Sullivan South - Sullivan Co. Football

[formerblazer]

Interesting year so far in Sullivan County.  I was wondering what exactly is happening over at South?  I know that there have been a lot of injuries, which can definitely hurt a season, but it seems like overall there is a feeling of them being more of a 5-5 program vs the amazing run that they have had in years past.  Enrollment is down, I haven't heard as much talk of anyone transferring in, and most surprisingly, the loyal fanbase that has been on here for 10 years has practically disappeared.  Has South lost its excitement?

 

North is looking strong this year, East is throwing together one of its best seasons ever, and poor Central, I don't know what can be done there.  Thoughts?

[DandDD]

Time for the new school. Put something together that would bring the whole county together (except East)  I played at Central in the late 70s. From the time that school opened until the early 80s they were very competitive. All 3 yrs I played we had winning seasons ( 6-4, 9-1, 6-4). And that was playing in the Big 7 with the DBs, Science Hills, Elizabethtons and Tn Highs.  Time to bring that back. Putting the North kids with that would help them be even more competitive.

I'd love to see it. 

[sshsfan]

South was down this year to begin with then add on top of that having a barrage of season ending injuries including the starting QB and 2 starting LB's/RB's and a starting WR/DB it doesn't add up for a productive season. Several sophomores are having to start both ways. South has been riding a high of athletic talent as of late but remember in 2012 they were down (I think 5-5 or 6-4 at best)and barely squeaked into the playoffs. Several athletes that would have helped this team out tremendously have chosen to concentrate on basketball or baseball or just quit sports all together. I know Colonial Heights Middle is undefeated this year so if those kids stay in Sullivan County South could be good again in a couple of years. We have a couple of Holston transfers that are seeing playing time as sophomores right now but I'm not sure about the freshman class. We also lost some key players to DB including their starting QB and 3 starting lineman from last years DB squad. In the end it is what it is and the ebb and flow of talent is more noticeable when you don't have as many students as you once did.

[formerblazer]

South was down this year to begin with then add on top of that having a barrage of season ending injuries including the starting QB and 2 starting LB's/RB's and a starting WR/DB it doesn't add up for a productive season. Several sophomores are having to start both ways. South has been riding a high of athletic talent as of late but remember in 2012 they were down (I think 5-5 or 6-4 at best)and barely squeaked into the playoffs. Several athletes that would have helped this team out tremendously have chosen to concentrate on basketball or baseball or just quit sports all together. I know Colonial Heights Middle is undefeated this year so if those kids stay in Sullivan County South could be good again in a couple of years. We have a couple of Holston transfers that are seeing playing time as sophomores right now but I'm not sure about the freshman class. We also lost some key players to DB including their starting QB and 3 starting lineman from last years DB squad. In the end it is what it is and the ebb and flow of talent is more noticeable when you don't have as many students as you once did.

 

Thats a tough spot to be in.  Transferring here and there.  And with the other talk of the new school, I can see that Sullivan West (my guess) would be a force in 5 or 6A football with all that talent together.  I have to say, the way the plan goes, the Middle and West sides of the county are really going to be ahead with resources as far as an inner county rivalry goes.  Also having about 400 more kids translates in all athletics.  I feel like in our area as a whole, besides Elizabethan and Greeneville, there really isn't a "force" like there used to be.

[formerblazer]

Time for the new school. Put something together that would bring the whole county together (except East)  I played at Central in the late 70s. From the time that school opened until the early 80s they were very competitive. All 3 yrs I played we had winning seasons ( 6-4, 9-1, 6-4). And that was playing in the Big 7 with the DBs, Science Hills, Elizabethtons and Tn Highs.  Time to bring that back. Putting the North kids with that would help them be even more competitive.

I'd love to see it. 

 

1700 student high school.  Right now you have 3100 high school kids in the county.  1600 will go in the new school.  The papers ain't right saying 250 will go to East.  Those numbers just simply won't do unless they build on and immediately renovate East.  It won't make half the county happy with the West side in a state of the art facility and kids sitting in the floor because there is no room to go over at East.

[DandDD]

1700 student high school.  Right now you have 3100 high school kids in the county.  1600 will go in the new school.  The papers ain't right saying 250 will go to East.  Those numbers just simply won't do unless they build on and immediately renovate East.  It won't make half the county happy with the West side in a state of the art facility and kids sitting in the floor because there is no room to go over at East.

