NSA Division Shift

[Chief62]

Have to comment on NSA reclassification to division three... Heard the request did not go through the football committee and not sure why VISSA allowed the reclass. I remember IOW being denied the same thing. Clearly NSA is suffering with only 38 kids on thhe roster and blowing out their new D3 opponents with ease. It was a great move on VISSA's part. Really well thought out.

We can only hope that the NSA schedule is so tough that they don't make the playoffs. More than likely, they will drop games against a renewed Norfolk Academy team and Trinity Episcopal, will finish ranked three of four in D3 and will crush some poor team on the road int he semis before winning the states.

 

[ole ball coach]

So, Chief, you're saying that a team with only 34 (not 38) on the roster and... a school enrollment that puts them near the bottom of the Div. 3 classification (again bottom of D3---- not D2) should be punished? I thought it was a very fair, and wise, decision by the VISAA.

 

[Chief62]

Scroll through the rosters on max preps and look at the size of the rosters in D3. Then watch the scores against D3 opponents this year. Then remember a couple of years ago when IOW asked the same thing for the same reasons and were denied. And wonder why the football committee for VISAA was not even consulted this time. Having seen NSA play this year, there is no competitive reason they could not have played another year in D2 then dropped down in the regular cycle.

Perhaps I am just more persnickety than others on this as it generated only your reply in all the time it is up. But how many state championships might North Cross win if they had played D4 the past five years? They choose to play up for the competition despite having 90 or so boys and a roster with 20. In fact, until four years ago, NCS played LCA every year in football with rosters that sized as part of the old VIC. Their choice yes but it tells me NSA could have stuck it out if they were not trophy hunting.

 

[armyof11]

I agree with you Chief. No doubt NSA could reach the playoffs in D2 again this year, like they did last year, and years previous. But, if the ultimate goal is winning a state championship, the move to drop down to D3 was the right choice for NSA. Wouldn't it be a fitting end for a healthy NC team, who is playing up a division, to beat a NSA team who happened to drop down a division to better their chances of a title.

 

[heelsfan8]

I think there are a lot of people out there that agree with you but just aren't saying anything because they know it's done now. It's just a shame that the VISAA allowed it to happen and didn't even notify the Football committee. NSA will probably get what they want which is a state championship. Why have a rule if no one is going to hold schools to it? Divisions are reassessed every two years for this very purpose. I guess we should just let schools do whatever they want.

 

[Chief62]

Army, you are right, it would be fun to see but even a healthy North Cross cannot beat NSA. And I don't see them beating themselves. Goal now for D3 is to avoid NSA in first round of playoffs so you can say you went to the championship game.

 

[rocketballz]

I just witnessed NSA completely dominate Bishop Sullivan tonight. Even the Ole ball coach says he has at least 3 D1 college players on his roster, but sneaks his way down to D3 this season. He can say what he wants, but the move down to D3 was get HIS state championship.

 

[heelsfan8]

I love how ole ball coach says punished. The only teams being punished by this decision are all the D3 teams that are contenders. If it wasn't for this NSA deal the division would be wide open with EVEN competition. NSA has more seniors on their team than some schools in D3 have players on their roster. I love private school football but this whole thing is just a sham.

 

[Chief62]

Score?

 

[heelsfan8]

NSA 50 Bishop Sullivan 32

 

[wgarlick]

I love how ole ball coach says punished. The only teams being punished by this decision are all the D3 teams that are contenders. If it wasn't for this NSA deal the division would be wide open with EVEN competition. NSA has more seniors on their team than some schools in D3 have players on their roster. I love private school football but this whole thing is just a sham.

So only the D3 teams that are contenders are punished?

 

[heelsfan8]

Of course all the teams suffer! I was mentioning the teams that should have a legit shot at winning the championship before this ruling. But if you want to put words in my mouth that's cool. Just like most media! Will you are a class act. Instead of worrying about my opinions why don't you report on this and bring the issue to light and figure out why this happened in the first place. Unless your in Lew's pockets also.

 

[wgarlick]

Of course all the teams suffer! I was mentioning the teams that should have a legit shot at winning the championship before this ruling. But if you want to put words in my mouth that's cool. Just like most media! Will you are a class act. Instead of worrying about my opinions why don't you report on this and bring the issue to light and figure out why this happened in the first place. Unless your in Lew's pockets also.

Ok your quote said "The only teams being punished by this decision are all the D3 teams that are contenders."
What words did I put in your mouth like most of the media?

Still trying to figure out what the issue is. The VISAA approved Nansemond-Suffolk Academy moving to D3 because of their enrollment. I asked someone in the VISAA and they said if there is a significant change in enrollment, a waiver could be approved.

