MoonDogRex

Sounds like growing pains, really. This is just a potential outcome of creating more classifications and trying to find ways to put teams in their most appropriate spots. Except for Scotts Hill. That sounds messed up what they got stuck with. I think this is trending towards positive progress for high school soccer in TN. Grace needs some more frequent competition anyway.

Except for the #3 team in the nation that returns 10 starters from last year... https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/high-school-soccer/national-team-rankings/men/spring-2016/5015

Finally, BA's schedule isn't even as remotely difficult as ME's is. ME is the best team in TN, and a Dec. 1 loss to HH doesn't change that. HH begins practicing from the first day of school, so by December 1, they are firing on all cylinders -- hence worn out now. Let's see where the final national rankings fall, and then we can talk.

Also, ME is 2-1 against Montverde this season, whose only other loss was to Imhotep Charter of PA, currently ranked 8th in the nation. ME is ranked 4th.

HH doesn't play by the same rules as BA or ME, so it's not a valid comparison. Look at what the national ranking services have done the last few years regarding teams like Oak Hill, Findlay Prep, Montverde, Huntington Prep, and La Lumiere. HH is in that category, overtly recruiting basketball players to the high school in a process that would not be legal in the TSSAA. Also, HH losing to McCallie has a lot to do with the fact that they have already played 30 games this season and are probably worn out.

The rankings are different from the recruiting. Players have to register with TDS and pay $ to get stars. As far as the school team rankings, they are pretty exhaustive at the top (SIMA 50). All about the quality of players in those teams and the results those teams are having against other top teams. From their latest weekly rankings newsletter: February 8, 2016 - When the FAB 50 debuted in 1999, the impetus was to publish weekly high school soccer rankings, which was unheard of at the time, and provide the detail on those ranked teams to create context and understanding, thus educating the high school soccer fan. While leagues have changed and dynasties have come and gone over the nearly 20 years of FAB 50 rankings, one thing has remained amazingly the same -- the strength of East Bay Athletic League girls soccer. In a week with very little movement among the SIMA FAB 50 elite, it is a good time to shed some light on the EBAL, a Northern California league that has five teams ranked in the SIMA FAB 50 Top 25. The EBAL is a 10-team league where several of the teams play a home-and-home series to fill out a 13-match league schedule. With so many head-to-head games among these quality programs, it is easy to understand why some EBAL teams don't have the gaudy records often turned in by quality programs that play in inferior leagues, inferior states, or worse yet, avoid stepping up to play quaility competition when the talent level warrants it. Some leagues around the country are judged solely by the accomplishments of the top teams. Others claim to have quality of depth in a league. Some focus on the quality college destinations of its top players. But any way you look at it, the EBAL has no equal -- at least not this year. To truly appreciate the quality of the EBAL, it's best to focus on the nonleague contests played by those 10 schools, and the numbers are simply staggering. EBAL teams are a combined 59-5-2 against non-EBAL opponents. Six teams are undefeated in nonleague games. Some key accomplishments for EBAL programs this year include Carondelet (Concord, Calif.) traveling to the National Elite Prep Showcase in Texas where it went 4-0 and Monte Vista (Danville, Calif.) going perfect at the Tri-Valley Classic, which included a 2-0 win over longtime Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). And neither Carondelet nor Monte Vista is in first place in the league. Flip it to the other end of the EBAL and Dougherty Valley (San Ramon, Calif.) is 0-10-1 in the league, yet a perfect 8-0 outside the league. Everywhere you look, there's quality. The final week for EBAL league play takes place this week, and the regular season title is still up for grabs. The next chance EBAL teams get to show off their quality will be the section playoffs, and it would not be a surprise to see three, perhaps even all four, section semifinalists hailing from the EBAL. BIG MOVERS: BOYS: Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.). Doral has been up and down in the rankings, and this week's 11-spot jump to No. 36 makes it the biggest mover in the rankings. ... GIRLS: Quartz Hill (Calif.). Quartz Hill moves from No. 47 to No. 33 this week, the largest jump aming the ranked teams. Quartz Hill is still undefeated, although its tie was actually a shootout loss. NEWCOMERS: BOYS: No. 44 Tolleson Union (Tolleson, Ariz.), No. 45 Hueneme (Oxnard, Calif.), No. 46 Coronado (Calif.), No. 47 McClatchy (Sacramento, Calif.) and No. 50 Trinity Christian Academy (Addison, Texas). ... GIRLS: No. 37 Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.), No. 42 Monterey (Lubbock, Texas), No. 49 Lewisville (Texas) and No. 50 Klein Oak (Spring, Texas). ### Contact: Sara Baeuchler O: 562-513-372 sbaeuchler@adsportsmedia.com

Such as who?

