JM wins...ok..lets hear it!!
- Thread starter NKU Quiet one
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I think that puts them in a bad spot. I think the AD should be the final signature. If you are okay with how a kid got to you, go ahead and sign and take the risk if there is any.
Because your enrollment is Class 2 size doesn't mean the VHSL can't make a rule, literally just for John Marshall and force them to play up in Basketball only. The VHSL absolutely does have the power to do that if they want. Now, will they or won't they? We could argue that forever, but they certainly can if they want to. I read on another board where one of the posters talked about two small schools in the same county being allowed to play as one football team and compete, and these two schools weren't combined yet, and on paper, that is against the rules, but the VHSL simply in a one hour meeting made the exception and made it happen. If the VHSL says, you have an unfair advantage competitively, you are now playing Class 6 in Basketball only, then the VHSL can do that. They have the power to make John Marshall's boys basketball team only, not the other sports, but just their boys Hoops team to play up in classification if they want to. As for whether they will or they will not, that could be debated forever.
How would that be fair to the 6a teams? I do realize they will have a better chance of competing but this year JM would have probably beat by 20 plus points most if not all 6a teams. If I was a legit 6a team I wouldn't be happy about losing to them either.
“The sending and receiving VHSL school principals are required to complete and file the VHSL Transfer Form”. This only applies to in state transfers… NC and NY doesn’t apply. This seems to refer to a kid going from Gate City to James River for example. If a family is renting in let’s say Prince George, moving to a new residence in Richmond wouldn’t be far fetched.
Exactly. From what I’m reading, Radford wants a special exemption so they can win more before Cormany hangs it up.
How about JM goes to VISAA Division 1, not to another VHSL division smh. It seems they don’t mind them playing in VHSL(controversy and all) just not at there expense.
You are incorrect. This is for all transfers, in-state or not, according to the VHSL office.
“Sending and receiving VHSL principal” wording had me to believe that both schools are apart of the same association. Further it seems this isn’t a VHSL problem… RPS would be finalizing the transfer form. Good luck with the City of Richmond. For the record I didn’t see where it referenced out of state transfers in your original post…
From my research, unless a school administrator reports something to the VHSL, it is assumed that the transfers were appropriate. It appears that it is up to the schools involved to self police.
Do schools receive a stipend or some sort of monetary reward for winning a state championship? If so, I can think of a few reasons($$$) why this is overlooked. A whistleblower or private investigator type investigation would blow the lid off the JM outfit.
I don’t know of any financial incentives. What I was told was this…if a current student at a member school filed a complaint that he lost an opportunity because of a questionable transfer, an inquiry could be initiated. Also, if the school where the transfer came from and the school where he ended up submitted conflicting info, an inquiry could be initiated.
I believe I read in the handbook some years back that it is the responsibility of the school administration to determine if a student is actually living at the residence that they claim to be living at. Unless somebody submits evidence to the contrary to the VHSL, they won't bother to even look into it.
It seems that some administrators may have taken the Friday Night Lights attitude, “If you don’t want to know, don’t ask.” — Buddy Garrity, Friday Night Lights
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Yeah, only Radford has a gripe. Brunswick or someone else could have won it all this year. You have missed the point in every post, by telling everyone to stop crying. Embrace debate and when you are wrong, grow from it. One day you could have good opinions too.
I’ve had great dialogue with MC and others. It seems Radford fans are making it personal to them while others like myself are asking for equality for all, not just class 2(move them to class 6 is there main talking point). Opinions are subjective, not good or bad. One day you’ll understand that if you disagree just say so and move forward!
Any VHSL school that recruits should be banned from post season. Any player who transfers for athletic reasons, should be banned from playing.
I know of "recruiting jobs" by high schools that would make any college coach proud.
I know of "recruiting jobs" by high schools that would make any college coach proud.
I disagree with you as far as a kid transferring is concerned. I can remember a few years back when Coach Patrick Cane retired from Hermitage HS, Hermitage went from a Powerhouse Class 5 state contender to a laughing stock because the school brought in an underperforming coach who was fired a year later. Some of those kids had college offers under Cane and lost their offers a year later under the new coach because their stats dropped so low. I know one of the kids who transferred out and ended up getting more college offers and currently plays D-1 at a major program, had he not transferred out he may not be playing D-1 today. I do agree with your point that coaches should not be recruiting but I don't blame any kid for wanting to improve their chances of obtaining a scholarship.
