Districts for 2017 are Posted

[Granitebox]

http://portal.tssaa.org/common/classification/?schoolYear=2017&sportid=16

 

[osunut2]

Some interesting changes. I knew that AAA in the Knox area would be very different. Bearden and Knox West have to be smiling ear-to-ear. Not only do they get out of District 4, they won't even see a District 4 team (specifically Farragut, Maryville, or HVA) in the postseason unless it's at state.

Edited November 14, 2016 by osunut2

[Tuffnut]

Some interesting changes. I knew that AAA in the Knox area would be very different. Bearden and Knox West have to be smiling ear-to-ear. Not only do they get out of District 4, they won't even see a District 4 team (specifically Farragut, Maryville, or HVA) in the postseason unless it's at state.

 

Actually, they would have to beat one of those teams in sectionals to make it to state.

[osunut2]

Actually, they would have to beat one of those teams in sectionals to make it to state.

Good point. Totally forgot the sectional game format.

[fernando9]

Being from Knoville, I can tell you most at Bearden and West hate this redistrict.

 

First and foremost, as bad as the "district of death" has been, it had all of the natural rivalries between Bearden, Farragut, Hardin Valley, Maryville, West where club kids that know each other play for stakes that matter in district.  Will be terrible for that to go away.  The kids now only play those teams in "meaningless" regular season games or one game in substate.  It was a real badge of honor for whoever won that district as opposed to a few others locally, and they were always proud of that accomplishment.

 

The teams in the new district (AAA, no less, not small schools where you don't have as many close schools), both from Knoxville and the others, will all generally now have to travel an hour twice a year for district games.  Shouldn't need to happen for an area as populous as Knoxville.

 

District would look much different, but you're likely having to beat Science Hill and/or DB to get out of Region, then likely having a one game playoff with a team within 20 minutes ... Farragut, HV, Maryville, etc ... to get to state.  Talk about a high stakes rivalry game.  

 

Big picture, everyone I know is not pleased at all and wonders why they were the two chosen.

[Tuffnut]

My guess would be that those two Knoxville teams are geographically the closest to their new district teams. Rutherford County and Williamson County both had teams split out and mored to new districts to balance district numbers. In both of those cases the northern most schools were moved to the districts to their north. Montgomery County is now in the same region as northwestern Memphis; that is a 200 mile drive for region semis and finals and also for sectionals. In my experience old rivalries don't disappear just because a district is split, but new ones do develop. 
 

Being from Knoville, I can tell you most at Bearden and West hate this redistrict.
 
First and foremost, as bad as the "district of death" has been, it had all of the natural rivalries between Bearden, Farragut, Hardin Valley, Maryville, West where club kids that know each other play for stakes that matter in district.  Will be terrible for that to go away.  The kids now only play those teams in "meaningless" regular season games or one game in substate.  It was a real badge of honor for whoever won that district as opposed to a few others locally, and they were always proud of that accomplishment.
 
The teams in the new district (AAA, no less, not small schools where you don't have as many close schools), both from Knoxville and the others, will all generally now have to travel an hour twice a year for district games.  Shouldn't need to happen for an area as populous as Knoxville.
 
District would look much different, but you're likely having to beat Science Hill and/or DB to get out of Region, then likely having a one game playoff with a team within 20 minutes ... Farragut, HV, Maryville, etc ... to get to state.  Talk about a high stakes rivalry game.  
 
Big picture, everyone I know is not pleased at all and wonders why they were the two chosen.

[BigG]

We have to drive 50 minutes for a district game while a region opponent is 10 minutes away...  makes perfect sense, right?

[EnsworthSoccer]

We have to drive 50 minutes for a district game while a region opponent is 10 minutes away...  makes perfect sense, right?

Yeah, but they have the Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle. And probably good stock of RC Colas. And if you look up in the sky from there you can see Sewanee.

[BigG]

Yeah, but they have the Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle. And probably good stock of RC Colas. And if you look up in the sky from there you can see Sewanee.

I guess I shouldn't complain... I COULD be in your district, ha ha.  

[EnsworthSoccer]

I guess I shouldn't complain... I COULD be in your district, ha ha.  

Just found out that it's not going to be a district. Chattanooga Christian just successfully appealed the TSSAA to drop down to D2-A for the next two years (would have been in a district with Baylor, McCallie, and GPS), so we now have a giant region that will take up 1/2 of our regular season games on the girls' side with the addition of St. Cecilia and Lipscomb to our original region.

[osunut2]

My guess would be that those two Knoxville teams are geographically the closest to their new district teams.

Bingo. With 3 classifications, a couple of Knoxville teams had to slide into District 2-AAA to even things out, now that Sevier County, Seymour, Gibbs, Central, South Doyle, Anderson County, and Clinton are now in AA. Bearden/West made the most geographic sense.

[AlcoaDad]

Our New District Looks like this:

 

Alcoa High School (Alcoa, TN)

Austin-East High School (Knoxville, TN)

Berean Christian School (Knoxville, TN)

Cosby High School (Cosby, TN)

Gatlinburg-Pittman High School (Gatlinburg, TN)

 

It is very different. We lost CAK and Catholic from a local standpoint. AE and Berean make up for them distance wise. From a travel standpoint, we lost Scott, Oliver Springs, and Oneida, but Cosby and GP make up for that when it comes to travel. I will miss Kingston as they were always a quality team and we have had lots of hard fought matches with them. Playing new teams is always fun. We have played GP often in tournaments and such, as well as Berean. Cosby and AE will be totally new for us. 

 

I am excited about the changes and can't wait for the girls season to see how all this shakes out. Before that, we have the boys in the Spring and the last time through the old District. It will be fun and sad at the same time. You develop friendships with people when you play them every year and while we will try to keep scheduling these folks, it is not always easy when you are not in the same District.