Forestville is closing

[TDHelmick]

Looks like Forestville HS is going to close its doors at the end of this school year. If so then Fort Hill would be the last football game ever played by the PG County school. It's crazy watching other Maryland counties struggle over consolidation. None of them believe schools with 800 kids or less are worth keeping open with budget shortfalls. But it's also funny/sad to see other public schools complain about their out-of-date and old school buildings that are all less than half the age of all the Cumberland schools.

LINK: Forestville closing

 

[bigdawgrefwmd]

I don't understand the reasoning for having small schools these days either. In Allegany County we have 3 Schools that are all small when there is no reason to split the kids into 2 schools.
Also the school buildings at FH and Alco were a mess in the 90's and don't look like other schools I have been in at other places like VA,SC,NC and FLA
the buildings are so old and still heat with coal,there's no Air Conditioning yet they still have the kids in there when it's hot, the schools are not heated very well at all.
I think it has worked in Hagerstown after the area grew to have 2 big schools. Martinsburg,Jefferson are big schools and have worked out fine.
If it's good for Washington and Frederick Counties why not here?
FH & Alco Combined.
Clear Spring & Hancock Combined
Southern Garrett and Northern Combined
For Cumberland take The City of Cumberland and West of 68 and Cresaptown to Cumberland City High
For Mountain Ridge they have what they already have plus Lavale and Rawlings and we have 2 decent sized Schools.
would save money for sure, even if you have to build for them it would work out in the long run instead of having to build 6 schools it will only be 3
in the 90's there were more kids in the Cumberland Schools, 1 Principal 1 Vice Principal and a Secretary with no Teachers aides except with special education kids
Now these days there is a Principal 2 Vice Principals and Teachers Aides in every class yet the kids aren't any smarter.
How about 1 Cumberland School 1 Principal 1 Vice Principal 1 Secretary no Teachers Aides and carry over All the teachers you need and a few more to help instead of teachers aides and maybe things will get better.
If it works somewhere else why won't it work here?

 

[Waggle Pass]

Does their closing possibly open up some schools for FH?

 

[TDHelmick]

FH only needs one more date, so that narrows the options in this situation. And I'm not positive the Forestville closing is official yet. It should also be noted that for any PG County or Baltimore City school to travel more than 50 miles requires that their travel expenses get paid for. And those schools want a return game. So you are left doing what FH had to do with Surrattsville in 2009 and 2010 and that is pay for them to come here and return the game on your own dime. It's not a good financial option, but still a better financial option than playing no one at all. I'm of the opinion that if you could make this type of deal with the Dunbar Poets for example, they would have done it and the gate at Greenway would have more than made up for any financial hit. PG County schools or other City schools though I don't see bringing in a descent gate unless it's one of the bigger powers there. Even the Surrattsville and Forestville state semifinal games were not that big of a crowd. Which only adds fuel to my argument that people don't come to games as much anymore due to population dwindling and the older ages of people still living here obviously.

 

[FHHSAHS]

The Surratsville and Forestville fans combined at those games could probably fit into Dave Christopher's van.

 

[TDHelmick]

They did until Dave ran out of Old Milwaukee.

 

[Seasoned Lettuce]

Fort Hil/Dunbar at the Stadium would be the stuff of legends.

 

[mccoke]

I've been wanting THAT game for years! When they came to the Quad in 2011...that was just a teaser!

 

[BoyznBlue]

The Surratsville and Forestville fans combined at those games could probably fit into Dave Christopher's van.

I've tried to explain on this board before that Surrattsville and Forestville are at the bottom of the PG County football totem pole. They have solid coaches and students that play hard, but they don't get many good players. If you read the article, Forestville is very close to Suitland. The best youth league players from that neighborhood go to private schools like DeMatha, McNamara or Riverdale Baptist. Or to 4A schools like Suitland and Wise (for some reason parts of Forestville are zoned for Wise), which play a much better and higher profile brand of football. Other than the parents of the players, 1A ball will never attract a large following in PG.

 

[FHHSAHS]

The Surratsville band was pretty tight, tho.

 

[Seasoned Lettuce]

Not as tight as the Dunbar Pom Squad of 1994..........."Let me see that Tootsie Roll"

 

[TDHelmick]

It is official now...Forestville will close at the end of this school year.

Some folks are going to be surprised when they see Capitol Christian next year. This won't be the same team as last year. Full recruiting mode now like in hoops. They just picked up Mount St. Joseph and are looking for those type of teams to play now. May take a few years but that is the path they have chosen to take.

 

[bigsavage]

It is official now...Forestville will close at the end of this school year.

Some folks are going to be surprised when they see Capitol Christian next year. This won't be the same team as last year. Full recruiting mode now like in hoops. They just picked up Mount St. Joseph and are looking for those type of teams to play now. May take a few years but that is the path they have chosen to take.

