102 point cry babies...

[Hawkbiz]

It certainly does appear that we have more very lopsided games in the 8-man division, and not just this one with Don Bosco.
Part of it may be just the nature of a more wide open type of game.
Other than that, what are the options?

1. Have two classes of 8-man? I certainly hope not, as we already have too many classes (6) for a small state
But, 8-man currently does have the most schools and in the size difference is somewhat significant.

2. It may be time for some schools to close? Consolidate? Share a football program with a neighbor?
Or, simply not have football. Years ago, many small schools did not have football and their school
was just fine without it.

 

[SICL Cares]

I think what most posters get so upset about isn't the fact that Don Bosco is a catholic school playing 8-man football, but the fact that they appear to have a team that can play in Class A and still be competitive.

In 2011, Don Bosco's last season in 11-man, they finished with an 8-3 record and two of their losses came to Postville by a combined 10 points and they also had a loss to a stout North Tama team by 24. That same Don Bosco team, according to quikstats (I believe I counted correctly) had 42 kids on the roster with 10 seniors on that team.

Does it sound like a program is desperate need to drop to 8-man football to keep a program alive? No. Does it seem fair that they have the "catholic school advantage" to help bring in kids to their program when all of these other schools really don't have the ability to do that? No.

However, the fact of the matter is Don Bosco chose to play 8-man football and the state obviously allowed it. Their drop has resulted to two appearances in the UNI-Dome including one state championship. I'll go ahead and point out that another school, Exira-EHK, finished the 2011 season with an 8-2 record, a district championship, and loss in the playoffs to a Bedford team that beat in the regular season. IN 11-MAN. Why does nobody cry or moan about Exira-EHK? I'll just leave it at that.

Instead of whining and crying about how big, bad Don Bosco is here to stay in 8-man, why don't you just saddle up and try to take them down? No offense to Wayne, Twin Cedars or Melcher-Dallas, but I know when the district pairings came out this year and HLV saw that they were in the same district as the defending state champions, they looked at that as a challenge they wanted to take on. They didn't want to run and hide, they wanted to slay the giant. They were sick of being stuck (once again, I don't mean to offend anyone) playing the likes of Seymour, Cedar Valley Christian, Moravia, etc.

Go ahead and whine because Don Bosco is a force in 8-man football. I would bet every team they played besides HLV this season walked into that game with a losing attitude and with an attitude like that you are going to get beat 102-6. Like it or not, they're here to stay and they are going to be the bullies of eastern Iowa and maybe the entire state until someone steps up and knocks them off.

Best of luck to all teams in postseason play and may all of the players stay healthy.

This post was edited on 10/28 9:30 AM by SICL Cares

 

[B2B 14]

Hawkeye2010 - What "good points" are being ignored? Please inform me. All the posts on separate threads I have seen making "definitive" and "factual" points are actually just numbers and statistics modified to make someone seem correct. That or someone making up scenarios that are blown out of proportion and blatantly wrong, and I usually address those posters. I believe I addressed you on another thread. As you can see I'm not being hostile or making accusations like yourself. If this is "fun" and entertaining enough for you to be up at 4AM posting, that is sad. Have you tried taking up a hobby? Video games? I've heard they're fun. Maybe something that doesn't involve being in hatred mode?

P.S. If you do take up video games and get Madden or any other game for that matter, make sure to quit the game once you're ahead by enough! Don't want those virtual fans starting a thread like this, that would really suck...

 

[Hawkeye2010]

I forgot, you're from Don Bosco, meaning you're right and I'm wrong. I better just shut up now... You think we're the whiners? Your lack of class was exposed to the entire state and then some. And actually, I was on the time clock at 4am, just thought I'd have a little fun with that one. I'm done with this topic though..it's a whole new season tomorrow. Good luck.

 

[maxstabs13]

Keep in mind those 45 kids on the roster are Freshman through Seniors...

Tri-County should feel fortunate that Don Bosco dresses all its freshman for varsity games as well or they would have played the worst Varsity players and possibly won by even more.

The breakdown:
10 Freshman
12 Sophomores
12 Juniors
11 Seniors

If you play 11 man with those size classes you are not going to have any depth.

 

[roosterk]

REPEAT: sorry if you already read it, the top 10 BCMOORE class A teams have an average rosters smaller than DB. So your obviously wrong.

This post was edited on 10/28 6:44 PM by roosterk
This post was edited on 10/28 6:46 PM by roosterk

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Originally posted by SICL Cares:

However, the fact of the matter is Don Bosco chose to play 8-man football and the state obviously allowed it. Their drop has resulted to two appearances in the UNI-Dome including one state championship. I'll go ahead and point out that another school, Exira-EHK, finished the 2011 season with an 8-2 record, a district championship, and loss in the playoffs to a Bedford team that beat in the regular season. IN 11-MAN. Why does nobody cry or moan about Exira-EHK? I'll just leave it at that.

Well, Exira and Elk Horn-Kimballton were two of the first schools to play in the revival of 8-man football in Iowa in the early 2000s.

When they first combined, yeah their BEDS numbers probably put them over the limit, but right now, as a combined school, they're at 101. If they are well within the 8-man limit as a combined school...then I think they fit right in at the 8-man football level.