That is fine. Don't pile on Radford. Someone has to have a loud voice for those who cannot speak out.
There has been talks (RVA natives in the know) for years that JM would be shut down and a new school would be built to serve Armstrong and JM kids. There’s been more and more chatter about it since JM won. Them winning the state championship is not the end of the world. The difference I saw in JM and the other Class 2 teams was JM was really really elite, Radford, Floyd and Brunswick were very good (any of the 3 would’ve won the state had JM not) and the rest just wasn’t state championship material. We’re beating a dead horse.
Yes and it's been that way for as long as I can recall. It is up to the school administrators to verify eligibility. For the VHSL to get involved, there would have to be some overwhelming proof sent to the VHSL for them to step in.
just a little correction JM and Armstrong are in completely different areas of the city. If any consolidation would be done it would be JM and TJ. Two old and powerful alumni organizations.
BTW: JM don't want to play you good folks any more than you want them here. If fact every year they appeal the placement and every year they are denied by the Executive Committee..
I think that is the most ridiculous part of it all. If JM wants to play up then they should be allowed to. they don't get anything from winning by 60 every game. Heck Radford would've had a better chance if they would've played up in class 3. they took that champion to OT.
I’m hip.. I was told it was Armstrong though. TJ makes a lot more sense as you pointed out is much closer to JM. Can’t see the Gilpin kids being mixed in with the Mosby/Fairfield kids though. As crazy as it sounds, some Blackwell kids go to Armstrong as well. I worked at Wythe for a little while and thought the Southside kids went to Wythe and Huguenot… A nice little number go to Armstrong. RPS gets a bad rep, but it’s home for me. Really good kids in Richmond City.
A little off topic but what in the heck is taking John Marshall so long to hire a football coach. I haven't even heard if they've interviewed anyone at this point.
I’m guessing with Team Loaded Adidas in BB, the couldn’t care less about football, lol. Maybe the BB coach & his dozen assistants can teach the new hire when they get one how to recruit the top football talent up & down the East coast. 😂
I said when this first happened that JM's student population had not changed.
That JM was moved to Class 2 because of the Executive Committee stopped allowing them to play up all of a sudden. They had been playing up every since there was 6 classes.
John Marshall built its basketball juggernaut by the books, but VHSL chief is open to rule changes
Justices won state title by 54 points, sparking pointed comments from opposing coach.
The Transfer Rule needs to be checked here , IMO. did all of these kids move into the attendance zone with a parent and is this their primary residence?
Otherwise, I am glad to hear that Haun is open to a rule change to address this situation.
John Marshall's attendance zone is anywhere in Richmond. Richmond has open enrollment.John Marshall built its basketball juggernaut by the books, but VHSL chief is open to rule changes
Justices won state title by 54 points, sparking pointed comments from opposing coach.richmond.com
The Transfer Rule needs to be checked here , IMO. did all of these kids move into the attendance zone with a parent and is this their primary residence?
Otherwise, I am glad to hear that Haun is open to a rule change to address this situation.
I don't see why the VHSL doesn't get it then. If Richmond is open enrollment, JM's "attendance zone" includes a population of 200,000+. That's probably more than the rest of the 2A "attendance zones" combined...that's probably a stretch but not by much.
Nope… we just win and lose with our own…and expect the same from others. Come on man…
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Yeah a lot of comments on here are very soft. Only 3 teams outside of JM were actual state contenders and I believe Radford still wins comfortably if there’s no JM. I have a lot of respect for Radford’s coach but cmon man.. Never tell your team that they don’t have a chance. That’s soft as hell! I’m holding the ball before I tell my kids that . A lot of people on this thread are apart of the pansy society that lead kids to this widespread entitled attitude that our kids are diseased with today. Where’s this energy when JM is getting blown out in football, using other school’s equipment for baseball and softball. JM had a great basketball team this year and only had 2 kids who were definitely not Northside kids. None of the metro teams are winning with their own kids, transfers happen all the time in big localities.
Do I believe JM recruits? No.
Do they get an advantage of kids wanting to come to their school due to the connections that Ty White has? Yes.
Fact is, this team was going to win 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A this year. The only reason they won 2A was because they have 540 kids in their building and the VHSL stopped them from playing up in classifications.
