Is the Maryville Hillsboro Winner the best team in state?

[SCN08FearTheSpear]

14-0 Maryville plays 14-0 Hillsboro on Saturday. Is it possible that the 4A state champion is the best team in the state regadless of classification? I would like to hear from the 5A and division 2 teams.

u cant say there the best inthe state regardless of classification because they dont play in any other class but 4a

[big red big blue]

I'd say the two best teams in the state already played each other very early in the season: Ravenwood and BA. If Ravenwood wins, they are both champs at the two highest levels of TN football. And their game game down to an extra point in OT, as I recall.

 

JMO, of course.

[RavenCat]

Ravenwood didn't exactly blow out anybody during their playoff run did they? Every team has a down game at some point. The POINT IS . . .when Maryville has a down game, they still Win. It seems when Ravenwood has a down game, they lose. I congratulate them on their obvious tenacity and clutch performances. Perhaps an even better indication of a good team is what they do after they lose. In this case, Maryville responded to the bad Brainerd game by soundly beating two teams who were both undefeated.

 

As far as the other things. Maryville has the best coaches in the area. They have booster money. They have community support. They have an outstanding weight room. Who needs talent to chose from when you can develop it better than anybody? They have incredible depth, as seen in their free substituion in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

 

Finally, your premise is only valid about making a claim if you assume that 5A is inherently, definitively, and measureably better than 4A. In Middle Tennessee, Maybe, in East TN, definitely not. And even if Maryville moved up and won in 5A three years in a row we STILL wouldn't know who the best team in the state is by the above standard.

 

 

My God you Maryville folks are thick headed....read my posts again...and this time very slowly...so you understand the point.

 

Yes Maryville had an off game...and still won...against Brainerd.....

 

Here's my question...if Maryville had that same off game against Ravenwood in the first round of the playoffs...do they still win? Try to be objective if you can!

 

Regarding point 2...I'm not saying Maryville doesn't have those things......what I am saying is that in 5A you'll find a higher percentage of schools that do have the same things you've got........

 

Folks...this isn't that complicated...just go to Coach T schedules...and make an objective comparison....look at several 5A teams and their schedule..then look at the Maryville schedule....and this isn't an East TN or a Mid State issue...you still need to win both to win state............Maryville doesn't play a complete 5A schedule and dominate anything....I'm not saying they can't compete...I'm just saying they can't dominate 5A like they do 4A...in 4A they can have an off game and still win...in 5A...an off game in the playoffs and you go home....

 

Unfortunately I don't really expect you to be able to see any of this through those Maryville tinted glasses.........

[RavenCat]

First of all whoever said that Maryville makes everyone look like middle school teams need to remember two games---M 17 Alcoa 14 and M 30 Brainard 26. So by your logic Maryville must also look like a middle school team that is just barely better than these two schools.

 

Second---this whole argument doesnt mean anything at all. Its all speculation and opinions. My opinion is that I dont care. Whichever team wins will be the best team that night in that game. Are they better than the Ravenwood/ Smyrna game. Who knows? Are they better than BA? I would say that if any of these school played each other ten times the results would be 50-50. Sure Maryville is good but they havent exactly played the hardest of schedules either. Put them in region 6 5A and see how many of your gold balls they have. Or put them in Rutherford Co. and see how many they have.

 

 

My point exactlly....couldn't have said it better myself...although I did try...thanks

[STARSNBARS]

O.K. let me take out the speculation. According to Sonny Moore's computer poll here are the top 5 teams Ravenwood has played or will play and their current power ratings are:

 

Brentwood Academy---150.88

 

Riverdale----140.14

 

Smyrna----134.45

 

White Station----130.02

 

Gallatin----129.73

 

 

Maryville has played or will play the following and their current power ratings are:

 

Alcoa----144.59

 

Hillsboro----139.16

 

Red Bank----136.70

 

Morristown West----131.80

 

Knox West----129.49

 

Averaging those power ratings: Ravenwood's top 5 opponents rating is 136.70

 

Maryville's top 5 opponents rating is 136.34

 

I would say it is very close. In head to head match-ups this year between 4A and 5A teams, they ended in a tie with both teams winning 40+ games.

