3rd and goals]

I would say any other year you try and find a game to fill the schedule but do they really need to this year? Would anything productive come out of taking a game on short notice with how close everyone is to the playoffs and with Covid still running rampant. I know the kids would want to play but I’d venture to say the coaches would rather have the extra week to rest and get healthy and not have to worry about losing a bunch of starters due to Covid again. Especially with the #1 seed all but clinched, filling that game seems like a bad idea.

 

[Red Neck]

I've had this up for a couple months on the VHSL open dates page:

https://www.vhsl.org/open-datescoaching-vacancies/

This Oct. 22 hole has been a thorn for me personally since last January in regards to filling it. Many teams have turned FH down and FH has turned some games down.

So for those that say we just want kids to have a game, no - that concept is near the bottom of the pyramid. More important factors include money, distance, injuries, competition level, playoff seeding - they all outweigh just playing a game. And this is pretty much for 90% of all coaches/programs so no pointing fingers. It's just the way the high school football world turns now.

Todd - Sorry for the post... I don't get on this board much, but saw the FH website and the open date.

 

[Red Neck]

Maury is a very good program. They have a lot of talented kids and it would be a very stiff test for Fort Hill. I would love to see that game

Their current record is 3-3, and their competition is average.

 

[Red Neck]

I would say any other year you try and find a game to fill the schedule but do they really need to this year? Would anything productive come out of taking a game on short notice with how close everyone is to the playoffs and with Covid still running rampant. I know the kids would want to play but I’d venture to say the coaches would rather have the extra week to rest and get healthy and not have to worry about losing a bunch of starters due to Covid again. Especially with the #1 seed all but clinched, filling that game seems like a bad idea.

This is just a hunch, but I suspect the reason these two VA schools have open dates is because of C-19 with the teams they were to play. Both their schedules show scheduled games for 10/22, and the posts looking for games just appeared yesterday. I think your points make sense.

 

[TDHelmick]

I would say any other year you try and find a game to fill the schedule but do they really need to this year? Would anything productive come out of taking a game on short notice with how close everyone is to the playoffs and with Covid still running rampant. I know the kids would want to play but I’d venture to say the coaches would rather have the extra week to rest and get healthy and not have to worry about losing a bunch of starters due to Covid again. Especially with the #1 seed all but clinched, filling that game seems like a bad idea.

Yes, this is absolutely one way of looking at it. Using hindsight with what we know now, this would be the smart move assuming FH gets to play the last two regular season games. This also supports what I just said...that this is not about getting kids a game to play.

I will also say however, that FH is going to get a bye week after homecoming. They will likely draw Hancock in the first round of the playoffs who will opt out for good reason. I feel pretty certain Clear Spring will opt out as well. Southern says they will not if they have the players. So now FH has a bye week, Homecoming, and then another bye week. Is all this rest good for rhythm? That would make for a good debate.

As for COVID, quarantines usually happen off the field. Despite the fact the game at Southern got FH into quarantine we have found that 9 times out of 10 the contract tracing usually goes back to practice, in school or at home, not in an actual game. The good news (and don't quote me on this), it's my understanding the majority of FH players will be fully vaccinated by Homecoming/Playoffs so they won't have to quarantine now. The Hollidaysburg situation was a massive wake up call to unvaxed players who had to sit.

The top FH concern with only playing 8 games...if Smithsburg or Alco (or any team that was on the schedule) cannot play due to COVID, then FH takes an automatic loss. Getting the Smithsburg game in tonight is huge. Because 8 is the lowest point total divisor. If they play 7 games or less, the points are added up and then divided by 8. If FH would have cancelled the game at Hollidaysburg with only 8 games, then Hollidaysburg would have been counted a loss. The same will happen with Havre de Grace. Their game got cancelled last week due to COVID. They had 8 games. That cancellation was a loss and could throw them out of top seeding unless they pick up an extra last minute opponent on their open date of Oct. 29. Crazy times.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Yes, this is absolutely one way of looking at it. Using hindsight with what we know now, this would be the smart move assuming FH gets to play the last two regular season games. This also supports what I just said...that this is not about getting kids a game to play.

I will also say however, that FH is going to get a bye week after homecoming. They will likely draw Hancock in the first round of the playoffs who will opt out for good reason. I feel pretty certain Clear Spring will opt out as well. Southern says they will not if they have the players. So now FH has a bye week, Homecoming, and then another bye week. Is all this rest good for rhythm? That would make for a good debate.

As for COVID, quarantines usually happen off the field. Despite the fact the game at Southern got FH into quarantine we have found that 9 times out of 10 the contract tracing usually goes back to practice, in school or at home, not in an actual game. The good news (and don't quote me on this), it's my understanding the majority of FH players will be fully vaccinated by Homecoming/Playoffs so they won't have to quarantine now. The Hollidaysburg situation was a massive wake up call to unvaxed players who had to sit.

The top FH concern with only playing 8 games...if Smithsburg or Alco (or any team that was on the schedule) cannot play due to COVID, then FH takes an automatic loss. Getting the Smithsburg game in tonight is huge. Because 8 is the lowest point total divisor. If they play 7 games or less, the points are added up and then divided by 8. If FH would have cancelled the game at Hollidaysburg with only 8 games, then Hollidaysburg would have been counted a loss. The same will happen with Havre de Grace. Their game got cancelled last week due to COVID. They had 8 games. That cancellation was a loss and could throw them out of top seeding unless they pick up an extra last minute opponent on their open date of Oct. 29. Crazy times.

