another perspective about playoffs, the West should have gone with 12 teams...

[bravesfan7327]

The bolded part is why the 1A cut off needs to be 400. Period. All 1A is at this point is a "2A lite" for schools that have between 400-475 students. Seriously, what teams can actually compete for a title that have below 400 students? Galax?? Name anyone else.

J I Burton

 

[obguthr]

In my PERFECT system, there are minimum situations where schools will be over twice the size of other schools in their divisions:

1A: 0-400 (maybe 3-4 schools that are over half as small as other schools in the division)
2A: 401-750 (ZERO schools that are over half the size as other schools in the division)
3A: 751-1450 (Same as 2A)
4A: 1451 & Above (Maybe 3-4 schools that sit above the 2900 student mark)

Now..I'm not claiming to be Leonardo Da Vinci...but the above masterpiece puts me pretty darn close

I think we're thinking along the same lines. Here's mine:

Conferences are eliminated, no mixed class districts*
1A: 0-499; 50 football schools, 11 districts, 4 regions, 4 teams from each region make playoffs
2A: 500-999; 79 schools, 14 districts, 4 regions, 6 teams from each region make playoffs, 2 byes per region
3A: 1000-1599; 88 schools, 15 districts, 4 regions, 8 teams from each region make the playoffs
4A: 1600+; 90 schools, 12 districts, 4 regions, 8 teams from each region make the playoffs

Largest size differentials among football schools:
1A: Grundy 491 (high) - King & Queen 173 (low)
2A: Broadway 994 (high) - Lebanon 501 (low)
3A: Atlee 1599 (high) - Hidden Valley 1004 (low)
4A: TC Williams 3183 (high) - Henrico 1605 (low)

*Four schools would be permitted to play down, one school would play up. 4A sized Albemarle, Halifax, Franklin county, and PH-Roanoke would play in 3A. 1A sized Northampton would play 2A.

 

[mmqp]

With Riverheads and Essex? The Burton I know always got to the State game and got clobbered. But different year, different day. Guess time will tell. I hope you're right.

 

[honestjohn60]

According to the enrollment #'s I got off of the VHSL website, there are 20 schools with an enrollment of 300 or below that play football, 22 schools if you count Highland and Council who dont play...Council used to play didnt they Honestjohn?

They had a team for just a couple years.

 

[honestjohn60]

The small schools are going to get the shaft, always have, always will.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

Everyone should go with 16 teams. As for earning a bye, no one earns a bye. They are given a bye by stupid VHSL rules. When the VHSL went to 16 team format in 2011, it worked out well. I was told that a lot of money was made, and some nice checks were written..

 

[THEGOATFROMJMU]

Name some small schools with recent state success... Ok just off the top of my head
Bath county when the Phillips were there
Eastern Montgomery with Christian
William Campbell in the mid 2000s....
Colonial Beach in the mid 2000s

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I recall back in mid 90s, Wm Campbell was in AA, and won Region 3 championship, if my memory is correct. Kevin Saunders was Coach.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

This is a classic "can't please everyone situation." The smaller schools are of course at a disadvantage, but when they DO come up with those miracle seasons, it is quite memorable and even fans from other schools jump on their bandwagon. I can't think of any football stories in recent memory but in basketball, Hurley had that amazing run a few years ago and didn't Council win state some time back or at least make it to the finals?

So those stories DO happen, and when they do they make movies about them. (Hoosiers, anyone?)

As for that argument you guys are having about whether there is any difference between a 200 student school playing against a 500 and a 750 playing against a 1,400, I have to admit I have not formulated an opinion on that, and for me NOT to have an opinion on something is rare!

 

[longtimerhsfan]

When I posted a moment ago, I had somehow missed Goat's posting where he named some smaller school football success stories. So there you go.....Bath County being an especially good example of what a difference one or two super athletes can mean even on the smallest of teams.

 

[kwhs95fan]

Council made it to the state basketball championship I know at least twice maybe three times in a 3 year span when they had Brad Nuckles who went on to have a solid career at East Tennessee State. I know his sophomore year they lost to an undefeated New Kent team and I believe they won it his junior year. Want to say they lost his senior year to Nandua but can't remember if it was in the semis or finals. I think they had maybe around 250 students. Colonial Beach in football made it to the state semis in 07 or 08 behind TT Carey and also won a basketball state title in one of those two years as well. I believe they had around 175 students at that time.

 

[bravesfan7327]

From 98-09 J I Burton played in 5 state championships and 3 straight 04-06 although they never won one I'd still consider that pretty successful for a small school.