DIIA

This really should not be a surprise to anyone following A/AA soccer. Both the boys and girls programs at White House and White House Heritage (as we saw tonight) are excellent programs. It's unfortunate that geography dictates that only 2 of the 4 teams in the middle Tennessee quad will get a trip to Murfreesboro. The Page v White House match sounds like it was great. I know our match against WH-H was excellent.

...or the "adults" in the lives of the kids could let the 12 year olds be 12 year olds.

+1,000 on this.

There were few matches in middle Tennessee that were rained out on Monday which has moved some of the semifinal match dates. Info on A/AA districts 9-12. 9-A/AA - White House v White House Heritage @ Heritage on Thursday at 7PM. 4-4 regular season result. 10-A/AA - had at least one quarterfinal tonight with East Robertson and Clarksville Academy with the winner to face Hume Fogg. No information on Lipscomb-East or MLK-Maplewood nor sure how much the remainder of their schedule has been changed. 11-A/AA - Montgomery Central and Grace Christian played a quarterfinal tonight and the semifinal date at Fairview has been moved to Wednesday. Columbia Academy v Richland (5PM) and Fairview v Montgomery Central (7PM). CA won 3-1 in the regular season as did Fairview 4-3. Not sure if they will move the finals to Friday or keep them on Thursday at Fairview as scheduled. 12-A/AA - CPA v Page @ Page on Thursday at 6PM 3-1 CPA in the regular season.

Current brackets for A/AA districts 9-12 along with pairing for everything else in A/AA. http://tnhssoccer.weebly.com

Just turned up at the Murfreesboro fields. The fields look excellent for the most part and are appropriate for the event at hand. JFW

There is something about a group of players having been there before. We all know the scene in Hoosiers where Gene Hackman measures the free throw line, the height of the rim, etc., but even with it just being another soccer field, the first time can be daunting. I know the second year (2012) our girls made it to the final match felt completely different than the year before. The thing you had going for you that year (besides the fact that you had a great team) was that everyone overlooked White House. We stayed and watched your match against Notre Dame and I knew 5 minutes in that you were going to send them packing and you gave CAK a good run for their money the next day too. Next time we play each other, please come up and say hello, it would be great to meet you. I'll be the guy either working with the goalkeepers or have a camera (or two) strapped to me. JFW

Great to hear. Excited about tomorrow.

DCurtis is right, it's a moot point now. DC, most certainly don't want to come off as whining, especially since we won. I was more disappointed in the tone he used towards many of the players on both teams. I specifically recall him screaming at a White House player in the first half during the run of play right in front of our bench who had done nothing wrong. It was a great match. Hope we get to play again sometime maybe with a little less on the line.

While an official has jurisdiction over the match and game site before, during, and after the match is played, they do not have the freedom to issue cards and ejections long after an inflation took place. An example would be a player from team 1 commits a nasty challenge on a player from team 2 and the referee give advantage and allows play to continue. At the next logical stoppage point (ball out of play, the team 2 attack is over and team 1 has the ball again, or goal is scored) the referee can then go back an issue a caution or send off the player from team 1 who committed the foul. This cannot be done, say 10 minutes later in the match. An example which places limits on reversing calls, would be if team 1 scores a goal but had 12 players on the field at the time. If the referee discovers this, the goal is to be disallowed, provided that team 2 has not kicked off after the goal. Once there is a kickoff after a goal, the goal stands. This is just like in football where the video replay challenge has to come before the next play. A call, goal, or disciplinary action must take place within a reasonable amount of time of the incident. If this restriction did not exist, you could have an official decide that a foul which took place 10 minutes ago should have been called and then award a free (or penalty) kick. Same with a goal, disallowing a goal or any other call.

That side of the bracket is identical to last year in both the teams and the pairings. Let's hope the playing surface is better than it was last year as the teams deserve a great field for a tournament at this level.

