Who wins AA in 2020-21, and why?

[VFL365]

Grainger and Northview will be tough outs.  I expect both teams to be in Murfreesboro.....Both have played tough schedules to prepare them for the tournament.  I have seen Grainger play a few times...Really good defensive minded team.

Edited February 23, 2021 by VFL365

[SportsWestTN]

34 minutes ago, BallIsLife1 said:

I am seeing post about scheduling and it being a factor when it comes to Murfreesboro. So the past 7 or 8 years Westview has played the same caliber teams but travel on holidays to play whats supposed to be top tier teams to help this issue that you all are speaking about. So whats their for excuse for no titles? Since it sounds like yall are saying battle tested teams have an advantage or is it that those teams they travel to aren't very good either? QTNA

I'll speak to my comments on Westview. Firstly, Westview's district is down this year. Crockett and Dyersburg are normally better, but are having down years this year. South Gibson finished 2nd in the district and is talented, but fails to live up to their potential. When the five other teams in your district are down, it automatically puts you behind the eight-ball because that's 10 games you can't help but play. 

This year Henry Co. was a solid opponent, but outside of that Westview didn't have much of a challenger. Only "traditional powers" on the schedule might be Union City or Peabody, but that'd be a bit of a stretch to say. 

This year is tough with COVID as well. I know some teams had to adjust scheduling, and I'm not sure how much Westview fell into that as well. It isn't an indictment, but more of an observation. Have they been challenged much this year? No. Is that because they are that good, or partially because of how weak their opponents have been? Hard to say, probably a combination of the two. Westview doesn't always have an easy schedule. If you look at the opponents they played last year, you can point to a number of tough games (some of which resulted in losses, which were good for them). 

My point isn't about making it to Murfreesboro, as much as it is about having success once you get there. If you haven't been tested, or haven't been tested much, it is hard to turn on that extra gear that gets you past really good teams. When teams like Westview or South Side have opponents like Milan or North Side, they can literally sleep walk their way to victories. If your schedule is filled with those type of games, it can be tough to get your kids to suddenly lock in and play all out for 4 quarters, three straight games (what you'd need to win the title). 

It isn't that it is impossible, just makes it more difficult. It's a challenge, I know their coaches are battling with.

[MrOct81]

I see there are a lot of ppl already placing Westview and SouthSide in the Glass House. Keep in mind one of those 2 teams will have to face Covington on their home floor to advance to State. This is the same Covington team that last year took a better Westview team than this year down to the wire during Substate at Westview.  While Westview lost 2 very valuable players, Covington returned their entire roster and added a few tough players for depth to go along with what they had already. Covington has one of the best pgs in the State and their post player is as good as any post player on this side of TN. So I’m just saying don’t count Covington out on their home floor. 

Edited February 23, 2021 by MrOct81

[HawkGuy06]

5 hours ago, MrOct81 said:

I see there are a lot of ppl already placing Westview and SouthSide in the Glass House. Keep in mind one of those 2 teams will have to face Covington on their home floor to advance to State. This is the same Covington team that last year took a better Westview team than this year down to the wire during Substate at Westview.  While Westview lost 2 very valuable players, Covington returned their entire roster and added a few tough players for depth to go along with what they had already. Covington has one of the best pgs in the State and their post player is as good as any post player on this side of TN. So I’m just saying don’t count Covington out on their home floor. 

Covington didn’t return their entire roster! They did lose a big last year! I do like their point guard she is 1 of the best in the state! The post is a good player if she is on the floor. The 7AA region championship game will determine a lot! You don’t want to play at South Side for substate! You don’t want to play in Martin Westview for substate! You also don’t want to play in Covington for substate! 3 great teams & only 2 can/will make it. I do like Covington over Westview but they have a mental block on Covington. The real season has just begun! 

[Bob38]

8 hours ago, VFL365 said:

Grainger and Northview will be tough outs.  I expect both teams to be in Murfreesboro.....Both have played tough schedules to prepare them for the tournament.  I have seen Grainger play a few times...Really good defensive minded team.

