Congrats to 2 TN Teams on making NATIONAL RANKINGS!

[ChaunceyGardiner]

National high school rankings are indeed tough to swallow, considering that there are, what, 10,000+ high schools to assess? Heck, rankings of 120 or so FCS (Division I-A) college teams causes enough controversy, particularly around BCS bowl season.

 

Nevertheless, these rankings are here to stay, and they actually are getting a little better - at least the end-of-season ones, which allow a retrospective look at teams and not the difficult forward-looking that mid-season rankings require. With the number of matchups occurring between schools from different states on the rise significantly, thanks to events like The Herbie as well as corporate sponsorships and ESPN and Fox, it is becoming a little bit easier for the number crunchers to perform strength-of-schedule analysis, mitigating the issue that once existed where there were fewer intra-state matchups and therefore much more difficulty in assessing the relative strength of schools from different states.

 

While acknowledging that national polls are a crapshoot, I have done some research on these over the summer. Let's remember, schools aren't asking to be "ranked"; we shouldn't fault them when they make an appearance, no matter how warped the polls may be. Anyway, while Maryville, MBA, Riverdale, and Red Bank are the only Tennessee schools that have been in final rankings this decade, going back to older polls, there is quite a bit of Tennessee representation. Check out some of these old polls here - some of you younger fans may surprisngly find your school listed.

 

 

Thank you for the link. All the people who give Maryville grief for playing Alcoa, consider the final 1989 USA Today Poll. 1989 was long before the public-private split, and there were only 3 classifications at the time. Alcoa had a great team led by future NFL players Shannon Mitchell and Billy Williams and East Tennessee Player of the Year Chad Smith. They beat an equally outstanding Brentwood Academy team, led by future NFL player Bubba Miller, in the AA championship game.

 

1989

1. Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius (13-0)

2. Odessa (TX) Permian (16-0)

3. Fontana (CA) (14-0)

4. Pittsburgh (PA) Upper St. Clair (15-0)

5. Rockingham (NC) Richmond Co. (15-0)

6. East St. Louis (IL) (14-0)

7. Hazelwood (MO) East (14-0)

8. Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison (13-0)

9. Anniston (AL) (15-0)

10. Bradenton (FL) Manatee (13-1)

11. Valdosta (GA) (14-1)

12. Oak Lawn (IL) Richards (14-0)

13. Middletown (NJ) South (12-0)

14. Pittsburgh (PA) Perry (13-0)

15. Walpole (MA) (11-0)

16. Alexandria (VA) West Potomac (14-0)

17. Bakersfield (CA) (13-0)

18. Honolulu (HI) St. Louis (13-0)

19. Endicott (NY) Union-Endicott (11-0)

20. Charleston (WV) Capital (12-0)

21. Louisville (KY) Trinity (14-0)

22. Baltimore (MD) Poly (10-0)

23. West Point (MS) (13-0)

24. Alcoa (TN) (15-0)

25. Portsmouth (VA) Woodrow Wilson (14-0)

 

The 1989 team is, in my opinion, the best in Alcoa history, but there have been several outstanding Alcoa teams since then - in particular the undefeated 2000 team, the 14-1 2A state champions of 2004, 2005, and 2007 and the 13-2 2A state champions of 2006. Both the 2005 and 2006 teams defeated McCallie (Division II finalist in 2006) with B. J. Coleman and the 2005 team badly beat Fulton with Dennis Rogan.

 

One more thing - Maryville does not always blow out Alcoa:

 

2000 - Alcoa 14, Maryville 7

2006 - Maryville 17, Alcoa 14

2008 - Maryville 20, Alcoa 13

[big red big blue]

Thank you for the link. All the people who give Maryville grief for playing Alcoa, consider the final 1989 USA Today Poll. 1989 was long before the public-private split, and there were only 3 classifications at the time. Alcoa had a great team led by future NFL players Shannon Mitchell and Billy Williams and East Tennessee Player of the Year Chad Smith. They beat an equally outstanding Brentwood Academy team, led by future NFL player Bubba Miller, in the AA championship game.