You are more than likely correct. That first freshman year in 2009, you lost your district final out at the Harpeth fields when you were the far better team and had to come to us for the region semi. Still not sure how we pulled off 2011 (girls) and if I'm completely honest, we were a bit relieved you lost to CAK in the state semi the next year. I don't know of too many people who would have wanted to face CAK rather than White House that year, but a some point your number is up and I have a feeling if you had taken out CAK that year, the final may have taken a similar road as yesterday. All the best.

It was a great match. By the end of those overtime periods, all 20 players from both sides looked like Rocky and Apollo at the end of Rocky I & II... giving everything plus a little more, nothing left in the tank, but all of them refusing to give up. White House is a great program and Mark Lamberth is a class act. Our schools have quite a history together on both the boys and girls' sides. Last time the boys played, you knocked us out up at your place in the region semi 2-0 in 2011 about a month after we had beat you 5-0. We won bigger, but you won when it really mattered! I'll always remember those two region games up at White House with the girls (region semi in 2011, and region final in 2012) both of which went to overtime and were great matches. Also remember you taking out Notre Dame the following week at state in 2012 when your girl up top who went to Carson Newman, ripped the winner from about 20 out midway through the second half. I believe that was your daughters senior year, if memory serves me correct. That was a great team. All the best and after that match today, you have no reason to do anything but to hold your head up. JFW

So here's a new one... One of our players receive a yellow card for a foul during regulation. The card was warranted and the player leaves the game as is required. About 10 minutes later we go to put the cautioned player back in the game and the referee comes over to inform us that if we put him back in the match he will immediately receive a red card because of "a verbal altercation with the 4th official from 10 minutes ago." We do not put him back in the match. We end up going to penalties and the referee reiterated that if we have him take a penalty kick he would be immediately thrown out of the game and the official refused to allow him to take a penalty kick even though he had only received a yellow card in the match. The criteria for taking a penalty kick in a shootout are (1) they have to be on the roster, and (2) they cannot have been sent off (or in NFHS-speak, disqualified). This player met both criteria but was explicitly denied an opportunity to take a penalty kick. From page 86 of the NFHS 2014-15 Soccer Rules Book: Tie-Breaking Procedure A-3-b "Each coach will select any five players, including the goalkeeper, on or off the field (except those who have been disqualified) to take kicks.

Madison 7-0. The Pharaohs are out

KNOXVILLLE CAK makes it Loser of Greeneville v Elizabethton will not Winner of above match vs Catholic in the sectional should be a great match CHATTANOOGA MCM makes it although the region final vs CCS will be great if CCS is healthy CCS makes it if they are healthy Boyd v Hixson - loser is in trouble but don't count either out MIDDLE TENNESSEE CPA vs Page Round III - Regular season Page wins 3-0, district final was 3-1 CPA. Thursday will be a great match. White House Heritage vs White House - 7 goal turnaround from regular season (4-0 WHH) to district final (3-0 WH). Heritage just knocked off Stratford in a convincing 4-1 win. WEST TENNESSEE Madison, Dyersburg, and Lexington have traded results with each other this season so this is really open. Mad v Lex = 0-0 Mad v Dyer = 2-1 Dyer Dyer v Lex = 3-3, 0-4 Lex Don't know much about Sheffield. 16-A/AA historically has been far behind 15 and the rest of the western quad, but Thursday could be interesting. If Madison wins big, the winner of Dyersburg and Lexington could be home free and the loser having to face Madison in the Sectional which should be a great match.

THUR - Notre Dame FRI - East Hamilton SAT - Huntsville (AL) We played all 3 last year and all were really good. Expecting similar this year.

That's poor.

