SHHS

[LinemenWinGames]

Heard some encouraging words from some South Hagerstown staff today that the interest in bringing FH and Alco into the schedule is high, which is a complete turnaround from everything said to me before from SHHS. An old flame might be rekindled. Things fell apart so quickly that SHHS's only in-county opponent will be NHHS. They are beefing up their schedule with the big boys so the sentiment is why not 1a FH and Alco. I hope this happens but I won't believe until I see it.

This post was edited on 12/15 5:35 PM by LinemenWinGames

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Just curious, do you know what "big boys" they are adding to their schedule? Last I heard, they were running away from Linganore but maybe things have changed since then.

 

[eaglesinsider]

Originally posted by LHSlancerFAN:
Just curious, do you know what "big boys" they are adding to their schedule? Last I heard, they were running away from Linganore but maybe things have changed since then.

I have North Hagerstown's full schedule but only 1 game for South.

NH is playing all 4 Washington County teams plus 4 from Carroll. South Carroll in Week 1, Century in Week 3, Westminster in Week 4 and Liberty in Week 9. From Frederick County they're playing Tuscarora Week 2 and Frederick Week 7.

I imagine 0-10 NH was in higher demand than 10-0 SH.

 

[Rob_o76]

SHHS V Fort Hill - WK 7

 

[LinemenWinGames]

It was mentioned to me that Linganore, TJ and maybe even Westminister would be on SHHS schedule. Like I said, won't believe it until I see it. OL 76 says SHHS-FH week 7 so the word is out there. That leads me to believe that SHHS is trying to get their schedule full asap so they can be done with it. Not sure where the relationships stand with Boonsboro and Williamsport after they walked out of MVAL meeting. I do not see those people often enough to get any input.

This post was edited on 12/16 4:50 PM by LinemenWinGames

 

[GREEN75]

This would be great to play South again !!!

 

[Rob_o76]

Urbana, South Carrol, Westminster, Williamsport, Tuscarora, North Hagerstown, Fort Hill, Jefferson(WV)

No Boonsboro

This post was edited on 12/16 8:10 PM by Rob_o76

 

[CometCrazy21]

I like FH South Carroll if thag could happen

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I hope to see Linganore fill one those last 2 spots but with them already scheduling Urbana, I'm not sure if they will go for us too. I've been pretty hard on South but I have to say, that schedule is a very nice step up for them and I'm happy to see it.

 

[GREEN75]

Will SHHS still have their good running back?

 

[AllRed95]

I think he's gone. It's nice to hear some chatter from down Hagerstown way (I assume Rob-o76). We could rekindle some old rivalries. It would be nice to play some of our local teams in the Hagerstown/Frederick/panhandle way again!

 

[TDHelmick]

Yes on Week 7. Varsity, JV and Freshman games for a triple header.

 

[PolkHighPride]

Here is some excellent information on South Hagerstown from a poster named JDonAB on the West Virginia Board:

"When Toby Peer took over the program at South, it was in bad shape. They were losing to the likes of Berkeley Springs. It had fallen on hard times.

Peer took over and got a commitment from the school and community. In his first year, the school gave him $35,000 for new weight room equipment. They sent the staff to Liberty to pick up the strength program used at that school. They also got the middle school kids to come up and lift after school. He also started the weight program for high school kids at 7:00 in the morning and got 50-60 kids to show up daily. That is a tough time, but he convinced the county to give the kids a PE credit by calling it zero period. Obviously attendance was mandatory. It is still not the advantage that Frederick County schools have built in to their school day, but that was the first step.

His second year at the school, he got all of the junior league/middle school programs to adapt what he was doing at the high school level. It was obviously scaled down to fit that level, but they started implementing skills, drills and terminology that the high school program used. That makes a difference. All of those feeder teams wear green and white and wear the same uniforms South does. It is called getting the community to buy in. It helped the junior league coaches to learn proper techniques from the more experienced high school coaches. This is a move that pays off years down the line, but once it starts rolling it is a big benefit.

Last year, the weight program started to show the benefits. They went 9-1 and made the playoffs for the first time since they were a 1A program. Now due to enrollment increases in the 2000s, South is 3A. This year again they went 10-0 and went to the playoffs. Yes, they played a soft schedule but those were the teams they were losing to before. Now with the split of the conference, they are beefing up the schedule on their own. They are planning on putting an artificial surface at School Stadium. They are ahead of schedule on fundraising which may show that people are buying into the program. These type of things help your program ie new weight room, better playing conditions, updated lockerroom.

You can't say the hallways of South Hagerstown are not without athletic talent. Isaiah Smith rushed for 600 yards as a true freshman at the Citadel this past season. That is on a spread option team that spreads the ball around. CJ Davis has been pretty impressive for Shepherd lately. The school has been to the state final four in basketball on a couple of occasions in the past ten years. There is talent in the building. I think Peer has found a way to get the kids to buy in.

Frederick County schools like Urbana and Linganore have a built-in weight and conditioning period in their school day. That is huge advantage! Peer is now trying to convince the administrations of Washington County to build it in at South. That would be a huge step over trying to convince kids to get transportation and always wake up at 7AM five days a week. A program isn't built overnight. It takes time and I think Peer is doing it the right way.