 

 

I was there that day at the Clinic Bowl....you could probably make a strong argument that that was one of the top handful of games ever played in the Clinic Bowl, when you consider the teams, talent, coaching, quality, etc. I'm pretty sure the '88 BA team finished very highly ranked in '88, the year they beat Pascagoula, MS.

[BigRedDad]

News Flash...

 

The city of Maryville will be moving to FL or Cal in order to obtain a tougher public school football schedule. This move is to please BigRedDaddy and other haters. The city will begin packing alll their belongings and hoped to be moved by Fall 2010.

 

We are a public school...we play our region, county rivals (2A state champs and 2 5a schools), and the best the state of TN has in the playoffs. We are bound by a budget.

 

 

I hate to beat dead horse but, you don't play the the "best the state of Tennessee has in the playoff's". You play the best 4A teams the state has to offer. You don't play the best DII or 5A teams.

[MaryvilleRebels]

The best in 4A could run with the best in 5A anyday. I would put a handful of 4A teams up against any 5A team. The only difference is the depth on the two teams. Would the 4A teams run out of gas. If not they can hang with and even beat the deeper 5A teams.

[Solomon]

For what it's worth from the outsider living here (who by the way will not be moving to California)......

 

Outside of the students, I rarely hear anyone "crow" about these rankings except to reply to the every week occurence when the inevitable "the streak stops here" post is made and for 4 or 5 days some random poster posts 30 times never to be heard from again (for last week's example see IKNOWFOOTBALL). Most people here take it for what it is - a once in a lifetime event that that are proud to be associated with one way or another. They know it will end, they know they have been lucky, but they are enjoying it while they can.

 

What some fans can't seem to encompass is this - this streak is going on five years old. When this began in 2004, I could make a very, very strong argument that 4A football in the Knoxville area and East Tennessee was tougher than 5A. Mo West, Central, Red Bank, etc. all had very good programs that would have done well in 4A or 5A. Now, that is not currently the case because schools like Central and Morristown West have dropped a bit in 4A and Farragut, Bearden, and others have become a lot stronger in 5A. That said, Hillsboro and Melrose have had teams that are quite good - as I am sure MBA or MUS fans can attest.

 

The issue as to why they play the three county teams has been addressed 1,000 times. As much flack as they catch now, more would be caught if they dropped any of these teams.

 

As for the matchup at hand, you will not convince me that Maryville would not have beaten MBA in 04, 05, or 06 (and I saw both teams play all three years....in person). I would give the edge to MBA in 07 and based on all I have read/heard would again this year.

[Trojan Fan]

There are 10-15 programs in Florida that would hand Maryville their heads on a platter: they would do the same to MBA and BA (and quite likely UT and the Dolphins). They do the same thing to their local competition. Move beyond those programs (Northwest, St. Thomas, Pahokeee, Glades Central, Lakeland, etc), and the top Tennessee teams would be pretty competitive.

 

 

The Florida example is getting weaker. Olive Branch beat Pahokee in an amazing come back AT Pahokee. That's #69 Olive Branch (Mississippi, right outside of Memphis for the uninitiated) AT #19 Pahokee. Olive Branch promptly came back home and lost the next week to MUS...yes, that MUS... the one that probably isn't going to beat MBA later in the year in the playoffs. #10 South Panola (Batesville, MS, hour south of Memphis) just beat #50 Apopka (#1 in Florida 6A coming in). That's #14 Apopka that dropped to #50 after losing to South Panola by 10. South Panola and Olive Branch will play later in the year but SP has the nation's longest active winning streak...(78, I think but don't hold me to it).

 

Now, SP is better than OB. They've beaten them 7 or 8 times in a row at least though several of those have been in the North Miss 5A north half championship game (state semis).

 

If what is clearly NOT the best team in MS can beat one of the teams you named?...Pahokee. If a team considered to be better than OB in South Panola takes down Apopka (2 excellent games by the way), and if MUS...yes, little ole MUS in Memphis can beat Olive Branch, and we'll find out if MUS is as good as MBA, and I bet we'll find out they are not, can you be THAT sure that range of teams in FL you named would hand MBA their heads on a platter?