Said this earlier in the thread, but I'll say it again under full disclosure, I'm a A/AA private assistant soccer coach in the Nashville area. I don't want to get on anyone here but there is a much better way to word this. There are great kids, students, athletes, student-athletes, (or whatever we want to call them) at many if not all schools. Neither private nor public schools have a corner on players, coaches, and families who bust their butts in athletics and in the classroom. Lots of great schools - and more importantly, great people - in all areas of the state, public-private, magnet-open zone-closed zone, metro/urban-subrub-rural. The whole point I think most people on this board are making is that in soccer, two classes with 0-1000 and 1000-2400 is not enough with such a wide number of students at schools. Making a third classification with A/AA, AAA, and AAAA does not go down the road of participation awards or trophies for all. Smaller rural schools with 200 students cannot compete (at least not in soccer) against metro public schools with 900 students or metro private schools with 300-400 students... they just can't. This is no different than saying those same public schools with 900 students and private schools with 300 students cannot compete against big AAA schools with 2000+ students. My school, has a history of a great soccer program with both the boys and girls. This was the first year in my 6 years where the girls didn't make the state tournament. But even when we made the final (lost 2011, won 2012), there was no way we or the other finalist (CAK) were going to be able to play with the AAA schools of Ravenwood, Houston, Franklin, etc. that followed our match. When we won it in 2012, we used 2 subs and I think CAK used 2 or 3. The AAA state matches had girls on the on the bench 7-8 deep that would have stated for us as some of our top players. Making a third class for smaller schools does the same thing, but just on the lower end of things. Let's try our best to not have our first reaction (from any side of the argument) to be to circle the wagons. JFW

Not sure this has been proposed up until recently. While this CoachT.com board may or may not represent an equal proportion of views on the topic, almost all of what I've seen here is based around the public-privae thing. This is the first thread I can recall where the topic of 4 classes has been discussed, although I may have missed other discussions on the topic. I think they (TSSAA) have taken a good step with the new 6 class football alignment with the super 32 6A class. Not necessarily because of football but because hopefully this is a move away from the default of 1A+2A=A, 3A+4A=AA, 5A+6A=AAA. The whole classification thing is an ongoing work in process where I don't know if it ever arrives at a "destination" because the direction changes. I really hope they do consider this, not just for soccer but for everything. 4 classes. split with 25% of the schools in each class. Break points fall around 0-400, 400-725, 725-1200, 1200+ Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Baseball = 4 classes Soccer, Track = 3 classes (A/AA, AAA, AAAA) Golf, Tennis, Cross Country, Wresting = 2 classes (A/AA, AAA/AAAA) I really hope this is not taken as "circling the wagons" as it would move my A/AA soccer programs up from A/AA (0-1000) to AAA (725-1200). Remember, of the 60 A/AA titles awarded since 2009 to present (including the 5 this fall from CC, Golf, and girls soccer) only 5 have gone to Class A schools. 50% of participants, but only 8% of titles This would be good for soccer and all of the other sports.

On another note... is there a way here in the CoachT message boards, to private message someone? Sorry for the junior varsity question. JFW

Yes, sort of. 1A + 2A + 3A + 4A football = A/AA soccer 5A + 6A football = AAA soccer That's how it's working now and essentially will over the next 2 years. Not sure if they are going to move the handful of teams that are changing (moving up) football classes. Just an FYI, the only reason private schools like Knoxville Catholic and Goodpasture are playing "down" over the past two years is because of the formula you noted applies to all sports in terms of the multiplier which only allows a school to move up one classification. Through this year, everything has been tied to football (1A+2A=A... etc.) With this, Goodpasture is 1A in football which means they can only move up to 2A, which translates into A in basketball, softball, (and the two which angered many) - baseball and volleyball. Same with Catholic... 3A before the 1.8x multiplier means a ceiling of 4A in football and AA in everything else. Removing the "tying everyone to football" thing (assuming it happens) will be good. I get what kazam37 is saying about his team being the best they've ever been but not making it out of the district (Oneida ? - could be wrong on that). We have a district here in middle Tennessee in class AAA that has some great teams but there are a few of them stuck in, for lack of a better term - purgatory. Franklin, Ranenwood, Brentwood USUALLY fight for 2 slots and Centennial and Indepencence are left out in the cold. My A/AA school plays them most seasons... sometimes we draw, have won once or twice, but usually lose. They are really good teams, with many good players and great coaches. Too big for A/AA but a step behind the big boys - or girls - of AAA. Please give us A/AA, AAA, and AAAA. Good for the purgatory teams, good for rural public schools, and good for soccer all around. JFW