ODP has been a money grab since the day of its inception. Players don't get better playing together one weekend per month.

What's ridiculous? The level of competition they face? They aren't Northern Highlands, that's for sure.

Right -- and they have 518 students in their high school. They should be D2-AA, not D2-A. Tennessean is reporting that they will basically "play down" despite being nearly 70 students over the limit. That is crazy.

Noticing on the Eurosport website where Station Camp is treating the outcome of its two games against Hendersonville (where Hendersonville prevailed in penalty kicks both times) as ties rather than losses. That's fine, but wondering if there is actually a NFHS protocol on this.

How does Lipscomb, with 518 students, get to move BELOW the 451 student cutoff line to play in the smaller schools classification for all sports other than football? Tennessean is reporting they will be D2-A, not D2-AA, for non-football sports with two classifications. Link: http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/10/12/lipscomb-academy-mtcs-join-tssaa-division-ii/91971930/

This is 100% incorrect. From the school of gentlemen, scholars, and athletes: "Students in the High School are required to have credits each year in Physical Education upon graduation from MBA. Physical Education credits are earned through participation in after school athletics or in other approved and supervised school activities. Credits are obtained by participating in all three athletic seasons per year in grades 9-12. Guidelines: 1. To obtain an athletic credit, a student must show a good attitude and attend sessions during the full period of each athletic season. 2. Seniors are eligible, with the approval of the Director of Athletics, to take the spring as an off-season. 3. A student may receive athletic credit for participation in an alternative supervised activity recommended by the school and approved by the Director of Athletics (such as debate, musical groups, drama, athletic assistance, etc.); each of these activities will also include a fitness requirement. 4. Athletic credit may be earned by full participation in one of the sports listed below upon approval of the respective coaches..." Source: page 39 of https://bbk12e1-cdn.myschoolcdn.com/ftpimages/175/misc/misc_171036.pdf

We need more of this. The message boards are boring without it.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/u18-wnt-heads-to-usoc-training-center_aid39860?utm_source=TopDrawerSoccer+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9ba7126a1f-General_9_2_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8340315a79-9ba7126a1f-31247805

OhFuhGudnessSake!!! Must. Defend. Better. Must. Stop. Acting. Like. Millennials. Must. Understand. That. Life. Is. Not. Fair. Must. Do. So. Under. The. Roof. Of. A. Home. With. Food. In. Belly. 0-20-whatever. First. World. Problem. Must. Defend. Better.

3.00 GAA for 1st 4 games. Steady on, son.

That's funny right there.

Look at these last two posts. It's like 1988 all over again. Catholics vs. Convicts. (If the reference escapes you, just let me know.)

Jimmy Weekly to CCS boys for next spring.

Betting all 20+ of them will go. Financial aid -- if offered by a school -- becomes a pretty important part of the school's fabric. Can't imagine that a school would do away with it just for the sake of staying in a sports classification. Any school that would is more concerned with expediency than actually standing for something.

Ability to play well in big games late in the season is more important than strength of schedule. If they can beat McCallie, then they can beat anyone in AA / A.

Just saw that for the North Carolina 4-AA state championship (largest school classification in NC), the starting five o-line for Charlotte Mallard Creek has an average height of 6'3" and weight of 284 and their opponent Greensboro Page has a starting five o-line average height of 6'3" and weight of 277. That sounds big. Anyone know some of the o-line sizes of the stronger programs in Tennessee?

Wonder if the TACA folks would ever be interested in working with the THSSCA folks to do some all-star games after graduation in the summer. Could do both a girls' game and a boys' game in the same venue, back-to-back. Heck, TACA could organize an all-star week of football, basketball, and baseball games too to celebrate recently graduated senior athletes from all across the state. Make it a big festival to attend. Bring in live music, have coaching sessions, etc. Probably would have to be in Nashville or somewhere central. One downside -- college coaches might not be happy. One upside -- high schools wouldn't have to worry about injuries impacting any athletes who might be about to proceed into a new sports season.

Rodney King, Rodney King.... Can't we all just get along?