Only for a certain period and from my experience with RPS that application process isn’t like climbing a two step ladder and picking the prettiest, juiciest apple on the tree. JM is probably the most underserved and underpopulated secondary school in RPS. Fact is, kids are more apt to go to Huguenot (brand new building and facilities ) or Tee Jay (IB program, historic building and neighborhood, solid athletics) than John Marshall or Wythe. Most kids go to Community or Open but they HAVE to live in JM’s zone in order to play for JM. Also, LOTS of people with access and opportunity within the city take their kids to private schools or send them to county schools. Not you, but people on this thread act like there’s not over 30 high schools in the Richmond metro. Hate to say it but JM is probably towards the bottom in terms of “I’m sending my child to 4225 Old Brook Road”. Just won’t find too many parents saying that or else, JM wouldn’t be the smallest populated traditional secondary school in RVA.
I agree that I’d never tell my team we had no chance. That’s bad mojo. I don’t agree with your characterization of anyone disagreeing with the VHSL and/or RCPS attendance policies as creating an entitled attitude. I don’t see anyone espousing a need for equal outcomes. There are always winners and losers, as there should be in sports. Regardless of how many students are in the building, the rub comes from where those 540 can come from. You know as well as I do that 2 kids on a basketball team can make a HUGE difference. That’s 40% of the starting team. There is no doubt that the more bodies you have to chose from, the more likely you are to get more talent; especially in a sport like basketball. That’s why we have classifications based on size. I liked it better when there were only 3 classifications statewide. I’d like to go back to that and add one classification for schools like JM and LCA. Let them recruit, play whoever, wherever, whenever.
The JM AD should answer your question about where is the energy surrounding the other sports at JM. If JM has to borrow equipment from other schools in other sports, the AD needs to be evaluated.
I’m a basketball fan. I love seeing talented teams play. I appreciate the work it takes to excel. But if I want to see teams made of players from all over, I’ll watch college games. Public high school teams are supposed to be community based. It may be seen as antiquated but I like seeing the teams made up of local, homegrown kids playing similar teams. Every now and then, those communities produce very talented teams. Those are special.
With that, I’ll stop beating on this dead horse. The ball is in the VHSL court and no amount of bellyaching is going to change that.
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All respect to JM because they earned. I like Hayfield, Woodside, PH, Menchville, and probably Patriot’s changes to have given them a game, however.
Radford was not all that this season.
Also what people outside of the Roanoke area don’t realize is that up until about a year ago there was an AAU team here - the VA Warriors Elite - that actually could beat JM. Cy Hardy - All State 2025 from Northside - was on it and his dad coached it.
The other key players:
-Abu Yarmah - 2024 - 6’6” star of the PH team, will be All-State when announced;
-Elijah Kelly - 2024 - 6’7” Radford star - will be All-State when announced.
-Landen Clark - 2024 - Radford shooting guard who dropped 16 on JM in 2022 championship game. Was the best shooter in class of 2024 in VA but gave up basketball to be a QB, where he was All-State in 2A.
-June Walker - 2024 - Fleming combo guard - 2x All-Region, can flat out score.
-Mykell Harvey - 2025 - Northside All Region backcourt mate of Cy Hardy and can throw down big time at 6’.
-Moosie Calloway - 2024 - PH’s silky smooth PG who was hurt more than half of the season, still made All-District, and scored 17 on Highland Springs in state semis off the bench; And
-Isaac Higgs - 2024 - 6’3” Fleming power forward and 2x All District.
I’m a Danville native and I have tremendous respect for the Roanoke area basketball scene. Roanoke has always had as talented teams/players as Tidewater and Richmond. I am very familiar with that AAU program, in fact, when my GW Eagles were talked about amongst the best teams in Triple A basketball, we had some guys in that AAU program. My favorite basketball player of all time, Troy Daniels, played for the Warriors and they also had Jamel Haggins and many many more talented players, who would compete/beat your Team Loaded’s, Boo William’s, and CP3’s. That’s why I scratch my head at a coach as great as Radford’s, giving his team that message. Roanoke had 3 teams who would’ve given JM a run for their money. Cave Spring, Northside and PH. I saw the team that came closest to beating JM this year (Holly Springs out of the Raleigh NC area; lost to JM 64-61) and I truly believe that one of those 3 Roanoke teams would have beaten JM.
From a basketball prospective, would have LOVED to see JM play the D1 private schools this year...STAB and Paul VI vs JM would have been awesome to see. So many college players.
