North Carroll is no more, consolidation approved effective next fall

[TDHelmick]

Carroll County voted in favor of closing 3 county schools with North Carroll High School being one of them effective next fall.
LINK: Carroll County Schools to close

It's my understanding that most students will be sent to Manchester Valley with a few areas redistricted to Westminster among some others. Maybe eagleinsider can shed some better light.

With North Carroll no longer in existence, there are holes on many athletic schedules for next year. A few in Class 1A have even dropped Manchester Valley due to their expected sudden increase in size (see MPSSAA open dates board). I have not heard how many kids they expect Manchester Valley to hold or what it means from the MPSSAA in regards to their classification status.

 

[CometCrazy21]

With those schools closing I see no reason they wouldn't man up and have a yearly gave with FH

 

[eaglesinsider]

Carroll County voted in favor of closing 3 county schools with North Carroll High School being one of them effective next fall.
LINK: Carroll County Schools to close

It's my understanding that most students will be sent to Manchester Valley with a few areas redistricted to Westminster among some others. Maybe eagleinsider can shed some better light.

With North Carroll no longer in existence, there are holes on many athletic schedules for next year. A few in Class 1A have even dropped Manchester Valley due to their expected sudden increase in size (see MPSSAA open dates board). I have not heard how many kids they expect Manchester Valley to hold or what it means from the MPSSAA in regards to their classification status.

The vast majority of North Carroll students will be sent to the Manchester Valley building. Man Valley will be renamed and have a new color scheme and mascot. Less than 100 (I want to say 60) will be sent to Westminster.
Westminster will stay 3A and the NC/Man Valley consolidation will be 3A as well, with a slightly smaller enrollment than Westminster.

If the NC/Man Valley consolidation is moved up to 3A immediately, it would leave the 1A North with 5 schools (3 of which had losing records in 2015) for 4 playoff spots.

 

[bleedred]

Right off the bat, Brunswick is seeking games for weeks 1 and 5. Those are the dates that they played MV and NC. I'd like to see FH pick up MV and Brunswick wouldn't be too bad.

 

[TDHelmick]

I will be surprised if the MPSSAA moves the new Manchester Valley school up to 3A for the 2016 season based on the two year enrollment cycle which doesn't get readjusted until the start of the 2017 season.

I have heard that last season when FH played Frederick Douglass for the state title for the 2nd time that Douglass was already a 2A or 3A class school based on enrollment. But the MPSSAA didn't shift them up to 3A until this season at the start of the new two year cycle. Maybe I'm wrong as I'm not sure when the Baltimore consolidations occurred exactly.

I don't see how the MPSSAA could allow a 3A enrollment school to compete against 1A schools in all sports. But we are talking about the MPSSAA here. And if they do shift the new Manchester Valley up to another classification they would undoubtedly have to readjust the regional alignments for 1A. I'm willing to bet the MPSSAA does not move them up in class until 2017.

If I'm Andy Warner I would move the new Manchester Valley to 3A for next season. Drop Oakdale back to 2A and drop Carver back to 1A.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

From the MPSSAA website: "If a new MPSSAA member school opens or a member school whose enrollment is significantly changed (significantly changed is defined as a decrease or an increase of more than 25 percent) than that school shall be placed in the proper classification by the Classification Committee"

The enrollment used for the last classification had MV at 606 and North Carroll at 552. They would have to send nearly 400 kids to Westminster to be under the 25% increase. If the MPSSAA follows their own rules, MV should be moved up mid cycle.

 

[eaglesinsider]

From the MPSSAA website: "If a new MPSSAA member school opens or a member school whose enrollment is significantly changed (significantly changed is defined as a decrease or an increase of more than 25 percent) than that school shall be placed in the proper classification by the Classification Committee"

The enrollment used for the last classification had MV at 606 and North Carroll at 552. They would have to send nearly 400 kids to Westminster to be under the 25% increase. If the MPSSAA follows their own rules, MV should be moved up mid cycle.

Yeah. When Saint Charles opened mid-cycle a couple years ago they moved McDonough down to 1A because their enrollment dropped more than 25%.

I think it's hard to do that with the Baltimore City schools since, due to open enrollment, it's impossible to predict if a huge enrollment increase will still be there when it comes time to re-align.