Whatever the VISAA decided their Divisions would be is what it is. Whether they have 3 or 4 Divisions or whether they decide to not push the playoffs back a week to allow Bishop O Connell, Woodbery Forest and Episcopal a playoff chance, it's their decision.

I'll continue to focus my reporting on the players and teams of the VISAA.

 

[BroddyD]

Will, Thank you for your strong reporting. Your mention of pushing the VISAA playoffs back one week brings up a good issue. I think there are way too many divisions leading to way too many "championships." With LCA, who happens to be having an uncharacteristically down year, moving to VHSL, the D1 championship is even less important. Woodberry, Episcopal and O'Connell already skip it. Benedictine is the only elite team in D1 who will even be competing in the playoffs. I think they should combine D-1 and D-2 into one division and have a second division for smaller schools.

 

[heelsfan8]

Smh.... Continue your great reporting Will! You have done great things for the VISAA.

 

[wgarlick]

Will, Thank you for your strong reporting. Your mention of pushing the VISAA playoffs back one week brings up a good issue. I think there are way too many divisions leading to way too many "championships." With LCA, who happens to be having an uncharacteristically down year, moving to VHSL, the D1 championship is even less important. Woodberry, Episcopal and O'Connell already skip it. Benedictine is the only elite team in D1 who will even be competing in the playoffs. I think they should combine D-1 and D-2 into one division and have a second division for smaller schools.

I would like to see three Divisions again but I believed the VISAA changed it because of the disparity between the enrollments at the top of the Division compared to the bottom of the Division.

This was the enrollment at the start of the 2014 football season Not sure what is the best way to setup the Divisions.

Plus the VISAA is losing as many schools ((Carlisle, Richmond Christian, and LCA)) as they are adding schools.

 

[wgarlick]

Smh.... Continue your great reporting Will! You have done great things for the VISAA.

Thanks Heelsfan8. I appreciate your contributions to the forum. I just don't think any of us should give a team the State title in a message board. Let whoever wins the State championship do so on the field.

 

[ncsraider21]

Since the VISAA/Powers-That-Be made the decision for Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (NSA) to realign to Division 3, everyone has had an opportunity to ponder the decision and voice their opinion. Virginia Preps has provided this forum for sports fanatics like us to debate, speculate, and even pontificate the results of the decision and it’s possible ramifications. I have read many comments in and outside of this forum and would like to invoke my Fifth Amendment right and hopefully summarize this situation.

As another poster mentioned above, the VISAA has made their decision; right, wrong, or indifferent, what’s done is done and it’s time for us to move past this issue. I think the majority of the readers feel something went wrong in the decision making process. It may not seem fair - NSA may have even circumvented (speculation) or gone outside of the normal parameters of the process to get this accomplished –but in any event it’s done. At the end of the day, life isn’t fair. While I may not agree with the decision, I will use this NSA example as a teaching moment. NSA is definitely not invincible. I agree with Will, I’m not conceding D3 to them, but will focus my energies on what can be done to properly prepare to be victorious over them. It can be done!!

The beauty of growing up in Indiana was the IHSAA Basketball Tournament. Until the late 1990’s the nostalgia behind the tournament was unique as all schools regardless of size were in the same tournament. It created the atmosphere where a small town “David” could knock off a large city “Goliath”. As a matter of fact, the most memorable state championship game that sticks out in my mind was 1982. Plymouth High School with and enrollment of 900 and led by Scott Skiles defeated Gary Roosevelt (75-74 in double OT) a school that was a stones throw away from Chicago, an enrollment of 2500 and multiple D1 prospects (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Skiles). I saw one poster mention NSA has three D1 prospects on their team with 34 or 38 total players. The Gary Roosevelt team had 5 to 7 D1 prospects. One went on to play in the NBA for 8 years (Winston Garland) and another played with Clyde “The Glyde” Drexler and Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon at University of Houston (Phi Slamma Jamma). Skiles was just relentless, he was unafraid, and willed his team to victory by scoring 25 of his 39 points after the 3rd quarter. He just had “it” and vowed not to let his team lose.

I know football isn’t like basketball but let me bring it home a little closer. North Cross played Norfolk Christian Academy (NCA) for the state championship in 2012. NCA had five D1 players on that team (Mario Nixon, Wilfred Wahee, Courtnye Winn, and Kwontie Moore) who all were recruited by UVA and Tech, with each deciding on UVA. The fifth player (George Wahee) is currently a Freshman at UNC Charlotte. I know North Cross had one or two FCS level players on that team and they beat NCA twice that year. North Cross was the David and NCA was the Goliath. My point is….it can be done! The players have to believe in themselves, have heart and a-lot-a-bit of “it”.

Who in Division 3 is going to have that “it”. And based upon all the naysayers and prognosticators, who is going to be the David to knock off the Goliath.