To my knowledge, Don Bosco does not share with anyone. They're similar to Dyersville, Beckman in that they're the only "game" in town. And that town just happens to be about 5 miles from the Waterloo area. They are a bedroom community just like Solon and West Branch are with Iowa City.

 

[Rose bowl or bust]

Originally posted by maxstabs13:
Keep in mind those 45 kids on the roster are Freshman through Seniors...

Tri-County should feel fortunate that Don Bosco dresses all its freshman for varsity games as well or they would have played the worst Varsity players and possibly won by even more.

The breakdown:
10 Freshman
12 Sophomores
12 Juniors
11 Seniors

If you play 11 man with those size classes you are not going to have any depth.

Really? If you're playing with a 2-deep that is entirely seniors and juniors, which Don Bosco would be able to do, you are sitting really well. Heck, I'd be willing to bet there aren't too many 8-man teams that have 16 seniors and juniors on their team. Forget about 23 of them.

 

[acoach#5]

Why should DB play up if they don't have too? Have they always been this dominant? So say they decide to play up next year and the talent isn't there for 11 man? They aren't breaking any rules by playing what they can play based on beds. I haven't seen this point brought up yet. Most people are ripping on DB for not laying down. I talked to our HC and he said he wouldn't ask young kids to lay down. He said they would probably run the same basic play but it is up to the other team to stop them. Why didn't the team that was losing by 80 points just say lets call it. People want DB to basically quit but not the other team. Why is there a mercy rule in baseball but not football? In baseball a team can easily make the score less than a 15 or 10 run differential in an inning. It is hard in football to make it less than 50.

 

[maxstabs13]

Other 8-man teams...
Riceville 37... 1-8
East Mills 36
Gildden Ralston 36


I didn't look through them all but those are some of the closest in size. Most teams that I checked ranged between 25-32 players.

Don Bosco is on the high side of 8-man as only Guthrie Center has higher BEDS.

I think the reason for Akron Westfield and Bishop Garrigan still being Class A is simply due to traveling. If they were moved down certain teams would be traveling to or from eastern Iowa for long distances due to a lack of teams in the area. Since it is only 2-3 students difference IAHSAA probably wanted to save the schools cost.

Garrigan has 37 out for football and have done very well in A this year, so if they were down instead of DB we would likely be talking about them instead.

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Originally posted by maxstabs13:

Other 8-man teams...
Riceville 37... 1-8
East Mills 36
Gildden Ralston 36


I didn't look through them all but those are some of the closest in size. Most teams that I checked ranged between 25-32 players.

Don Bosco is on the high side of 8-man as only Guthrie Center has higher BEDS.

I think the reason for Akron Westfield and Bishop Garrigan still being Class A is simply due to traveling. If they were moved down certain teams would be traveling to or from eastern Iowa for long distances due to a lack of teams in the area. Since it is only 2-3 students difference IAHSAA probably wanted to save the schools cost.

Garrigan has 37 out for football and have done very well in A this year, so if they were down instead of DB we would likely be talking about them instead.

Garrigan sticks with 11-man because they feel they can be competitive and they have too proud a tradition to drop to 11-man. Their program has not dipped to the point where they feel it would be better served to move down to 8-man even though their enrollment numbers continue to decline along with the rest of the Algona population. I remember, though, when Garrigan and Algona would play in football every year back when Garrigan was in 1A and 2A. It was a big rivalry up there, and a big deal at the time when they stopped.

I think that's partly why they would like to cling to their rivalry game with St. Eds. It provides good competition against a higher-class team to prepare them for the rest of the season. The last two years they have played the Gaels to scores of 14-9 and 14-7, which have been our two closest scores outside of the loss to Regina in the Finals. Not bad for a school that's technically small enough to be 8-man.........right, Don Bosco fans?

Until Garrigan's numbers simply sink too low, AND the football program begins to see a consistent decline in both success and participation numbers, I do not foresee them moving to 8-man.

 

[BoscoFan4Life]

That and the fact that their field is already set up for 11 man

Nice Job ! Honestly. Keep up the great work

This post was edited on 10/29 3:57 PM by BoscoFan4Life

This post was edited on 10/29 4:00 PM by BoscoFan4Life

 

[BoscoFan4Life]

Thunder as good as Bosco is I honestly don't see them at your level. That is an impressive resume.

Keep it going up there !

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Originally posted by BoscoFan4Life:

That and the fact that their field is already set up for 11 man

That too.

 

[GW94JD]

Why do people say that playing 8-man football vs. 11-man football is so disparaging and degrading? If both styles have an equal number of participants on the field, that it is a fair game. Most 8-man teams run the same offensive plays and defensive schemes. Linebackers still read the line and the back field, and offensive players still block the same and carriers read the blocks. Football is football if you ask me. 8-man encourages defenses to run more man-coverage (which is difficult against good receivers and players coming out of the back field) due to the lack of extra guys to make tackles across the middle. Hell when I was in middle school, 10 of us would play backyard football with 5 guys on each team and we still had a blast. Does your dislike for 8-man mean that you never played football in the yard on Thanksgiving with all your cousins unless each team had 11 players?

 

[NKinnick24]

Seriously, every year...

 

[rs71]

Great exclamation point to the discussion, NKinnick24!