 

[TDHelmick]

If new Manchester Valley does get shifted up, I anticipate Brunswick moving to 1A North and a couple of Baltimore City schools shifting into the North as well. There is no way they can leave 5 teams in the 1A North.

I've also heard from 3 very credible sources that the MPSSAA is actually moving on changing this Maryland playoff system. Or at least putting proposals on the table to be looked at and that it will move faster than we anticipated. One of the proposals is the system that Western Maryland submitted where we have a 9 game regular season and every one goes to the post-season. The second is a proposal submitted by Quince Orchard but I have not been able to ascertain what that proposal entails. But it's certainly a big sign that someone like Quince Orchard and the region they reside in are registering huge complaints with the current playoff system. Many are unhappy right now and I'm told it has forced the MPSSAA into action. I would not be surprised if by this summer they have a solid agreement in place to be pushed through. Fingers crossed.

I have my thoughts on what the best system would be, but I'm also just happy if they at least change what is there now. Can't have a regional system set up where nobody is playing each other in that region. And we can't have a 9-1 team getting left out while 4-6 teams get in. The 3 blowouts in the state title games just added more fuel to the fire. The best teams are not getting to the later rounds and coaches are furious when it happens to them.

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

 

[mccoke]

A good start...let's hope for a great result!

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

If new Manchester Valley does get shifted up, I anticipate Brunswick moving to 1A North and a couple of Baltimore City schools shifting into the North as well. There is no way they can leave 5 teams in the 1A North.

I've also heard from 3 very credible sources that the MPSSAA is actually moving on changing this Maryland playoff system. Or at least putting proposals on the table to be looked at and that it will move faster than we anticipated. One of the proposals is the system that Western Maryland submitted where we have a 9 game regular season and every one goes to the post-season. The second is a proposal submitted by Quince Orchard but I have not been able to ascertain what that proposal entails. But it's certainly a big sign that someone like Quince Orchard and the region they reside in are registering huge complaints with the current playoff system. Many are unhappy right now and I'm told it has forced the MPSSAA into action. I would not be surprised if by this summer they have a solid agreement in place to be pushed through. Fingers crossed.

I have my thoughts on what the best system would be, but I'm also just happy if they at least change what is there now. Can't have a regional system set up where nobody is playing each other in that region. And we can't have a 9-1 team getting left out while 4-6 teams get in. The 3 blowouts in the state title games just added more fuel to the fire. The best teams are not getting to the later rounds and coaches are furious when it happens to them.

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Hopefully they will make a change of some sort fast! I don't mind everyone making the playoffs, but it still doesn't solve the problem of overloaded regions like the 3A West and 1A West. Yes it solves the "we deserved to be in the playoffs" issue but it still "punishes" the better regions. Take this year, under this format, the semi-final and championship games would have been exactly the same. Yes, the Boonsboro's, Linganore's and Oakdale's more than likely would have won a playoff game or 2, but they still would have been been out earlier than they should have been. I would honestly like to see the regions go altogether. I think the points system could use some revamping but I'm not exactly sure the best way to go with that.

Sorry for "knocking" the Western Maryland proposal! While I personally don't feel it's best way to go, I thank you for even putting forward a proposal of any kind!! People have been bashing our playoff system for years, myself included, but no one has had the guts to try to do anything about it. I have a ton of respect for you and for what you have done for Fort Hill and are now trying to do to help the rest of the State as well!

 

[TDHelmick]

As I have said before, two things won't be changed with the MPSSAA:
1. They will not force teams to play each other
2. They will not force teams to travel exceptionally far for the playoff's first two rounds

If they even begin to tinker with doing away with regions (which I believe they will not), then the MPSSAA will have to look at neutral sites for the playoffs given rule #2 above. I have heard this neutral site proposal from many people. With this you will get coaches complaining because they earned home field advantage in the regular season but don't get it. On top of that it's hard to set up neutral fields when you don't know who is playing who. If you set up say Frederick or Hagerstown as a neutral site for a playoff game, and for example FH has to travel there in the first round to play 4th seeded Northern...what good is that? Not only are FH and Northern upset for having to travel that far, but the MPSSAA goes broke paying for it. Even sectional alignments like in basketball give teams fits. I can state for a fact that Alco basketball is extremely upset they have to travel to Frederick or Hagerstown every year to play for the region crown. And the Southern girls basketball team is even more peeved about it.