 

Maryville up to this point has not lost, and Ravenwood has lost 4 times.

 

Additionally, if you want to delete both Brentwood Academy and Alcoa from each team's schedule because they are not in their respective classifications, then Maryville's top FOUR 4-A opponents have a greater power rating than Ravenwood's top FOUR 5-A opponents when averaging them together.

Edited November 28, 2006 by STARSNBARS

[papa chaos]

 

The only way Maryville can make any claim...move up and play a full 5A schedule every year...not just a 5A team or an occasional private here and there...then we'll all KNOW!

 

Maryville is not making that claim. We didn't start this thread and we're pretty much just here defending ourselves.

 

We're not going to say we're the best in the state...we don't even know yet if we're the best in 4A. Of course we all believe that we are, as any good fan should, but we won't know until Saturday night.

 

I will say this...IMO the MHS championship team from last year would have beaten the Ravenwood championship team from last year. I can't talk about this year until I've seen you play, which I've not. I'll let you know where I stand on that after saturday...not that I or anyone else really expects you to be objective about that either.

[etcoach]

First of all whoever said that Maryville makes everyone look like middle school teams need to remember two games---M 17 Alcoa 14 and M 30 Brainard 26. So by your logic Maryville must also look like a middle school team that is just barely better than these two schools.

 

Second---this whole argument doesnt mean anything at all. Its all speculation and opinions. My opinion is that I dont care. Whichever team wins will be the best team that night in that game. Are they better than the Ravenwood/ Smyrna game. Who knows? Are they better than BA? I would say that if any of these school played each other ten times the results would be 50-50. Sure Maryville is good but they havent exactly played the hardest of schedules either. Put them in region 6 5A and see how many of your gold balls they have. Or put them in Rutherford Co. and see how many they have.

I said it. Alright, Alcoa was not made to look like a middle school team. As far as Brainerd goes, that was as fluky a game as you will ever see. The funny thing is that Maryville can turn the ball over 5 times and still beat anyone...including Hillsboro. No, I have not watched Hillsboro play, but I will on TV Sat. And, as usual, I will see a convincing Maryville victory. And, by the way, I am not even a Maryville fan so I am not biased.

[Footballfan15]

I said it. Alright, Alcoa was not made to look like a middle school team. As far as Brainerd goes, that was as fluky a game as you will ever see. The funny thing is that Maryville can turn the ball over 5 times and still beat anyone...including Hillsboro. No, I have not watched Hillsboro play, but I will on TV Sat. And, as usual, I will see a convincing Maryville victory. And, by the way, I am not even a Maryville fan so I am not biased.

 

 

Nope not a fan just delusional and east TN biast.

[FBEmeritus]

We have this type of posting every year. No one, or few and far in between can get it done vs. Maryville so the only way to try to throw spears at the program is to try to pass off the stupidly of because you’re a bigger school you are naturally better at one sport or another. This notion does not hold water in the pro’s or at the college level so why does it mean bigger is better in HS? 11 kids get on the field for each team so having another 100 standing around on the sidelines makes little difference. In Tennessee the difference in 4A and 5A is nothing but a thin number.

 

It is very funny when Maryville again EARNS the opportunity to play for a State Championship these posts always come up to try to take away from the teams accomplishment. 3A, 4A, 5A or 6A or whatever there is one fact that can not be denied no matter who you jealous haters, Johnny come lately’s or the privates who pay tuition for players want to throw out there. Maryville is the Winningest football program the past 10 years in the state bar none. The things this public school’s football team has accomplished is un matched. Period!

 

I, like many others don’t care who thinks they are the best, Maryville is out to prove it again in Murfreesboro. And being the best on this Saturday is the most important thing to us.