 

I'm no apologist for TN HS football. It's overall weaker than either MS or FL HS football...but then MS HS football is also weaker overall than Florida...no argument....and yet we have these results from THIS year in hand. I'm just not so sure that those Florida powerhouses are that much better...and there's at least arguable evidence that would show that. Are they better than Maryville and MBA or BA?...honestly, imo, the Florida schools probably are to a point...but by a wide margin?...some of that theory has had some serious holes poked in it the last few weeks.

 

By the way, South Panola has offered a game(s) to Maryville. They declined citing tough district games and local commitments for non district games. I wish they'd change their mind but I understand why they don't. South Panola has a terrible time getting non-district games and I suspect the chances of getting one of those other Florida schools you named to play them now is pretty much shot after the OB/Pahokee and SP/Apopka games.

[IKNOWFOOTBALL]

i've got a question. if maryville didnt have a 64 game win streak...would they even be in this poll? i think reputation has way to much to do with this. I know for a fact maryville isnt the 44th best football team...heck if they played in georgia, florida, alabama, california, they wouldnt be number 44 in the state. i dont mean to hate, its just that tennessee football is really quite awful compared to powerhouse football states. i cant speak for MBA because im not familar with their team or who they play, etc...but i have heard they are legit

 

 

agreed

[GREYRIDER]

agreed

 

IT IS 65. WHO CARES ABOUT NATIONAL RANKINGS.

[IKNOWFOOTBALL]

Here was my first post on this topic:

It's nice to see two Tennessee programs in the rankings. No, they really don't hold a great deal of meaning,

other than the fact that one group of footballpundits think they're both good programs. I'd go along with that.

 

Perhaps I chose my words poorly. I do watch football here in south Florida, and the top Florida teams are considerably better than the top programs in Tennessee, and in most other states. I'm not sure why; perhaps it's the longer spring practice or the incredibly long seasons that the kids' football programs play. Maybe it's the sizes of the schools here: Cypress Bay had 5,200 students last year. I do think the top programs in Tennessee would be competitive with most of the rest of Florida. Apparently the writers in at least one poll do as well.

 

 

I agree 110% Florida football tops Tennessee football overall but you have to give Maryville there props for beating 65 teams even if they are considered weak teams.

[REDSOX]

Agree Greyrider. These forums always start out with a good idea then turn to Maryville bashing. Look national rankings are all based on reputation. There are no national playoffs or BCS bowls for high schools so it is pointless to carry on and on about how Maryville could not compete at the National level and how they would get whipped by 15 Florida teams. Listen people you do not live anywhere but here in the great state of Tennessee and in this state Maryville is your daddy. End of story. Get used to it. If Dont like it then move.

[lax4life32]

Agree Greyrider. These forums always start out with a good idea then turn to Maryville bashing. Look national rankings are all based on reputation. There are no national playoffs or BCS bowls for high schools so it is pointless to carry on and on about how Maryville could not compete at the National level and how they would get whipped by 15 Florida teams. Listen people you do not live anywhere but here in the great state of Tennessee and in this state Maryville is your daddy. End of story. Get used to it. If Dont like it then move.

 

 

maryville needs to be in 5A and play a stronger schedule and see if they win 65 straight. You can say you have won 65 striaght all you want but it is from a weak schedule. play some DII schools and some of the stronger 5A schools and get some real respect. Its easy to win in a weak region

[rollredroll]

Listen people you do not live anywhere but here in the great state of Tennessee and in this state Maryville is your daddy. End of story. Get used to it. If Dont like it then move.

 

 

With apologies in advance to pepvol or anyone else who may get bothered by this:

 

Maryville is everyone's daddy in 4A. However, the Rebels are wearing prophylactics in terms of proclaiming paternal supremacy in/over every other classification.

 

(And yes, the same could be said of any other team from one classification who proclaims paternal dominance over any other classification in which it does not play.)