Harpeth Indians: 2013 County Champs

[howdoitknow]

Harpeth defeated Sycamore tonight.  It was a good win for the Indians because they've now completed the season sweep over the War Eagles and the Cheatham County Cubs.  This gives Harpeth the bragging rights as being the county's best football team.  It marks the first time since the 2000 football season (back during the Matthew Tant, Jason Adams, Adam Conatser days) that the Harpeth Indians have defeated both Cheatham and Sycamore in the same season. 

[ksgovols]

I'm glad you said it howdy. I hate the term past 6th grade Jr Pro. There's some braggin rights sure and it should be Sycamores to lose with their enrollment, but it means a whole lot more in Rutherford or Williamson than it does in Cheatham. Ought to set our sights higher in my opinion.

[howdoitknow]

I'm glad you said it howdy. I hate the term past 6th grade Jr Pro. There's some braggin rights sure and it should be Sycamores to lose with their enrollment, but it means a whole lot more in Rutherford or Williamson than it does in Cheatham. Ought to set our sights higher in my opinion.

 

As much grief as Harpeth has gotten on here (yes I have dished out a lot of it) since the end of the Coach Winkler Era (the goat killing fiasco, being the pushover in the ABC region, not choosing to schedule Sycamore for 2 years, not choosing to schedule Cheatham County for 2 years, etc., etc.) they deserve their due respect for what they've accomplished this season. 

 

The 2009 team was a 2nd Round Playoff Team.  The 2011 team was a 2nd Round Playoff Team.  If they get the "right" draw (no CPA, no Fairview, no Lipscomb, no East Nashville) they could once again be a 2nd Round Playoff Team. 

 

They've been the lone bright spot in a Fall Sports Season that has been tarnished by a lot of stuff that quite frankly is out of the control of the kids and the coaches.  Coach Loope, Coach Harris, & Co. deserve a ton of credit for a job well done to this point. 

 

Harpeth has a great shot at getting wins 7 and 8 against Westmoreland (coming off of a huge emotional loss to White House) and White House-Heritage (who got hammered by Cheatham).

[Hamblin]

Any chance Sycamore might get another win?

[Hamblin]

Any chance Sycamore might get another win?

[howdoitknow]

None! Lipscomb and Greenbrier are loaded. I thought Sycamore was fixing to have a great season after they looked great in scrimmages with Northwest and Springfield and then stomped Page in the jamboree and blanked Whites Creek in the opener. Since halftime of the Smyrna game the wheels have came off.

[Hamblin]

like I said before. Zero leadership.

[philmeyer]

Agree, need to celebrate anything we can in this day and time. It's just amazing how things can turn south if you aren't careful.

[ksgovols]

I can speak from experience that some times it's the little things that make a season go south.  Harpeth should have been a playoff team in 2008 and 2010 as well.  2008, we inexplicably ran the veer for 3 or 4 games with the all team leading passer and receiver in program's history entering their Junior seasons.  Came up one win short after making a decent comeback.  2010, the qb goes down early in the season made the Indians one dimensional.

 

I'm a proponent of scheduling to make the playoffs.  It didn't particularly bother me to not schedule Cheatham and Sycamore.  We didn't schedule Creek Wood this year and they're closer and in the same realm of rivalry to Harpeth.  Same for the years we don't schedule Fairview or NCS which are also closer and natural rivals.  T$$AA split the 3 Cheatham teams into 3 different regions.  Blame them.

 

From the outside looking in, there seems to be more kids on Harpeth sidelines and there are several new assistant coaches.  My opinion is those things go hand in hand.  Coach Harris is a case in point.  I haven't met the man yet, but I think he has a contagious enthusiasm for high school football that young people are attracted to.  There's more enthusiasm from both sides.  As well, high school football talent is cyclical.  It's bad when the talent is walking the halls and not suiting up on Friday nights.  Good programs have the talent participating and especially for 3A schools, the athletes have to be shared across multiple sports.  When Harpeth was going 0 fer or winning one or two games a season, the baseball and basketball teams were rolling.  Jett Brinkley is playing 3 varsity sports at Harpeth.  That's the kind of commitment it takes.  You only get those 4 years of high school.  Play everything you can.

Edited October 21, 2013 by ksgovols

[ksgovols]

None! Lipscomb and Greenbrier are loaded. I thought Sycamore was fixing to have a great season after they looked great in scrimmages with Northwest and Springfield and then stomped Page in the jamboree and blanked Whites Creek in the opener. Since halftime of the Smyrna game the wheels have came off.

And...........the same schedule next year I assume.  Most of these scheduling contracts are for 2 years.  I said early on that it wasn't a schedule conducive to making the playoffs.

 

The good news is that after next year it is likely that Tennessee will go back to 5 classes.  That will sort things out schedule wise and Lewis County will have more teams to play down south and the geography should work out better.