If the MPSSAA does go to a sectional alignment in football like in other sports, they will have to force teams to play each other (see rule #1). Alco, FH, Hancock, Northern and Southern will all be forced to play each other in football. And there is no way that solution is going to get passed. Now I have used 1A West as examples here so everyone can see what I'm trying to say, but the logic applies to the whole state.

My take on overloaded regions is that at some point the state title goes through FH, Damascus and Wise in 2015. Whether you get them early or at M&T is irrelevant to a large degree in my eyes. You still have to play them to win it all. For those who cry about Alco and FH having to play back-to-back weekends I say if it bothers you that much then move the Homecoming game up. The rest of the state is not setting things up so Homecoming can take priority. That's so greedy to even think such a thing.

If the top 8 in each region make the playoffs then I see the "overloaded" region complaint as small potatoes. OK, so it stinks having to play Damascus in the 2nd round or whatever instead of the 4th round. If coaches start complaining about playing Damascus in the 2nd round instead of the 4th round, they are just reaching for complaining straws because their kids didn't make it far enough. BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO BEAT DAMASCUS AT SOME POINT.

Because you see, this is not about winning a state championship in today's participation trophy world. This is about just getting to the playoffs and then just getting a possible playoff win for the kids. For the majority of teams...winning a state title is the last thing they can envision.

Nobody is ever going to be totally happy with any solution.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

As I have said before, two things won't be changed with the MPSSAA:
1. They will not force teams to play each other
2. They will not force teams to travel exceptionally far for the playoff's first two rounds

If they even begin to tinker with doing away with regions (which I believe they will not), then the MPSSAA will have to look at neutral sites for the playoffs given rule #2 above. I have heard this neutral site proposal from many people. With this you will get coaches complaining because they earned home field advantage in the regular season but don't get it. On top of that it's hard to set up neutral fields when you don't know who is playing who. If you set up say Frederick or Hagerstown as a neutral site for a playoff game, and for example FH has to travel there in the first round to play 4th seeded Northern...what good is that? Not only are FH and Northern upset for having to travel that far, but the MPSSAA goes broke paying for it. Even sectional alignments like in basketball give teams fits. I can state for a fact that Alco basketball is extremely upset they have to travel to Frederick or Hagerstown every year to play for the region crown. And the Southern girls basketball team is even more peeved about it.

If the MPSSAA does go to a sectional alignment in football like in other sports, they will have to force teams to play each other (see rule #1). Alco, FH, Hancock, Northern and Southern will all be forced to play each other in football. And there is no way that solution is going to get passed. Now I have used 1A West as examples here so everyone can see what I'm trying to say, but the logic applies to the whole state.

My take on overloaded regions is that at some point the state title goes through FH, Damascus and Wise in 2015. Whether you get them early or at M&T is irrelevant to a large degree in my eyes. You still have to play them to win it all. For those who cry about Alco and FH having to play back-to-back weekends I say if it bothers you that much then move the Homecoming game up. The rest of the state is not setting things up so Homecoming can take priority. That's so greedy to even think such a thing.

If the top 8 in each region make the playoffs then I see the "overloaded" region complaint as small potatoes. OK, so it stinks having to play Damascus in the 2nd round or whatever instead of the 4th round. If coaches start complaining about playing Damascus in the 2nd round instead of the 4th round, they are just reaching for complaining straws because their kids didn't make it far enough. BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO BEAT DAMASCUS AT SOME POINT.

Because you see, this is not about winning a state championship in today's participation trophy world. This is about just getting to the playoffs and then just getting a possible playoff win for the kids. For the majority of teams...winning a state title is the last thing they can envision.

Nobody is ever going to be totally happy with any solution.

I for one don't mind neutral site playoff games, but only when it's necessary. Your point about Fort Hill and Northern playing in Hagerstown or Frederick is absolutely on point. Maybe say if the 2 schools are greater than 50 miles apart, pick a neutral site as close to the middle as possible?

I get your point about having to go through the eventual State Champion at some point, but I would much rather watch a State Championship game between Fort Hill and Alco or Boonsboro that is close, than have that be the second round game and watch a blowout in the final. To me that is a disservice to the fans and the players. I tuned in to all 4 games this year and only made it through an entire 2 quarters of one of them.

The State of Maryland needs to suck it up and spend some money!

