Small Schools Can Compete At State

[Aspen]

Division I Wrestling doesn't differentiate by school size. However a couple of small schools deserve recognition for their efforts at State. Of the top 25 Division I teams, only 2 teams had student populations less than 600. All the rest had more than 800 students with the largest schools having over 2000 students.

 

Franklin Road Academy with 320 students finished 13th

 

Fairview High School with 594 students finished 21st.

 

 

I'm not trying to diminish the large schools' outstanding performances. Just thought these schools and their coaches deserve some kudos.

[BuckLateral]

Interestingly, those two "small" schools produced two of the top four "large' wrestlers in the tournament.

 

Joe Hudgins of Fairview won the 275 lb. class and Taylor Layman of FRA finished 4th.

 

If any of you saw the tournament, neither of these boys would be considered "small".

[toughone]

What about East Literature Magnet in Nashville? After seeing there 145 get screwed out of the semi finals match, I decided to do some research into their program. I remember a kid from a couple of years ago that won the state from East. I spoke to their coach and he told me that the school has less than 300 students and they have had 4 medalist in the last 4 years. Not bad from one of the smallest schools in the state.

[BuckLateral]

Aspen, you need to add Houston Co. High School to your list. The TSSAA currently lists that's schools enrollment at only 394. Houston finished tied with Fairview in 21st place among the top 25 teams.

 

And the TSSAA currently reflects Fanklin Road Academy's enrollment to be 283 instead of 320.

 

Toughone, East Literature, which is listed as having 212 students, finished in 53rd place.

 

Here are the top 25 finishing schools and their enrollments:

 

1. Bradley Central (Brad) ---------------2304

2. Soddy-Daisy (SD)---------------------1724

3. Franklin (Frk) -------------------------1462

4. Farragut (Farr) ------------------------2136

5. Clarksville (Clk)-----------------------1393

6. Collierville (Coll)----------------------1935

7. East Ridge (ER)------------------------ 961

8. Science Hill (SC)---------------------- 1885

9. Kenwood (Kenw)----------------------1361

10. Overton (Ov)-------------------------1332

11. Cleveland (Cleve)-------------------1167

12. Blackman (Black)-------------------1465

13. Franklin Road Academy (FRA)----- 283

14. Rossview (Ross)---------------------1100

14. Hendersonville (Hv)-----------------1622

16. Ridgeway (Ridge)------------------- 957

16. Bartlett (Bart)-----------------------1952

18. Brentwood (BW)---------------------1654

19. Montgomery Central (MontCe)----- 838

20. Seymour (Sey)---------------------- 849

21. Maplewood (Maple)----------------- 1122

21. Cookeville (Cville)------------------ 1907

21. Houston (Hou)------------------------ 394

21. Fairview (Fview)--------------------- 592

25. Danial Boone (DBoone)------------- 1131

[LAUDERDALE]

Hey Buck, thanks for the information. I really hope the TSSAA will allow the small school / large school divisions to take place.

Edited February 27, 2004 by LAUDERDALE

[superman2002]

Bucklateral,

 

i think you meant Houston High not houston Co. houston county in the TSSAA directory does not have wrestling. Houston high in Memphis has 1760 students.

[BayouBear]

Buck-Not trying to be picky but your enrollment numbers are the 2000 figures. The TSSAA site has the 2002 numbers list under Classification Changes 2003-4.

[wildcat1]

Hey Buck, thanks for the information. I really hope the TSSAA will allow the small school / large school divisions to take place.

the small school/large school divisions are only needed for them actuall team dual compettion. This is simply because of the lack of student that would be able to compete. where as in an individual tournament you do not rely very much on team mates, and the coaching will be no different if they were seoerate so that will not e a factor.

 

We already have 2 state champe we do not need 3-4 more... since tennessee has 5 classifications of public schools plus the private schools makes 6 champs....not good for business.

 

 

I have been hoping for one state championship for years now, but it does not look like it is happening

[legman]

The "book" is wrong. Bradley HS has just over 1700 students.

[superman2002]

I think the State wrestling tournament should be divided in duals and individual. Who cares if there will be 3 state championships. What makes wrestling different than the other sports like track and tennis. Football has 7 championshps and no complains that all schools should be competing for one title. Just because the TSSAA has been doing this for 40 years does not mean it is correct.. TIme to change and give the schools with smaller student population a chance to compete. The larger schools will bicker because you have the numbers but the smaller schools are at a disadvantage every year.

[BuckLateral]

Superman2002, you are right, it should be Houston High in the top 25, with 1675 students based on the 2003-2004 classifiaction numbers, not Housron County.

 

Bayou Bear--------the numbers used were those shown under "Member Schools" on the TSSAA site which apparently have not been updated to reflect the 2003-2004 classification numbers.

 

 

Below is a revised list of the top 25 finishing schools and their enrollments based on the 2003-2004 classification enrollment numbers. Since this post generated some comments concerning a proposed large school/small school split in the dual and or traditional tournaments, I have highlighted the so-called small schools. As Aspen noted, wrestling currently has only one classifiacation, but I would assume that the TSSAA would split it much like the the other "minor" sports, with large schools ( AAA ) being above 991 and small schools being less ( AA----428 to 990 and A---less than 428)

 

1. Bradley Central (Brad) ---------------1877

2. Soddy-Daisy (SD)---------------------1689

3. Franklin (Frk) --------------------------1648

4. Farragut (Farr) ------------------------2228

5. Clarksville (Clk)-----------------------1219

6. Collierville (Coll)-----------------------2015

7. East Ridge (ER)------------------------ 870

8. Science Hill (SC)---------------------- 1863

9. Kenwood (Kenw)---------------------- 1228

10. Overton (Ov)--------------------------1359

11. Cleveland (Cleve)--------------------1097

12. Blackman (Black)---------------------1539

13. Franklin Road Academy (FRA)--------299

14. Rossview (Ross)-----------------------961

14. Hendersonville (Hv)-------------------1642

16. Ridgeway (Ridge)----------------------1242

16. Bartlett (Bart)--------------------------1884

18. Brentwood (BW)-----------------------1780

19. Montgomery Central (MontCe)-------- 857

20. Seymour (Sey)-------------------------893

21. Maplewood (Maple)---------------------877

21. Cookeville (Cville)---------------------1853

21. Houston (Hou)--------------------------1675

21. Fairview (Fview)------------------------ 593

25. Daniel Boone (DBoone)----------------1181

 

 

Did not change Aspen's comment concerning FRA ( at 299 the only A school in the top 25) and Fairview ( at 599) as the only schools below 600 enrollment in the top 25.

 

Toughone, East Literature, which finished 53rd has 283 students undet the new numbers.

 

Legman----Bradley did drop significantly, by almost 400 students. Where did they go?

 

 

Interestingly, East Ridge, a "small school" at 961 under the prior numbers, lost 91 students but continued to finish in the top ten as in previous years.

 

Based on these numbers, 7 or 28% of the top 25, are "small schools". However, only one, East Ridge, cracked the top 10, with Franklin Road Academy next at 13th and Rossview at 14th. These seven schools produced 12 medalsists, or 12.5% otf the total. And of these seven schools, only East Ridge and Franklin Road Academy appear to have had at least one or more medalist in each of the past three tournaments, which may be an indication of how tough it is for "small schools" to produce medal winners and the disadvantage of which superman 2002 speaks.