I actually like them two over meigs from east. But not sure they have the fire power to step up to the middle and west. I may be wrong.

[BallIsLife1]

@SportsWestTn

You may or may not be a Westview fan, so you may or may not know the exact answer to this. If not I am interested to know your thoughts and opinions. You seem level headed and mostly non-bias. 

Why do you think Westview never schedules or not willing to schedule the likes of a Gibson Co, South Side or Covington during the regular season? Seems like it would be a good gate either way and of course a good game. 

[pioneer42]

24 minutes ago, BallIsLife1 said:

@SportsWestTn

You may or may not be a Westview fan, so you may or may not know the exact answer to this. If not I am interested to know your thoughts and opinions. You seem level headed and mostly non-bias. 

Why do you think Westview never schedules or not willing to schedule the likes of a Gibson Co, South Side or Covington during the regular season? Seems like it would be a good gate either way and of course a good game. 

Gibson County and Westview have played every year the last five years or so and twice in 2019. Don’t know why they didn’t play this year. Get the popcorn ready because starting next year they are in the same District and could possibly play four times a year.

[HawkGuy06]

3 hours ago, pioneer42 said:

Gibson County and Westview have played every year the last five years or so and twice in 2019. Don’t know why they didn’t play this year. Get the popcorn ready because starting next year they are in the same District and could possibly play four times a year.

Gibson County wins all 4! 

[pioneer42]

4 hours ago, HawkGuy06 said:

Gibson County wins all 4! 

I hope so. Westview is tough year end year out. I see you guys have Chester County tonight. Noticed they had a good win vs Scotts Hill.

[HawkGuy06]

8 minutes ago, pioneer42 said:

I hope so. Westview is tough year end year out. I see you guys have Chester County tonight. Noticed they had a good win vs Scotts Hill.

We would have them but we not playing it! We are preparing for region on Saturday. All entire district decided to not play the consolation game or the district championship since we was pushing for time to start the region tournament. We ended the 14AA district champs so we are hosting #4 13AA Crockett County on Saturday in the first round of the region tournament. 

[pioneer42]

38 minutes ago, HawkGuy06 said:

We would have them but we not playing it! We are preparing for region on Saturday. All entire district decided to not play the consolation game or the district championship since we was pushing for time to start the region tournament. We ended the 14AA district champs so we are hosting #4 13AA Crockett County on Saturday in the first round of the region tournament. 

Is 13 AA not playing championship and consolation either?? 

[SportsWestTN]

9 hours ago, BallIsLife1 said:

@SportsWestTn

You may or may not be a Westview fan, so you may or may not know the exact answer to this. If not I am interested to know your thoughts and opinions. You seem level headed and mostly non-bias. 

Why do you think Westview never schedules or not willing to schedule the likes of a Gibson Co, South Side or Covington during the regular season? Seems like it would be a good gate either way and of course a good game. 

As Pioneer mentioned, they have played GC they last few years. Not sure why they were off the schedule this year. They also played South Side a few years back. Word was they refused to schedule Greenfield the previous few years, but not sure the validity of that (could be to avoid being 2nd best team in their own county, if they lost). Based on their schedules in years past, it doesn't look like they are running away from good teams.

Scheduling is also a two-way street. When you have been as good, for as long as Westview has, you also are going to have other teams that don't want to play you. Not everyone is chomping at the bit wanting to play a team that has made the state tournament for the last decade. Additionally, as a coach you want your team to be challenged, but also want to give yourself some easier games to help build depth and play around with plays, sets, and rotations, without the worry of slipping up and losing. 

Generally speaking, I think Westview has a decent strength of schedule, it's just lacking this year; which again, may be COVID related and isn't helped by a down district. We knew coming into the year that Westview was losing some talent. Coach might have wanted to have an easier early schedule to help acclimate some of the new starters. Who knows. It's not like they've played all cupcakes, either. But, they don't really have any games you can point to as championship level competition (but I say the same thing about South Side).