AAA State Tournament (No Love for the Big Boys)

[PJM]

As a fan, I'm really disappointed about the Franklin vs. Science Hill game. This had some potential, but the center ref was the star in this one. Franklin was the better team but not by the 3-0 margin. Science Hill played a man down nearly the entire second half where #22 for Franklin absolutely decked a Science Hill player for the 4th time. The Center ref was obviously not going to issue a card, and the Science Hill guy must have spoken his mind. Out comes the red.

 

Franklin, in my opinion, plays dirty. But since the center ref allowed it, I guess it was not dirty at least for tonight's game. Science Hill really outplayed Franklin in the second half given the one man advantage.

 

I disagree with RonMexico. I think Collierville has a chance, but it will depend on what kind of center ref Franklin gets. Franklin could have easily gotten a red card tonight if another ref had been in the center.

 

I hope the championship game will be a good one. I say put the crew on that refereed the CAK Hume-Fogg game. They were fantastic.

[RonMexico3]

As a fan, I'm really disappointed about the Franklin vs. Science Hill game. This had some potential, but the center ref was the star in this one. Franklin was the better team but not by the 3-0 margin. Science Hill played a man down nearly the entire second half where #22 for Franklin absolutely decked a Science Hill player for the 4th time. The Center ref was obviously not going to issue a card, and the Science Hill guy must have spoken his mind. Out comes the red.

 

Franklin, in my opinion, plays dirty. But since the center ref allowed it, I guess it was not dirty at least for tonight's game. Science Hill really outplayed Franklin in the second half given the one man advantage.

 

I disagree with RonMexico. I think Collierville has a chance, but it will depend on what kind of center ref Franklin gets. Franklin could have easily gotten a red card tonight if another ref had been in the center.

 

I hope the championship game will be a good one. I say put the crew on that refereed the CAK Hume-Fogg game. They were fantastic.

All mid TN teams play rough.  The refs have allowed it all year so our boys (my son is not on Franklin's team) have learned to push it to the limit till you receive a talking to.  Then you know where the breaking point is and back down.  You'll see a lot of physical play from all of the remaining mid TN schools...Franklin, BGA, CPA

[PJM]

All mid TN teams play rough.  The refs have allowed it all year so our boys (my son is not on Franklin's team) have learned to push it to the limit till you receive a talking to.  Then you know where the breaking point is and back down.  You'll see a lot of physical play from all of the remaining mid TN schools...Franklin, BGA, CPA

Just my opinion, but there is a difference between rough and dirty. I have seen both CAK and CPA play and I would rate their play as rough, but not dirty.

 

Franklin's (referring to primarily 4 players) play crossed the line too often in the game last night. It was easily one of the 2 dirtiest games I've seen in high school soccer in the past four years. I've seen refs give red cards for less than what #22 did in the first half (not even counting the play that instigated the Science Hill red card).

Edited May 22, 2014 by PJM

[Catfish03]

The officiating in this tournament has been all over the board.  I've seen games where any challenge from behind was called and I've seen players get away with muggings, not consistent at all.  

[FutbolNutmeg22]

I was also a happy "neutral" spectator @ the Franklin v Science Hill game as well for the semi's of the State cup, and just to add to what was said above, btw both having good points.I too think Franklin was the better side and they certainly deserved the win. However, being a former D1 collegiate player, and having played in the state tournament as a player when in high school  years ago, it really is a shame that there is that kind of showing from the center ref on such a relatively large stage, AND IT IS WARRANTED, especially these past couple of years. This game being case in point. And trust me when I say, I am  NEVER one to blame or look at a ref bc of an outcome, but when the game itself is sabotaged by its lack of ethics and control, it not only dictates the integrity , but simply the 2 sides abilities to even play  soccer. I literally cant recall a stretch of 2 min where 2,3,4, passes were strung together and possessed before being mauled from the back every single time. I just hate that this is what TN High School State Tournament officials have gone so down hill over time. I know how difficult being a ref can be A times, I did it for a long time, but someone needs to really take a look at this match and some of the other STATE FINALS  matches to check and give a proper assessment. This is in no way just " another physical game", it was embarrassing for my college coach who was there and other collegiate coaches seeing the same thing. This is in no way a knock on Franklin, they are a great side, back to back champs, and they played hard and to the whistle, bottom line. Unfortunately  the game of soccer was absent that night.

[Candybutt]

While anyone reading this post is either got it marked for notification , so they know someone's added something or you are bored and just searching since Everything is over now.

I am only adding as I think now that all is said and done, I could add some notes that make me feel justified in previous posts. I did not hit my finalist right by any means so I am sure if your reading this and read thru my comments Before ; I might appear as having little or no Creditability on team Talents or potential. However, I have a Son who plays and I occasionally ref. Since I am not signed up to take all assigned and usually get AR duty when a cancellation comes up , which I thought would happen a lot but doesn't in the East Anyway.

