No1ScoresOnMe

So if you're a public school, and you lose, you're always a whiny, lazy failure? Interesting... You guys seem to be missing the point by a long shot. No one's wanting anything handed to them. They're just wanting a level-playing field. Let me try to put it in terms that a private school can understand... If an MLS team were suddenly allowed to play in with the private schools, who do you think would win? Do you think it would be fair? If your definition of fair is simply that each team has the same number of players per team, then yes. But do you not for a second, possibly believe that the private schools might get a tiny bit frustrated that they're having to play against professional teams with more money than them who can recruit the best coaches and the best players? Again, it's hard for private schools to see the problem with the system when it's working so well for them. But I promise you, if you put the private schools in the public schools' position, they'd be complaining just as much...

THIS year, 3 of the final four are public. But what YOU guys aren't commenting on is how rare an occurrence this is. Typically, 6 of the final 8 schools are private. Private schools competing with public schools is not and has never been fair. Period. Don't get me wrong. I don't blame the private schools for being good. I just wish that every school had the advantages that the private schools are granted. It's interesting, though, to listen to private schools attempt to justify it. It's easier to believe that the system is fair and right when you're winning most of the time. No, I don't want everyone to have a trophy, but come on, guys, look at the stats. Believing that the system is still fair while staring at the facts requires a dedication to ignorance that I can't quite understand. In the end, though, until the system is fixed, blaming the system for 'failing' is unacceptable. You can blame the system for being unfair or you can fight to overcome it. The refs may stink, the field may stink, the entire system may stink, but champions overcome. Settle your disputes on the field.

I believe all the games are being played on White House's field. They do have one of the best-kept fields around. What are the times for these games?

Is it too early to ask what the tournament schedule looks like?

Eurosport says SC lost to ND 2-1. ND traditionally has a very solid program, so the fact that SC was able to keep it close speaks well of them.

Is a championship match technically an elimination match since both teams' seasons are over at the end of the game anyway? (Chuckling) TECHNICALLY, I think CAK is still undefeated in that particular category...

(laughing) Always good to see a player (and from my experience a team) that is as gallant in defeat as in victory. Too bad a bunch of "trash-talking kick ballers" got the best of the Bison. I'm sure the win had nothing to do with USJ's skill or determination... Congrats to the Bison on a very impressive season.

Station Camp, White House Heritage, and Goodpasture are all sleepers in my opinion because each school is in the state tournament for the first time in its history, so no one knows what to expect from them. In addition, most people have written off these teams as quarterfinal roadkill, and underdogs have a habit of winning once in a while. I would love to see at least one of these teams pull off the upset. Good luck to everyone.

(Chuckling) Congrats to Mt. Juliet. Way to keep things interesting.

Having a good team NEVER guarantees a win, especially in rivalry situations like these. White House is not a bad team either. All in all, I expect this to be an intense match. Station Camp eliminated WH in the district tournament last year, and vice versa the year before. This one could go either way.

Looks like 4 quality teams in the tournament. Not going to step in and make specific predictions on the individual games, but unless Lenoir City has drastically declined in recent years, I see them pulling out victorious in this one. Looks even, though, and you can't count out White House or SC, who are more than capable of pulling out upsets against stronger teams.

The midfielder for White House you're thinking of is Zach Trobaugh. What school has Groft signed to play for?

I agree that football certainly brings in more money than soccer, but would you say that soccer brings in less money than golf or swimming (two sports that are being graciously spared)? I just find it funny that when it comes to cutting programs, soccer always seems to be the one to take the fall. Remember, Vanderbilt did something very similar to this a few years ago, although for very different reasons. There is a march on campus tonight to save the team, so the students are doing what they can.

Yes, the good news is that we still have Men's Swimming and Golf. And as we know... those are the sports that bring in the big-time money... A lot more so than soccer (rolling eyes).

Anyone got a link to that picture? It is a beautiful shot...

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Is that picture on the main page from the Portland-CCS game?

The last time technically that a region 4 team made it to state was Livingston Academy 2 years ago. However, that was before the districts and regions were reshuffled around last year, so i don't think Livingston was technically in Region 4 then. However, they beat CPA in the sectional (then ranked #10 in the state). This is Portland's 2nd straight year playing CCS in the sectional, so I don't expect another 4-0 CCS game. I'm keeping my mouth shut on predictions but I will say that to underestimate these teams is a mistake.

Portland is more than capable of beating Station Camp if they play their game and shut down Station Camp's forwards as they are obviously going to dominate the midfield. I think they will be hungry for this region title not just because Station Camp stole the district from them a week ago, but also because they let the region title slip through their fingers last year. However, as always, it all depends on who decides to show up tonight.

The hardest part will be getting past Portland, not S.C., and not necessarily because one team is better than the other, but because this is an elimination round, and the region final isn't. Teams play differently when they are playing for survival.

Well, his name is "ruthless Dekalb County fan." Sorry to hear you're so upset about the match, but look at the bright side. You are still playing.

I say Portland 1, LA 0. Portland has squeaked out wins with this score all year against some very good teams, so I expect this to be a close nail-biter throughout. However, it all depends on who decides to show up that night. It could just as easily go the other way.

Agreed. Well put. And P.S.- Notice that the only players defending diving are S.C players (unless Bison4 is a misleading name). Live by the dive, die by the dive.

They've only met once in a region final, but they have met a total of three times in the region tournament as a whole, the other two times being a region semi-final. LA is 3-0 against S.C. in region tournament play. Regardless of who wins between Portland and LA, S.C. is gonna have a hard road to travel to a region championship, something that, thanks to LA, they have never won.

You know it's just plain bad when you do it sooo much that your name gets attached to it. Oh well. Great picture.