Re: South Dakota High School Football Championships
First year in many that I haven't watched a SD HS Playoff game - but being out of state didn't give me TV coverage and I won't go to the Dakota Dump unless it's court ordered.
From a distance - is it time to add a couple of more classes (I'm afraid some kids in the state didn't get medals and who knows what that might do to their self esteem.) I don't have the numbers in front of me - but 6 SD HS FB classes seems ridiculous to me. I don't want to take anything away from a team that wins a State Championship, but 66 to 6 tells me that the competition is a little watered down.
I gave this a little thought and wondered if it's time for 3 classes. 2 @ Nine Man - 1 @ Eleven Man and make Minnehaha/Lincoln County a separate division that isn't eligible for a State Championship, but rather a "League Championship".
Stay with me on this - Divide Minnehaha/Lincoln County into 8-10 teams:
4-5 Sioux Falls teams (SF City limits): NE, NW, SE, SW - maybe let Stu keep his beloved O'G together (although I'm afraid they may step up their recruiting efforts if something like this were to fly)
4-5 Outside SF: NE (Garretson & BV) NW (Dells, Baltic, Tri-Valley) SW (Tea, Lennox, West Central) SE (Harrisburg, Canton, SE SF out of city limits)
I'm sorry to carry on, but does anyone else think that we need to 'shrink', rather than expand the class system in SD? I'll stop now and listen to your thoughts.
First year in many that I haven't watched a SD HS Playoff game - but being out of state didn't give me TV coverage and I won't go to the Dakota Dump unless it's court ordered.
From a distance - is it time to add a couple of more classes (I'm afraid some kids in the state didn't get medals and who knows what that might do to their self esteem.) I don't have the numbers in front of me - but 6 SD HS FB classes seems ridiculous to me. I don't want to take anything away from a team that wins a State Championship, but 66 to 6 tells me that the competition is a little watered down.
I gave this a little thought and wondered if it's time for 3 classes. 2 @ Nine Man - 1 @ Eleven Man and make Minnehaha/Lincoln County a separate division that isn't eligible for a State Championship, but rather a "League Championship".
Stay with me on this - Divide Minnehaha/Lincoln County into 8-10 teams:
4-5 Sioux Falls teams (SF City limits): NE, NW, SE, SW - maybe let Stu keep his beloved O'G together (although I'm afraid they may step up their recruiting efforts if something like this were to fly)
4-5 Outside SF: NE (Garretson & BV) NW (Dells, Baltic, Tri-Valley) SW (Tea, Lennox, West Central) SE (Harrisburg, Canton, SE SF out of city limits)
I'm sorry to carry on, but does anyone else think that we need to 'shrink', rather than expand the class system in SD? I'll stop now and listen to your thoughts.
Yes shrink, seems like there are too medals collecting dust somewhere in some kids room and so much for self esteem. Seriously the 9 man classes need to be combined. Its the difference between 40 kids and maybe 120. You see more and more cooperatives every year amongst the small communities, just struggling to keep the program going, and then in Sioux Falls just the opposite. Its reflective of a changing society and population shifts.
Your plan is as good as any.
I'm sorry to carry on, but does anyone else think that we need to 'shrink', rather than expand the class system in SD? I'll stop now and listen to your thoughts.
Absolutely shrink. You shouldn't have semifinal playoff games much less championship games ending in blowouts year after year after year. Shrink it and don't expand the playoffs either. You can gain plenty from being the member of a team without making the playoffs or winning a championship. Are those of us thinking this way actually in the minority? I can't even stand to watch these blowouts much less consider attending in person.
We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
Absolutely shrink. You shouldn't have semifinal playoff games much less championship games ending in blowouts year after year after year. Shrink it and don't expand the playoffs either. You can gain plenty from being the member of a team without making the playoffs or winning a championship. Are those of us thinking this way actually in the minority? I can't even stand to watch these blowouts much less consider attending in person.
I think the majority is for less classes. Unfortunately the minority is the SDHSAA and some of the ESD schools who want an extra class in 11 man.
First year in many that I haven't watched a SD HS Playoff game - but being out of state didn't give me TV coverage and I won't go to the Dakota Dump unless it's court ordered.
From a distance - is it time to add a couple of more classes (I'm afraid some kids in the state didn't get medals and who knows what that might do to their self esteem.) I don't have the numbers in front of me - but 6 SD HS FB classes seems ridiculous to me. I don't want to take anything away from a team that wins a State Championship, but 66 to 6 tells me that the competition is a little watered down.