Heck bring them too.     I wish we had one big school that could drive down to J Fred and kick the crap out of the Indians. A little pay back for all the tail whippings we've all got over the years.

GO SULLIVAN CO HIGH !!! 

[EHSTrack06]

I heard that in 2019 They are finally merging the Sullivan Co. schools into 1 and have Central as the Middle school? Or are they going to separate East since it's so far away from the other 3.

Edited October 6, 2016 by EHSTrack06

[RebRaider85]

I heard that in 2019 They are finally merging the Sullivan Co. schools into 1 and have Central as the Middle school? Or are they going to separate East since it's so far away from the other 3.

North, South, and a large portion of Central will go to the new "west" high school starting in 2019. North is sold to Kingsport to use as a middle school and South becomes a county middle school also. Centrals future is up in the air, could be closed entirely, have even saw a proposal to refit it as a jail for women only in Sullivan county. Sullivan East is supposed to take the rest of the Central students. As someone said before I really don't know how East is going to take that many students. There really has not been any talk of major renovations in the East area regarding high school facilities until 2029. Edited October 6, 2016 by RebRaider85

[formerblazer]

North, South, and a large portion of Central will go to the new "west" high school starting in 2019. North is sold to Kingsport to use as a middle school and South becomes a county middle school also. Centrals future is up in the air, could be closed entirely, have even saw a proposal to refit it as a jail for women only in Sullivan county. Sullivan East is supposed to take the rest of the Central students. As someone said before I really don't know how East is going to take that many students. There really has not been any talk of major renovations in the East area regarding high school facilities until 2029.

 

That's my biggest concern.  Yes I believe that this deal does need to be done and there should be a new school, but the numbers and the East facilities do not add up.  Originally, it was said there would be the middle school, high school, and East would get renovations the same time that the new school was built.  I like this because you have equal access for facilities and academics at both schools.  When Boone and Crockett renovated 10 years ago, those schools looked incredible on the inside.  But with East already being packed to the walls, I just don't see it.  Completely filling up the school with 1700 kids at "West" would leave 1400 kids at East (number wise as it is right now)

 

There is absolutely no way you are going to get 1400 kids at East unless you add classrooms which would mean they would need another 14 classrooms.  They have to build a new building somewhere on the East campus.

 

I don't care what the facilities studies say about the future growth, those numbers are holding steady as of four years ago.  Are you telling me we are going to magically lose 300 high school students in the system in the next four?  You don't even want to fill a school with 1700 kids, so you are telling me 500 or 600 students are going to disappear?  I don't see it.

[formerblazer]

I heard that in 2019 They are finally merging the Sullivan Co. schools into 1 and have Central as the Middle school? Or are they going to separate East since it's so far away from the other 3.

 

Merging the schools to two schools.  Some of the kids in the East zone, if they were to be bused, would be over an hour and a half to get to a centralized huge school (thats the bus route start, stop, start, stop).  Some of the kids at East are already at the hour point of being on a bus every day.

[formerblazer]

Heck bring them too.     I wish we had one big school that could drive down to J Fred and kick the crap out of the Indians. A little pay back for all the tail whippings we've all got over the years.

GO SULLIVAN CO HIGH !!! 

I am all for winning games, but a higher population does not always correlate into winning games.  If that were the case, this year's DB team would roll over Greeneville with little effort.  Science Hill would beat Alcoa every year.

 

What I think is more interesting is.... who is going to coach this new 5A/6A school?

[DandDD]

I am all for winning games, but a higher population does not always correlate into winning games.  If that were the case, this year's DB team would roll over Greeneville with little effort.  Science Hill would beat Alcoa every year.

 

What I think is more interesting is.... who is going to coach this new 5A/6A school?

I agree but the talent pool in the county and keeping them together instead of them running off to another school should make them pretty darn competitive. Comparing the Greeneville and Alcoa programs to any body is not a good example (smaller schools but awesome football programs). The new school compared to SH and DB would be a better example even though they will be about the same size.

Not sure who would coach them. Sullivan North's coach has done a great job with their program with a small talent pool. More than likely you would have to hire from within the school systems but a good interview process could be used. All the politics might cause a problem. Surely we could get 5 or 6 quality coaches out of 3 schools.