I'm sure you'll drop them if they become competitive

 

[TDHelmick]

FYI, Coach Appel has the final say over his schedule. Send all complaints to the 3 time champion/2014 Maryland coach of the year at any level

 

[bigsavage]

FYI, Coach Appel has the final say over his schedule. Send all complaints to the 3 time champion/2014 Maryland coach of the year at any level

Well then I'm sure he'll drop them if they become competitive

 

[towpath94]

Hopefully for them their coaching improves. They haven't even been able to line up correctly in their games up here.

 

[BoyznBlue]

It is official now...Forestville will close at the end of this school year.

Some folks are going to be surprised when they see Capitol Christian next year. This won't be the same team as last year. Full recruiting mode now like in hoops. They just picked up Mount St. Joseph and are looking for those type of teams to play now. May take a few years but that is the path they have chosen to take.

Actually this is the same nonsense we heard the first year FH picked them up, lol - Unless they move to a new building they will never produce a football team. They literally occupy two floors in an office building. They won't get any serious players in there.

 

[novaunicorn]

Well then I'm sure he'll drop them if they become competitive

why are you criticizing coach appel? as todd has said, if you are the 3 time defending state champion doesn't it go without saying that you must know what you are doing? did he say or do something to offend you, i'm just blown away you would say something so mean spirited.

 

[bigsavage]

why are you criticizing coach appel? as todd has said, if you are the 3 time defending state champion doesn't it go without saying that you must know what you are doing? did he say or do something to offend you, i'm just blown away you would say something so mean spirited.

If anyone can criticize the president and Jesus I can criticize whomever I like.... I'm of the opinion that whoever makes fhs schedule that they shy away from competition.. With the exception of keyser so to does everyone else in the area. It's my opinion I'm entitled to it... If you think that's mean spirited maybe you should take 2 midol and go to bed

 

[novaunicorn]

If anyone can criticize the president and Jesus I can criticize whomever I like.... I'm of the opinion that whoever makes fhs schedule that they shy away from competition.. With the exception of keyser so to does everyone else in the area. It's my opinion I'm entitled to it... If you think that's mean spirited maybe you should take 2 midol and go to bed

wow you are incredibly angry, are you sure you are not the one who needs the midol? you are entitled to an opinion, but it calling todd a coward an opinion or an attack on his character.
If my question upset you so much then my opinion is you are too sensitive to be posting things that somebody might reply to that might upset you so badly that you get all mean girl on that person in addition to being mean to somebody who is probably not needing your advice since he's doing okay without it. any other opinions?

 

[TDHelmick]

Actually this is the same nonsense we heard the first year FH picked them up, lol - Unless they move to a new building they will never produce a football team. They literally occupy two floors in an office building. They won't get any serious players in there.

I think you misconstrue my posts sometimes. I never stated CCA would be world beaters, just that they won't be as bad as last season and that they are in fact in full recruiting mode the best they can be. Many of these PG County/DC/City area 1A teams (as has been pointed out here) and smaller private/charter schools seem to be very similar in football. The better ones like maybe Avalon on a good year do pull in some definite small scale D1 skill talent. But they are always horrible on the line and in the coaching/discipline areas. Which means better teams like FH are usually not a great match up for them.

CCA is situated in a church building as of now. They will play their home games at a community field with lights this year but they are building a regulation football field. If it betters some of their kids then more power to them for the effort. Their hoops team seems very legit, although I don't believe in hard recruiting for high school athletics. Places like IMG Academy make me sick in the way they handle 15 years olds like college recruits. Please someone make it stop. I'm very thankful they keep public and private separate in Maryland.

FH still needs a 9th game. Very difficult finding someone. The desire is for FH to locate a MPSSAA Class 1A school to fill that void or just stick with 9 games. Last season FH played one MPSSAA Class 1A school and that was their rival Alco. WOW, think about that for a moment. And then some of you wonder why FH has to go out and pick up Silver Oak, MATHS or CCA. The problem with playing non-MPSSAA schools is that they have no need to honor a contract of any type and have no penalty for breaking it. And the MPSSAA won't even try to help enforce a signed contract. Then you get teams like Avalon or Germantown Academy who the MPSSAA says you cannot play at the last minute. At the same time FH gets a bonus point when another team beats Avalon. This comes from the same MPSSAA that also says they cannot mandate that teams in your own region play you. They can only mandate that teams not play you. What that says to me is that the MPSSAA is telling our student-athletes, sorry that no one in our system will play you. On top of that you can't play these other teams either. Geez. And their motto uses the word integrity. Can't say it enough...what a joke of a system!!!

FH is trying to win a 4th straight state title. I know that bothers certain people.

 

[towpath94]

for the kids sake I hope it is a 10 game schedule