This is my main irritation with our playoff setup for this year. The MPSSAA allows every team in the playoffs due the possibility of losing games, which ok, fine. But then they decide to penalize teams who lose games due to COVID by making the minimum divisor 8, when in many cases the teams are going under 8 games through no fault of their own! The logic makes absolutely no sense. But with the MPSSAA, why should we be surprised by flawed logic

 

[TDHelmick]

This is my main irritation with our playoff setup for this year. The MPSSAA allows every team in the playoffs due the possibility of losing games, which ok, fine. But then they decide to penalize teams who lose games due to COVID by making the minimum divisor 8, when in many cases the teams are going under 8 games through no fault of their own! The logic makes absolutely no sense. But with the MPSSAA, why should we be surprised by flawed logic

Yes. Double Like!!
Been harping about this since the season started. The divisor should be the # of games played.

 

[PowerRamRight]

Their current record is 3-3, and their competition is average.

Goodness Red Neck - Maury is actually 3-1 and in 2019 they were Virginia 5A state champs....15-0 and beat perennial NOVA power Stone Bridge in the finals.......it would be a tough game.

 

[cumbfanatic]

Maury is a top VA team. Lake Taylor is much weaker, he may have them mixed up.

 

[Red Neck]

Goodness Red Neck - Maury is actually 3-1 and in 2019 they were Virginia 5A state champs....15-0 and beat perennial NOVA power Stone Bridge in the finals.......it would be a tough game.

I thought they were 3-3... Please forgive me.

 

[Tony54]

That’s fine. I live in Virginia Beach but my heart is always with Fort Hill. Norfolk and Virginia Beach have a tremendous amount of talented kids on their high school teams. It would really be a blast to see Fort Hill in competition with one of these teams. Still crossing my fingers that Fort Hill and Maury can play a game!

 

[MCsoccerplex]

This late in the game I’m not certain it would be of any benefit to pick up a game for next weekend.

If there are players still out, give them another week to recover and prepare for Homecoming.

 

[TDHelmick]

At this point, the only teams willing to play Fort Hill this week are top level private schools or really large good public school programs that are 4-5 hours away.

There are teams with openings that are closer that are more the same size but want no parts of scheduling a loss to Fort Hill. So when I say for years no one wants to play FH, it is very true. No one remotely close to the same size that is (Class 1A, 2A and most 3A schools). If someone is going to tell me the large public schools and private schools is who FH should be playing...then FH is truly worthy of a Top 15 team ranking in the state of Maryland.

I made a list and there are only 5 schools in the entire state of WV that will play Fort Hill. And those are very large AAA schools who expect to play for the state title game.

 

[Waggle Pass]

At this point, the best option is probably no option. The pluses are an extra week to prepare for Allegany and chances to scout playoff opponents they probably wouldn't have otherwise and to heal up those bumps and bruises.

Is this the same scenario for next year as well? Any chance they could move one of their earlier opponents to this week? I would think it's easier scheduling for earlier in the season than this late.

 

[Tony54]

At this point, the only teams willing to play Fort Hill this week are top level private schools or really large good public school programs that are 4-5 hours away.

There are teams with openings that are closer that are more the same size but want no parts of scheduling a loss to Fort Hill. So when I say for years no one wants to play FH, it is very true. No one remotely close to the same size that is (Class 1A, 2A and most 3A schools). If someone is going to tell me the large public schools and private schools is who FH should be playing...then FH is truly worthy of a Top 15 team ranking in the state of Maryland.

I made a list and there are only 5 schools in the entire state of WV that will play Fort Hill. And those are very large AAA schools who expect to play for the state title game.

I do understand the point but I doubt there are four or five schools in West Virginia that are much better than old Mill.
The goal should always be to win but not at the expense of competition. For years it was ridiculous to constantly schedule Silver Oak and these other teams that couldn’t even execute plays. if everyone makes the playoffs who cares just play games.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I do understand the point but I doubt there are four or five schools in West Virginia that are much better than old Mill.
The goal should always be to win but not at the expense of competition. For years it was ridiculous to constantly schedule Silver Oak and these other teams that couldn’t even execute plays. if everyone makes the playoffs who cares just play games.

You beat me to the punch on Old Mill. I hate getting into the Fort Hill scheduling debate because well, it isn’t my place to, but you can’t schedule a solid, much larger school like Old Mill and then say you won’t play others (Now I say that in terms of normal circumstances, not the one Fort Hill is facing now. Scheduling any school this late would be a bad idea in my opinion). Let’s face it, Fort Hill may be small, but they can compete and then some! I have zero doubt that small schools don’t want to play the Sentinels, but after taking out a solid 4A Old Mill and a solid 3A Oakdale, the larger schools are gonna be hesitant too, especially when we return to a normal playoff system. Fort Hill is in a no win situation.

 

[Red Neck]

That’s fine. I live in Virginia Beach but my heart is always with Fort Hill. Norfolk and Virginia Beach have a tremendous amount of talented kids on their high school teams. It would really be a blast to see Fort Hill in competition with one of these teams. Still crossing my fingers that Fort Hill and Maury can play a game!

I lived in NOVA for 30 yrs, and currently in WV (15 min from VA). I've closely followed and indirectly linked to HS football in the area. Originally from Cumberland (FH), I can appreciate your hometown sentiment.