I gave this a little thought and wondered if it's time for 3 classes. 2 @ Nine Man - 1 @ Eleven Man and make Minnehaha/Lincoln County a separate division that isn't eligible for a State Championship, but rather a "League Championship".
Stay with me on this - Divide Minnehaha/Lincoln County into 8-10 teams:
4-5 Sioux Falls teams (SF City limits): NE, NW, SE, SW - maybe let Stu keep his beloved O'G together (although I'm afraid they may step up their recruiting efforts if something like this were to fly)
4-5 Outside SF: NE (Garretson & BV) NW (Dells, Baltic, Tri-Valley) SW (Tea, Lennox, West Central) SE (Harrisburg, Canton, SE SF out of city limits)
I'm sorry to carry on, but does anyone else think that we need to 'shrink', rather than expand the class system in SD? I'll stop now and listen to your thoughts.
I have wondered for years why a state the size of SD has six classes for football. I know the size disparity between the big schools and the rural areas is though, but this is actually a workable concept. Is winning a state championship really an accomplishment when there are ony 16 teams in the class?
Minnesota has slowly grown from four 11 man classes 20 + years ago, to the current five, and now adding a sixth next year by taking the top 32 schools by enrollment (basically most of the Twin Cities metro) and putting them in the top class. Still only one 9 man class though.
Just seems like everywhere state championships are created for the sake of handing out as many medals as possible.
I updated my signature for the first time in six years.
Re: South Dakota High School Football Championships
There is certainly logic in having fewer classes in order to pump more value into winning a state championship. However, there is more to it than just the playoffs. In fact, what happens during the regular season is probably more important for determining class alignments. And geography should certainly be a part of it. Perhaps the most glaring example of mismatches during the 2011 regular season happened over a four-friday span from September 16th through October 7th. During those four consecutive Fridays, the Sturgis Scoopers played the four Sioux Falls high schools. I think two of the games were in Sturgis and two were in Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls schools won all four games. I think the combined scores was 255-7. The same four games will be played on four consecutive Fridays again in 2012. Is there any real benefit to any of these five teams for having played these four games in 2011 and repeating them again in 2012? This is the type of thing that is providing fuel for a AAA class in South Dakota football.
For what it is worth, based on ADM (average daily membership), Sturgis is currently the 15th largest high school in the state and will be number 16 the next time ADM is counted if current trends continue. The largest schools are now in Sioux Falls.
Finding is never about seeking. It is about opening yourself to what is already there. - Henry Meloux
Re: South Dakota High School Football Championships
Considering 7 1/2 of the teams of the 12 in the Dome were from the SF Metro area, MaddogJack has too many classes outside the metro. Make one state wide 9 man, one 11 man outside the metro and one 11 man inside the metro. That would at least stop the whining by the ESD schools.
You know that you're over the hill when your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill. - L. George
Re: South Dakota High School Football Championships
West River need to have one Nine Man Class and One 11 man class. Crown their own Champs! Only seems fair. But seriously, it would have been fun to see Waverly-South Shore play, Emery-Ethan or Canistota. Tri-Valley and Dell Rapids. These teams play during the regular season so why not in the playoffs.
9-man two classes (no coop's allowed in lower class regardless of enrollment) like 85 students or less.
One question I have: How many players are on the Washington and Roosevelt varsity teams? How many on like Huron or Pierre, Brookings?
Considering 7 1/2 of the teams of the 12 in the Dome were from the SF Metro area, MaddogJack has too many classes outside the metro. Make one state wide 9 man, one 11 man outside the metro and one 11 man inside the metro. That would at least stop the whining by the ESD schools.
Which ESD schools are whining? They all know the Sioux Falls teams are going to be the best and it's going to be an uphill battle for them. Is it just fans whining or have you actually heard a coach/administrator from an ESD school complain about the ESD schools?
I know Pierre's head coach Joe Kramer was on a radio show last year (believe it was Mike H's) and said they should add an 11AAA class because it is tough for the smaller 11AA schools to compete with the Sioux Falls schools (it was something similar to that, I'm sure MikeH can give us a better recap).
West River need to have one Nine Man Class and One 11 man class. Crown their own Champs! Only seems fair. But seriously, it would have been fun to see Waverly-South Shore play, Emery-Ethan or Canistota. Tri-Valley and Dell Rapids. These teams play during the regular season so why not in the playoffs.
9-man two classes (no coop's allowed in lower class regardless of enrollment) like 85 students or less.
One question I have: How many players are on the Washington and Roosevelt varsity teams? How many on like Huron or Pierre, Brookings?
Roosevelt has 65 on the varsity roster, Pierre has 46
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