I watched the tournament right down to the Painted Field Finals. I have to agree Franklin was better than I thought , but I learned a lot watching that may mean little to some, Piss others off and have some say Right on! Here is my Final assessment and I know I have definitely will agree with me in reading others comments on this and other Posts on Coach T.

1) Farragut had 3 of their best 4 not play in the Semi'Finals due to injuries and those 3 Were Farragut's top Scorers my son told me. I watched the Tall Forward for Farragut step on the field Twice but both times for less than a minute or Two , I saw their Second best Player on Crutches and knew he was hurt but thought he was Playing by time State Started and 3rd their best player On Team played Some , but as hurt, not moving very well and spent most of his time on ground after whatever injury he had cause him to go down or out. He must have left field 15 times and never on longer Than a few minutes, but to be hurt bad enough he couldn't stay on field for any continuous minutes , but try and come back to help his team win even though hurt is probably why he was their best player , That kind of Drive is in very few and usually they are stars and reason team won as much as they did. Those 3 out , and all scholar shipped Players had a Huge impact on game. Bigger impact than that was the Whole complex crappy fields . That played into some good teams use to mob ing ball around on Grass , have to play Boomer Ball, and teams who play that kind of Game already beat some teams in all Divisions they Would not have normally beat. I watched a very very good Private school knocked out by a Team that played boomer ball all year, but the lack of grass prevented the better team from Using their skill to outplay other side and the Field exited them out of the game and tournament. Farragut is another Team that even without those Seniors move the ball well in a game and while I did miss some of that game watching the others around me, Never saw Farragut able to move ball very well, Well I never saw any team move ball well on those fields. The State should have Never determined State Champions on Fields in that kind of Shape! Murfreesboro ,TSSAA and whoever else involved should have moved all games and a letter of apology should have been handed out instead of charging admission! Back to games, Collierville Keeper Should have won Nest player In State Cup if there is an award like that. His game against Farragut and Franklin were amazing. Both teams Farragut and Franklin controlled the game more and had more shots than Collierville , But That keeper who looked about 5'10" or 5' 11" was the absolute reason why Collierville made the finals and lost only by 1Goal in Finals! Both farragut and Franklin playing

Against any other Keeper I saw play in any other game was The MVP OF BOTH GAMES. Farragut Keeper made two saves that amazed me Too as Farragut in overtime could have been beaten 3-0 instead of 1-0 if Not for Farragut Keeper making two Fantastic saves. The forward on Collierville and I can't remember his name now, but he was fastest player I saw in tournament, Fast is relative to the distance Someone is running , but long, Short, Sideways and just spurts he was faster than Farragut Sweeper and I thought no one faster than he was on 30 yards and less. Farragut sweeper did a great job on Collierville Forward as that forward was a Game changer , and he left That sweeper holding his jock strap more than once , but Sweeper spent the day chasing Collierville forward. So, Final assessment , Did Collierville deserve to be in Finals, ABSOLUTELY , They beat a very Goo dFarragut Team from the East in overtime and if not a Great Team they couldn't have done that or had the potential of winning 3-0 if Farragut Keeper doesn't make two Great saves. However, If all Farragut Senior Stars playing anda Full grass Field, as Good as The Collierville Keeper was , Farragut wins. So Then I would have been right , but a Great Collierville Team having to play Farragut on a Real grass field and with their Star Seniors playing , Farragut goes thru not Collierville , Sorry , N disrespect to Collierville, I have said they deserved win , were a Great team and deserved to be there , but if not for Fields and Injuries , Farragut would have won and even without those Senior Stars outplayed Collierville in Regular Game, the Overtime Collierville had the best showing of the two teams, but Collierville did benefit greatly do to uncontrollable factors , No Team can control Like the additional help of a Poorest Fields for even Just a Regular season Game , but worst Field I have seen a High School game played on and while I know it hurt Collierville too, Farragut's strength was in Moving ball around you to score and Condition of the fields Generated Big adjustments for ANY team to win IN the State Tournament , but Field Condition was huge for Farragut to use their passing game which got them thru The Playoffs , then being down 3 of 4 best players on Team and Those 3 were the highest Scorers on the Farragut Team according to article in a local paper picking Best HS Players on all East Tennessee Teams and the 4th best player was the Farragut Sweeper who did play and so There is No telling what score Collierville would have had or would have been if Farragut Sweeper out too! One Question I never did find out after watching that game was someone tell me why That Collierville Forward being as fast as that forward from Collierville was how he hadn't scored at least a a hat trick in every game . Maybe he isn't a great shooter but getting ball and taking it to goal, He

was a Streaker and got open an awful lot and Collierville seemed to look for him on most possessions , So why not what trick per game?