 

[eaglesinsider]

As I have said before, two things won't be changed with the MPSSAA:
1. They will not force teams to play each other
2. They will not force teams to travel exceptionally far for the playoff's first two rounds

If they even begin to tinker with doing away with regions (which I believe they will not), then the MPSSAA will have to look at neutral sites for the playoffs given rule #2 above. I have heard this neutral site proposal from many people. With this you will get coaches complaining because they earned home field advantage in the regular season but don't get it. On top of that it's hard to set up neutral fields when you don't know who is playing who. If you set up say Frederick or Hagerstown as a neutral site for a playoff game, and for example FH has to travel there in the first round to play 4th seeded Northern...what good is that? Not only are FH and Northern upset for having to travel that far, but the MPSSAA goes broke paying for it. Even sectional alignments like in basketball give teams fits. I can state for a fact that Alco basketball is extremely upset they have to travel to Frederick or Hagerstown every year to play for the region crown. And the Southern girls basketball team is even more peeved about it.

If the MPSSAA does go to a sectional alignment in football like in other sports, they will have to force teams to play each other (see rule #1). Alco, FH, Hancock, Northern and Southern will all be forced to play each other in football. And there is no way that solution is going to get passed. Now I have used 1A West as examples here so everyone can see what I'm trying to say, but the logic applies to the whole state.

My take on overloaded regions is that at some point the state title goes through FH, Damascus and Wise in 2015. Whether you get them early or at M&T is irrelevant to a large degree in my eyes. You still have to play them to win it all. For those who cry about Alco and FH having to play back-to-back weekends I say if it bothers you that much then move the Homecoming game up. The rest of the state is not setting things up so Homecoming can take priority. That's so greedy to even think such a thing.

If the top 8 in each region make the playoffs then I see the "overloaded" region complaint as small potatoes. OK, so it stinks having to play Damascus in the 2nd round or whatever instead of the 4th round. If coaches start complaining about playing Damascus in the 2nd round instead of the 4th round, they are just reaching for complaining straws because their kids didn't make it far enough. BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO BEAT DAMASCUS AT SOME POINT.

Because you see, this is not about winning a state championship in today's participation trophy world. This is about just getting to the playoffs and then just getting a possible playoff win for the kids. For the majority of teams...winning a state title is the last thing they can envision.

Nobody is ever going to be totally happy with any solution.

Your 9-game proposal where everyone makes the playoffs DOES force teams to play each other.

Why would you set neutral sites in advance? All playoff games in TX are neutral sites set up directly after your last game and continue to be set on a weekly basis as you advance through the playoffs until the state championship game. They are dealing with exponentially greater travel distances and crowd sizes and make it work. If the two teams can't agree on a neutral site they flip a coin for home-field.

 

[TDHelmick]

Your 9-game proposal where everyone makes the playoffs DOES force teams to play each other.

Why would you set neutral sites in advance? All playoff games in TX are neutral sites set up directly after your last game and continue to be set on a weekly basis as you advance through the playoffs until the state championship game. They are dealing with exponentially greater travel distances and crowd sizes and make it work. If the two teams can't agree on a neutral site they flip a coin for home-field.

How does the 9 game proposal force teams to play each other? It does not. Play whoever you want during the regular season.
If you are insinuating that the playoff itself forces teams to play each other then we are worlds apart. YES, any type of playoff forces teams to play each other. It sounds funny to even state such. Yikes.

Maryland does this format for EVERY single sport. Football need not be the exception.

As for the neutral site they can't even get it right for basketball in Maryland. Ask Southern Garrett, who has to travel 2.5 hours to play a regional championship game in Frederick against a team from Frederick when Southern is the top seed.

If they come up with a plan to seed 1-16 and use neutral fields I'm all for it if they do it like you say in Texas. But you can't have it where thinly populated areas get the shaft and have to travel closer to the big city to get it done. If Alco and Boonsboro played where would the field be? There are no fields in between.

 

[mccoke]

I would say that neutral field rule should kick in if the travel distance is over a certain amount. Say over a 100 miles.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I would say that neutral field rule should kick in if the travel distance is over a certain amount. Say over a 100 miles.

Completely agree! If you go 1-16 and the 2 schools are 25 miles apart, you should play at the top seed.

Since Texas was brought up, here is how the UIL defines a "neutral site" game:

"A site midpoint or near mid-point or a site agreed on by both schools as neutral, is a neutral site. Unless mutually agreeable, a site cannot be neutral if it is more than two-thirds the total distance between the two schools."

