Coaches Association has asked the question 3 times and have had almost support collectively. Sections can also decide this on their own. One has done so this year. Two teams at the bottom are playing each other and weren’t seeded.
So the section decided that the two bottom teams are not eligible to move on? They can do that???
They can. Sections can design their tournaments how they’d like to determine a section champion. The exception is 6A football. Even 6A schools could vote to change their current structure.
Not that I predict it,
Agree with Prior Lake
Prior Lake is 4-4 in the toughest district in the state. They have beaten Forest Lake and Woodbury, gave Eden Prairie a great game (was tied in the fourth), and lost to Minnetonka on a missed PAT. To say they are "not good at all" is a stretch. Mounds View has lost 2 of their last three including a loss to 2-6 East Ridge who has not been able to stop anyone; Mounds View scored 14. PL wins this one.
MV has an above average defense, below average offense.
My mistake. I had only been looking at their district record, which is 1-4, rather than their overall, which is 4-4. Never mind.
It will be interesting in a bunch of games Friday. Some many are match-ups and which team shows up. I think a lot of the 3-6 and 4-5 games are tossups.
I'll be up north at a friend's cabin so I won't be able to go, but I'm torn on the Wayzata - Forest Lake game. I coach in the Wayzata youth program. But I played for Flake. I'm kind of leaning toward hoping FLake wins - for a school that's been around since 1909, they have very little sports success.
I think they’re toss ups but I lean towards the lower seed in most of them
As someone that played high school sports against FL, I agree. They were bad at almost everything.
I understand the sentiment in wanting change, but unless the MSHSL goes away from wanting "State Tournament" to be a representation of the whole state I don't see it. This has been the format for almost nearly 40 years.
Socioeconomics plays a big part of it. If there was a state 4X4 truck or an engine rebuilding championship, they’d win. It is still a rural area with little interest in sports as a whole.
If we look at free/reduced numbers - not always a great stat, but it's easily available - FLHS is at 24%. Stillwater HS is 19%, and White Bear is at ~28%. Centennial is 24% and Blaine is 36%.So it's not as if Forest Lake is a much poorer school than the surrounding large suburban districts. (I didn't include Cambridge, St. Francis, Chisago or North Branch - they are smaller).
Culture also has a lot to do with it. Why is Hutchinson, a non-metro school of under 800 kids, always a power in football? A culture of excellence was created a long time ago, I assume by Grady Rosberg as well as an influential group of parents. The culture has continued with his son. Since creating this culture, boys who grow up in Hutchinson dream of becoming a varsity football player and high school football is in many ways the lifeblood of the town. This motivates kids in elementary school through high school to dedicate their time and energy to becoming a football player. The same culture of winning occurs in other sports in other communities, Warroad hockey as an example. Creating a winning culture is not an easy endeavor and in many schools and many athletics programs it just hasn't happened.
I agree to a point, but it's truly remarkable the changes a boy can make to his body from 13-18. If kids are dedicated to a strength and conditioning program run by a dedicated and knowledgable staff, athletes can be built.
Prior lake
Random note, I happened to drive through Windom on Monday on the way to Omaha this past Monday. I saw the combo baseball park/football field on my way.
LeSeuer Henderson forfeited twice to Jackson County Central in 2A this year - once in the regular season and then last night.
Churchill said that the army with the most divisions will almost always win. I think in small rural districts, success is almost directly attributable to turnout. Schools like New Ulm Cathedral and Wabasso for years punched above their weight in most sports, FB included, because nearly all eligible kids were out. But there is also a strong piece of what you are alluding to, certain towns seem to spit out better athletes. Springfield being one. It must be a good mix of German and Irish - industrious and combative. Wabasso, too, produced athletes but I think demographics are finally catching up. Years ago, Fulda seem to fit the same build. I swear they fielded a basketball team in my day of 12 or 13 guys that were all svelt 6'1"to 6'3" blond haired muscular athletic guys and were competitive in all sports but demographics seem to have caught up to Fulda years ago.
Good points. And you also see the culture change if a good coach leaves or retires. Cambridge-Isanti has never been the powerhouse they were when George Larson was the coach.