2) Science Hill vs Franklin- I agree Franklin was a Better team than I thought, Actually a lot better, However , I stood with Some Refs From Central Tennessee Who are great Refs and Should have been doing Games but I was Told NoCentral Refs were used the entire Tournament as SOMEONE DECIDED , that to many Teams from Central Tennessee in Tournament so only Eastern and Western Refs Were used. If I am a Coach , I want the Best ref I can get , I don't care where he is from, it's the State Tournament and so many officials watching, if a Ref was giving home cooking, they pull that ref out, but If I have a Team laying I want the best refs around on my field. Three of the 5 Refs I was talking with watching this game and running back and forth to another Game , ARE COLLEGE LEVEL REFS, Yet they are on sideline and some of the refs doing some of the games were an easy 2 or 3 tiers below the Center refs calling some of these games, yet they were at games as Spectators ??? That Decision was Probably the same People who made the Descision to play the State Tournament at that Terrible field Complex and were same ones not allowing these Refs To ref any State Games , Even though they were Much more Qualified as Refs than the Refs that were doing the Centers and Calling Most of the Games at State Playoffs!

So, I agree with this Statement 100% , but cannot take credit for it, because the best Ref in my opinion and Many others of the 5 Central Refs I was With , Said this," Franklin is a Great Team , Why they play this Rough Streetball and so Close to Dirty physically to the line of red card physical play, I don't Know. But , If I was calling this game , It would be over now as I would have ejected at least 4 or 5 Franklin players and that would have left Science Hill with a Forfeit Win , since Franklin could not sub a Red Card and They would have been left with not enough eligible men on the field to play." Another Refs said , I agree with you and I worked some of their games this year, and watched in amazement last years Finals against Farragut what they got away with, Because I would have red carded Franklin out of the Finals last year, Yet they got No red Cards and I was amazed . They were the Much better team than Farragut, but continued to play in Straight Red Card Area of Physically Dirty , and got away with it , Don't you remember us talking about that at the First meeting this year about it? ((I personally do not know what meeting they were referring to but I am from the East)). My Brother dated one of the Seniors last years aunt and she told me her nephew said that actually the Team is Told , play as rough and physical as you can until we get called for it , but by that time the other team will have gotten a message and probably have some fear for us, Then we know our limit, But if We don't get called we can play on , we will play as physical as they let us, if

We get away with the Rugby hits, we just keep pounding. So whenever I do one of their games, I set the rules tight right up front and a Few Yellow Cards and then they play Good Soccer and win anyway. Another Ref Said. Do the same thing whenever Franklin plays since they changed Coach's, I have to call them tight upfront.

Science Hill was plummeted and The Team I watched in the Quarterfinals was never allowed in this game, and it was true , Franklin pushed the limits past legal and got away with it. The poor Science Hill kid who got Red Carded , Just finally had seen enough non calls and blew up, I would have LNG before he did , n fact their entire team took a lot of cheap shots from Franklin. I think at that point , Franklin backed off a little as Science hill played a better game against Franklin with10 men and Actually outplayed Franklin, because their Physical attack advantage had Reached it's end and Franklin played soccer not Rugby and Science Hill was a True Match for Franklin with 10 men, what if they had 11 men and could have played a whole game as Soccer not part Rugby/Wrestling and Soccer in one game??? I really can't say Science Hill could have Beaten them, Although Science Hill really was a Good Team until that gam end the Team I saw from Science Hill was not the team I had Seen several times during the season! It was not Science Hill having a Bad Game , It was a Street Team playing against science Hill , That was playing in A Physical way that is not allowed in the East Tn , So I am not sure Science Hill could adapt in one game to a Rough and Tumble play Franklin was allowed to get away with. Don't get me Wrong, FRANKLIN DESERVED THE CHAMPIONSHIP, but Why even play that way if your good and don't need it. Only other reason is if the other team was Dirty, Which I didn't see out of Science Hill, what I did see is A Franklin Team that as Good but to be sure to win played over the edge Soccer/Rugby. It would have been. much different game on real grass and A much better Ref, Who was letting Game dictate Play and Results , not a Team pushing the limits on legal and Fair play. Franklin as lucky in this aspect, they did not have to play the real Science Hill Team

Franklin vs Collierville- guess Collierville was Warned because they played. #### for Tat back at Franklin on Physical , But pulled off a lot of times because I guess they feared the Red Card , but Franklin did not fear it at All. The back line From Franklin Virtually owned Colliervillesoffense and kept the speedster in check ( but did take some late shots to make him think about it. Again the MVP of the Tournament Collierville Keeper kept them in the game but Franklin was a good enough Team to keep him making some great saves, 1of them was a World Cup Keeper save.

All in all Every thing being Even, Franklin the Team deserving the Title, but other Refs With me Agreed, Games would have all been different and maybe results different as Well, If All Games were on Real a Grass! ( Still have to wonder Science Hill with a Better Ref what end result would have been).........But that's Soccer ,The Sport where in a Game or a Championship --There are More "What ifs" than all other Sports combined , Think about it , You will get it!!