I do like the UIL method of letting the 2 schools hash out where games are played and staying out of it unless there is a disagreement. Seems to be working for them.

 

[TDHelmick]

I don't care what the MPSSAA does, just get rid of what's there now. This regional system lacks so much integrity it's embarrassing. It's so bad that coaches in other states don't believe it when the system is explained to them.

Take a team like Frederick Douglass (PG), the defending state champ who cannot even get into the 2A playoffs because they got beat by Wise, Ryken and Potomac. They went 7-3 and got out pointed by a team they beat. It's a complete joke.

 

[TDHelmick]

Right off the bat, Brunswick is seeking games for weeks 1 and 5. Those are the dates that they played MV and NC. I'd like to see FH pick up MV and Brunswick wouldn't be too bad.

There are several West region teams with open dates when FH has open dates. The answer is, was and always will be no. FH just inquired. However, I tell them all this...Avoiding FH in the regular season will never be an advantage. Their kids don't fare so well when they have to see FH for the first time. They are much better letting their kids see FH a 2nd time around. And when they disagree I ask how the current philosophy has worked out for them?

A 10-0 Boonsboro should have learned their lesson this year. And that was with home field advantage. It doesn't work. I think kids that see FH for the first time (or Alco) in regional playoffs are beaten before the game is even played. I say this based on what past opposing coaches have relayed. Why do you think Alco and FH hate playing each other a second time? It's much more difficult beating a team twice.

 

[bigsavage]

I agree 1-16 format... Games 100 miles apart or more neutral site.... Closer than that play at top seeds field... Problem solved

 

[eaglesinsider]

How does the 9 game proposal force teams to play each other? It does not. Play whoever you want during the regular season.
If you are insinuating that the playoff itself forces teams to play each other then we are worlds apart. YES, any type of playoff forces teams to play each other. It sounds funny to even state such. Yikes.

Maryland does this format for EVERY single sport. Football need not be the exception.

As for the neutral site they can't even get it right for basketball in Maryland. Ask Southern Garrett, who has to travel 2.5 hours to play a regional championship game in Frederick against a team from Frederick when Southern is the top seed.

If they come up with a plan to seed 1-16 and use neutral fields I'm all for it if they do it like you say in Texas. But you can't have it where thinly populated areas get the shaft and have to travel closer to the big city to get it done. If Alco and Boonsboro played where would the field be? There are no fields in between.

I'm insinuating that Southern Garrett or Brunswick would rather abstain from the playoffs than having to play Fort Hill in the first round as the lowest seed in their region and get massacred.

For the 9-game season where everyone makes the playoffs, you'd need to totally redo the classifications so that the playoffs would still end at the same time. I think it has some merit though.

For 1-16, maybe put a 30-50 mile radius (100 miles is way too far for the teams closer to Baltimore/DC to ever agree to) out there as a max travel zone without neutral sites, those games would be played at the highest seeds. For cases like Alco and Boonsoro, if they can't agree on/find a site, they could flip a coin for home-field.

 

[OneRing]

There are several West region teams with open dates when FH has open dates. The answer is, was and always will be no. FH just inquired. However, I tell them all this...Avoiding FH in the regular season will never be an advantage. Their kids don't fare so well when they have to see FH for the first time. They are much better letting their kids see FH a 2nd time around. And when they disagree I ask how the current philosophy has worked out for them?

A 10-0 Boonsboro should have learned their lesson this year. And that was with home field advantage. It doesn't work. I think kids that see FH for the first time (or Alco) in regional playoffs are beaten before the game is even played. I say this based on what past opposing coaches have relayed. Why do you think Alco and FH hate playing each other a second time? It's much more difficult beating a team twice.

Can't be all that hard. Of all the times the two schools have played twice, hasn't there only been once when the same team didn't win twice? Maybe twice.
In fact, most of the time the second game is easier to win than the first.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Can't be all that hard. Of all the times the two schools have played twice, hasn't there only been once when the same team didn't win twice? Maybe twice.
In fact, most of the time the second game is easier to win than the first.

Linganore and Urbana have met 4 times in the playoffs and only once has the same team won both games.

For 1-16, maybe put a 30-50 mile radius (100 miles is way too far for the teams closer to Baltimore/DC to ever agree to) out there as a max travel zone without neutral sites, those games would be played at the highest seeds. For cases like Alco and Boonsoro, if they can't agree on/find a site, they could flip a coin for home-field.