[TruRebelPlaya]

My God you Maryville folks are thick headed....read my posts again...and this time very slowly...so you understand the point.

 

Yes Maryville had an off game...and still won...against Brainerd.....

 

Here's my question...if Maryville had that same off game against Ravenwood in the first round of the playoffs...do they still win? Try to be objective if you can!

 

Regarding point 2...I'm not saying Maryville doesn't have those things......what I am saying is that in 5A you'll find a higher percentage of schools that do have the same things you've got........

 

Folks...this isn't that complicated...just go to Coach T schedules...and make an objective comparison....look at several 5A teams and their schedule..then look at the Maryville schedule....and this isn't an East TN or a Mid State issue...you still need to win both to win state............Maryville doesn't play a complete 5A schedule and dominate anything....I'm not saying they can't compete...I'm just saying they can't dominate 5A like they do 4A...in 4A they can have an off game and still win...in 5A...an off game in the playoffs and you go home....

 

Unfortunately I don't really expect you to be able to see any of this through those Maryville tinted glasses.........

 

I completely understood your point. Maybe you didn't get mine.

 

Point 1. Yes. Maryville still would have won against Ravenwood playing the same way. Maryville was never behind. They turned the ball over twice which resulted in immediate scores to make the game close towards the end. They "shot themselves in the foot" but only after it was too late for Brainerd to catch up even with those fumbles returned for TD's. Maryville just wins, and statistically dominated that game. You say "one bad game in 5A playoffs and you go home" I'm saying that Maryville is a good enough team in any classification to overcome a bad game whether they play Alcoa or Ravenwood. Just because you don't have a dominant team in 5A doesn't mean that the competition is a higher level than 4A.

 

Point 2. It is elitist Brentwood area arrogance and ignorance to assume that some 4A schools do not have the same support in all the things you mentioned. Or in your terms, there is a higher percentage of 5A schools etc. Based on what? A survey of all 5A schools within a 10 mile radius of Nashville? These things are found across the state in every classification, and I would say are evenly distributed if you could even measure them.

 

Point 3. You didn't respond to my criticism that your premise is flawed. How do you know that your regional 5A schedule is any tougher than Maryville's? Is assuming so "an objective look at the schedule" I told you why I think Maryville could easily compete in 5A - their recent success against all teams, including a good 5A team that they dominated. I know why you think the way you do. No 5A east team has won state in a while. But 4A is better in the east than is 5A. It really does come down to an East vs. Mid and how the classifications are set up. Just remember that while in 4A half the regions are in East Tn, half the regions in 5A are middle TN. Statistically that means you will always have a 4A East team in the final, while in 5A there is a smaller chance for an East team to make it, and a larger chance for a Middle TN team to make it.

 

Look, I'm not the one wearing the tinted glasses. I said earlier that there is no way to know who the best team is for sure. But I see a lot of 5A, Middle TN and Div II "arrogance" that is largely unfounded. It wasn't a Maryville person who started this thread as far as I can tell. I have given logical reasons why (imho) Maryville is the best. But it is just an opinion. You are the one who makes claims without backing them up. I've seen good 5A teams play, and believe me, the level of competition is on par. Have you seen Maryville play?

[the prophet]

I said it. Alright, Alcoa was not made to look like a middle school team. As far as Brainerd goes, that was as fluky a game as you will ever see. The funny thing is that Maryville can turn the ball over 5 times and still beat anyone...including Hillsboro. No, I have not watched Hillsboro play, but I will on TV Sat. And, as usual, I will see a convincing Maryville victory. And, by the way, I am not even a Maryville fan so I am not biased.

 

 

I have to disagree, Maryville as good as they are could not turn the ball over 5 times and beat anyone, they may beat a Barinerd with that kind of play but not anyone.

[where's the love?]

Maryville has had a run that has been sheer dominating. They are the best team in the state. Until someone ends thier run of championships, they are the best regardless of class. In a couple of years that will start to be 5A championships.