1925 - I think you are right, on both counts. A third classification would be great and it would open up more opportunities in the areas where soccer is not as prevalent as it is in the 4 metro areas. JFW

Alright, I'm going to weigh in here... Full disclosure, I am an assistant soccer coach at an Class A/AA private school in the Nashville area. We used to be in the metro district and are now in the "everything south of Old Hickory Blvd to the state line" district... probably narrows it down. I published a report over the summer which analyzed TSSAA Division 1 results over the past 5 years, the previous 4 year classification period + 2013/14. The report analyzed three aspects of the disparities in results of high school athletics in TSSAA D1 over that time period. They were: • Public - Private • Combined Classes • Metro (8 metro counties) - Rural (59 counties with only 1 or 2 schools) - Middle (everything else, 28 counties) There were disparities in all three catagories. TSSAA sponsors 19 sports. Football is the only sport with 6 classes, the rest combine classes. • 5 sports - Basketball B/G, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball each combine 2 football classes • 11 sports - CC, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Wrestling, Track combine 2 classes for AAA, and 4 classes for A/AA • Bowling was not part of the report as there is only one class Over the 5 year period, 55 state titles were awarded in the 1 combines sports. 50 went to AA schools and 5 went to A schools even though their participation is 50/50. In the (5) 3 class sports (1A+2A=A, 3A+4A=AA, 5A+6A=AAA) the top level in each class (2A, 4A, 6A) comprised 72% of the final 8 teams in state, and 84% of the champions. As this is a soccer discussion, there have been 22 titles awarded in this time period. Knox (7), Hamilton (3), Davidson/Williamson (7), Shelby (3), totaling 20. The other 2 came from Clarksville and Hendersonville, both of which are just outside of Nashville. This means that 20 of the 22 state champions have come from 5 counties. To put is straight, folks in rural areas - for the most part - don't play soccer. Part of this is due to the fact that soccer is not as big farther out and there are very few clubs in these areas. In AAA, of 88 state tournament teams - 7 have been 5A teams and 81 have been 6A In A/AA, of 88 state tournament teams - 9 have been A (1A, 2A) teams and 79 have been AA (3A, 4A). Of all sports, soccer has the most disparity among the combined classes and the public-private lines. All of this is to say, that while there is a disparity in soccer amongst private-public, the combined classes is a far greater divide. One recommendation of my report was for the TSSAA to reorganize into 4 classes for all sports except football. Instead of the demarcation lines being 0-500, 500-1000, 1000+; they would be roughly 0-400 (A), 400-725 (AA), 725-1200 (AAA), and 1200+ (AAAA). Present 3 class sports would become 4 classes and present 2 class sports of soccer and track would become 3 classes: A/AA (0-725), AAA (725-1200), and AAAA (1200+). The multiplier would be altered where private schools play up 1.5 classes, making privacte schools larger than 255 students play in AAA in a 4 class system as right now, the multiplier does NOTHING to schools playing in A/AA. The whole point of this is that the biggest disparity in TSSAA athletics is in the combined classes. I don't care what sport it is, but a school with 200 students is going to have a really hard time playing and competing against schools with 800-1000 kids. You do this for the past fall season and CAK, CCS, ND, JC are in AAA, as are HF, Chester, and SH and are competing against schools with up to 1200 students. KC is in AAAA. Anything with less than 725 students is in A/AA. Hope this adds to the discussion and allows everyone some additional information to consider.

I should have specified, I was referring to their new grass field they just opened this fall. I'm with you on their turf, or any turf!