I agree, I had said a 50 mile radius. In the Alco-Boonsboro case, if they cant agree or find a neutral site (which in reality there is no neutral site in the middle in this scenario), then it should go to the top seed, not a fan of the coin flip thing.

 

[Rob_o76]

I agree, I had said a 50 mile radius. In the Alco-Boonsboro case, if they cant agree or find a neutral site (which in reality there is no neutral site in the middle in this scenario), then it should go to the top seed, not a fan of the coin flip thing.[/QUOTE]


Stadium Capacity not withstanding...

Hancock is certainly a midway point in this case, 38.1 miles from Boonsboro High and 38 Miles from Alco HIgh.

 

[eaglesinsider]

I agree, I had said a 50 mile radius. In the Alco-Boonsboro case, if they cant agree or find a neutral site (which in reality there is no neutral site in the middle in this scenario), then it should go to the top seed, not a fan of the coin flip thing.

The only thing about it automatically going to the higher seed if they can't agree on a neutral site is that it adds an incentive to the top seed to refuse to compromise on a neutral site game so they get the home game automatically. With a coin flip and a 50/50 chance of having to go to the lower seed, they'd be willing to work harder to work out a neutral site.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I agree, I had said a 50 mile radius. In the Alco-Boonsboro case, if they cant agree or find a neutral site (which in reality there is no neutral site in the middle in this scenario), then it should go to the top seed, not a fan of the coin flip thing.

Stadium Capacity not withstanding...

Hancock is certainly a midway point in this case, 38.1 miles from Boonsboro High and 38 Miles from Alco HIgh.[/QUOTE]

I guess I should have said a "practical" neutral site. No offense to Hancock but I don't see that being a good option. The good thing is, the scenario with the Washington County and Allegany/Garrett Schools is one of the few scenarios where there wouldn't be a practical neutral site somewhere in the middle.

The only thing about it automatically going to the higher seed if they can't agree on a neutral site is that it adds an incentive to the top seed to refuse to compromise on a neutral site game so they get the home game automatically. With a coin flip and a 50/50 chance of having to go to the lower seed, they'd be willing to work harder to work out a neutral site.

Good Point. The UIL does this and I am sure that is the exact reason why.

 

[nomad974]

If new Manchester Valley does get shifted up, I anticipate Brunswick moving to 1A North and a couple of Baltimore City schools shifting into the North as well. There is no way they can leave 5 teams in the 1A North.

I've also heard from 3 very credible sources that the MPSSAA is actually moving on changing this Maryland playoff system. Or at least putting proposals on the table to be looked at and that it will move faster than we anticipated. One of the proposals is the system that Western Maryland submitted where we have a 9 game regular season and every one goes to the post-season. The second is a proposal submitted by Quince Orchard but I have not been able to ascertain what that proposal entails. But it's certainly a big sign that someone like Quince Orchard and the region they reside in are registering huge complaints with the current playoff system. Many are unhappy right now and I'm told it has forced the MPSSAA into action. I would not be surprised if by this summer they have a solid agreement in place to be pushed through. Fingers crossed.

I have my thoughts on what the best system would be, but I'm also just happy if they at least change what is there now. Can't have a regional system set up where nobody is playing each other in that region. And we can't have a 9-1 team getting left out while 4-6 teams get in. The 3 blowouts in the state title games just added more fuel to the fire. The best teams are not getting to the later rounds and coaches are furious when it happens to them.

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

I have spoken to a few coaches about the MoCo proposal (technically not a QO proposal). It would slightly change the current format. But that small change would have big implications. I would venture to guess MoCo, PG, Frederick, Anne Arundel and Western MD would be on board. The Shore, Baltimore (city & county) and the SMAC would be hesitant.

 

[TDHelmick]

I have spoken to a few coaches about the MoCo proposal (technically not a QO proposal). It would slightly change the current format. But that small change would have big implications. I would venture to guess MoCo, PG, Frederick, Anne Arundel and Western MD would be on board. The Shore, Baltimore (city & county) and the SMAC would be hesitant.

What is the proposal? I have not heard.

 

[nomad974]

In short they want to keep the point system as most agree its good. But they want to reduce the automatic bids from 4 to 2 in each region. The top 2 point getters in each region would get in and the other 8 teams would have "at-large" bids based their point total. Its very similar to the old playoff system, except with 16 teams instead of 8.