South has talent and speed which are things you can't teach. Linganore has tough, hard-nosed kids no doubt. But last year in week three, they (Linganore) unveiled the addition of Philip Butler in their backfield. Butler had been POY at North Hagerstown as a junior. He then got multiple arrests. His last arrest over a brutal assault and theft landed him in jail as a sentence. When he was released, he somehow was in the backfield of Linganore in week three which may say where they are in terms of need for speed. I don't think it is unrealistic that in a few more years that South can compete. Next year will probably be a step back, but the characteristics of a good program have been implemented at South imo.

I say all this because I do believe South will be playing more eastern panhandle schools in the near future. A lot of the Washington County schools no longer want to schedule South since they don't have to as an independent."

 

[FortHillFan89]

So it is a go for week 7? Home or away? Reading back through I am guessing home for us next year.

This post was edited on 12/17 4:55 PM by FortHillFan89

 

[TDHelmick]

All kinds of schedules and realignments going down this week and especially today. It's that time of year when football schedules are set, But it's obviously a little crazier with the MVAL break up. That sent scheduling ripples all through the state. Must have spoken with 45 coaches, not all of them about Allegany County schedules either. It's just funny how administrators and coaches choose to handle their programs. Trust me when I say this...EVERYBODY IN MARYLAND IS LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE PLAYOFFS!. I'm not talking about 1A West this time. I'm talking about coaches all around the state in all classes. I should consider putting it all in a book because it sure would make for some great reading.

Expect to see some old CVAL reunion match ups being announced here shortly

 

[TDHelmick]

Originally posted by FortHillFan89:
So it is a go for week 7? Home or away? Reading back through I am guessing home for us next year.

This post was edited on 12/17 4:55 PM by FortHillFan89

Yes Week 7, Varsity at FH next year, at South in 2016.
Freshman/JV game at South next year, at FH in 2016.

 

[FortHillFan89]

Good deal Todd. Sounds like you have been busy today.

 

[GREEN75]

You need to talk to Bill Smith, maybe will feed the kids after the game!!!

 

[mccoke]

and what of a 1 year deal for week 7 because of Chestnut Ridge moving to that week in 2016-17? I really like FH playing CR. Great football atmosphere!

 

[Rob_o76]

SHHS finalized schedule for the next two year cycle

MERVO - 4A Playoff team
Urbana - 3A Playoff Team
South Carroll - 2A Semi Finalist
Linganore - 3A Regional Finalist
Westminster - 3A
Tuscarora - 3A
Fort HIll - B2B 1A State Champs
Williamsport - 2A
Jefferson High WV - (3A by Maryland numbers)
North Hagerstown - 3A

 

[bleedred]

What a difference a Coach makes. Years ago South would have never even thought about playing a schedule like this one. Very impressive even for a 3A team!

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Originally posted by Rob_o76:
SHHS finalized schedule for the next two year cycle

MERVO - 4A Playoff team
Urbana - 3A Playoff Team
South Carroll - 2A Semi Finalist
Linganore - 3A Regional Finalist
Westminster - 3A
Tuscarora - 3A
Fort HIll - B2B 1A State Champs
Williamsport - 2A
Jefferson High WV - (3A by Maryland numbers)
North Hagerstown - 3A

Glad to see Linganore on there! That is a very tough schedule and I think they may have a hard time making playoffs but I think the last 2 years have shown South what they have to do to compete with the rest of the region. Even if they would miss out of the playoffs, playing the tougher out of county competition is a huge step in the right direction and will only make the program stronger. As someone whose children will go to South (as long as I dont move), its great to see!

 

[bigdawgrefwmd]

with all this mess wouldn't it make sense to try to get the old CVAL back together?

FH, Alco, Mountain Ridge added with North and South
then work back the WV Schools
Jefferson,Martinsburg,Hedgesville,Musselman,Spring Mills and Washington
11 Teams that play 10 league games. Schedule would be easy

 

[TDHelmick]

Originally posted by bigdawgrefwmd:
with all this mess wouldn't it make sense to try to get the old CVAL back together?

FH, Alco, Mountain Ridge added with North and South
then work back the WV Schools
Jefferson,Martinsburg,Hedgesville,Musselman,Spring Mills and Washington
11 Teams that play 10 league games. Schedule would be easy

The Berkeley County schools have been dying to merge with someone like the Winchester area schools for years IMHO. Just never comes to fruition. The MVAL obviously kept them out of Maryland. Now, I dunno what comes of all this. I can say from experience that being in a league is very beneficial in many ways. We do know that not being in a league doomed Alco and FH. Sadly enough, in my eyes the MVAL split apart because certain higher ups just couldn't see eye-to-eye. What's best for the kids never matters when this happens. I think being an independent in football in a long term sense will hurt some teams as it has in Allegany County.

As stated earlier, I have spoken with over 80 coaches and ADs the past two weeks because this is the heat of football scheduling season. And I can state with 100% certainty that most every single school in PA, MD and WV, regardless of size, is in a competition to see who can find the weakest opponents to fill whatever open slot(s) they have. You would think that in WV where they choose to utilize the 1-16 playoff seeding format, or even in PA where the playoff format is really loose, that they would not be so much worried about the caliber of competition they must face. But that is not the case at all. I have had some serious local high school football epiphanies this past month (LOL). I realized that fear of competition is definitely based on making the playoffs, but it also has to do with winning games period. It's almost like the "participation trophy" theory where every kid wins. Where we don't have to report the losing pitcher in a Little League baseball game anymore. Nobody wants to see their kids lose. Coaches are ridiculed and take a beating from parents and the local community when they lose. And losing gets you fired many times. So it's human nature to avoid as much. This is what society and the playoffs have created.