The MPSSAA can still have all corners of the state represented but the "best" teams can also have their shot in the playoffs. In addition it will make for better 1st & 2nd round matchups since the 3 & 4 seeds have lost 90+ % of the time in the 1st round the past few years under the current format.

 

[TDHelmick]

In short they want to keep the point system as most agree its good. But they want to reduce the automatic bids from 4 to 2 in each region. The top 2 point getters in each region would get in and the other 8 teams would have "at-large" bids based their point total. Its very similar to the old playoff system, except with 16 teams instead of 8.

The MPSSAA can still have all corners of the state represented but the "best" teams can also have their shot in the playoffs. In addition it will make for better 1st & 2nd round matchups since the 3 & 4 seeds have lost 90+ % of the time in the 1st round the past few years under the current format.

Sounds pretty good to me. Except that it does away with the regional set up. You will have teams traveling longer distances for 1st and 2nd round games. And I'm OK with that, but I know the MPSSAA and other admins don't want this cost.

 

[TDHelmick]

FORT HILL WILL BE A 2A SCHOOL IN 2017.
You heard it here first.

 

[Harleydeuce]

Washington Middle School currently houses 680 kids 6-8th grade so you may be correct. The smallest school in 2A currently has 664.

 

[mccoke]

No more Fort Hill vs. Alco Part Deux anymore? Well, maybe we could see both City schools playing for championships again! I'd love it!

 

[towpath94]

FORT HILL WILL BE A 2A SCHOOL IN 2017.
You heard it here first.

interesting. Is it a slam dunk or something like 50-50 chance?

 

[TDHelmick]

It's not official...and it's going to be close. The freshman class coming in for next year from Washington Jr. High is the kicker. It will depend on that and what other schools around the state do with enrollments (which I cannot predict).

If FH does move to 2A they would be one of the smallest schools in 2A if not the smallest. I would think football and maybe volleyball could manage the shift, but the other FH sports would have a very difficult time with it.

The problem with FH football going 2A is still scheduling. It's already bad enough, but putting FH in the 2A West would be brutal because no one in 2A West will play FH in football either other than Mountain Ridge. I know because we have tried the past 3 years to get those schools to play. A 3 loss season definitely keeps you out of the playoffs in 2A on most occasions. When no one in the region will play you as it is now, 2A will be much rougher. It's enough to make your head explode they are so clueless. I hoped that when Ned Sparks moved on that things might change. I like Andy...but the organization as a whole is even a bigger, worthless political tool now. The MPSSAA interests are lazy, self-serving and politically correct driven. Sounds like every other political entity in Maryland.

If you think about it, this issue with the current football regional playoff setup being favorable because the first two rounds require less travel is lunacy. The only schools in the state that are more than 2 to 3 hours apart are in Class 1A. But from Frederick to Baltimore to PG/Montgomery Counties the distances are relatively short. Southern Maryland, the far Eastern Shore and everything west of Frederick is the problem and it's all small school. I say if the playoff travel distance is greater than 2.5 hours then find a neutral site like Eagleinsider thinks would work. Can someone please do something? Do away with this regional set up or force teams in regions to play each other. Ugh, what fools.

To close out this long rant...I keep hearing people laugh because FH complains so much about this football set up when it has allowed them to win 3 straight state titles. But to me that just shows how bad it is becasue if FH was losing then you know it would just be sour grapes. If you are going to complain, at least do it when you are winning. You know the system has to be bad at that point.

 

[nomad974]

Its almost impossible to predict, unless you have the data (school population and othe census numbers) from all the schools. Even then you still wont know for sure. People thought Damascus would move down to 2A for years given how they were the smallest 3A school for 4yrs in a row and had new schools popping up around them.

I hope FH does move up though. I would assume it will make scheduling games slightly easier and the quality of competition, in theory, will be better suited for FH (at least in the playoffs).

 

[TDHelmick]

Well you are speaking from strictly a football standpoint. Most all the other sports are struggling to compete at the 1A level.

 

[nomad974]

Agreed

 

[Seasoned Lettuce]

Mountain Ridge which has excelled in many of the "other sports" is finding competing in 2A in the "other sports" to be very difficult. So Todd is correct in that it would hurt Fort Hill's "other sports" tremendously.