Ok JayZ I would like to address the strength of schedule debate here. Can you tell me what CB St Alberts, Central Lyon, GLR, Boyden Hull, Hudson, Hull Trinity, Ft Dodge St Ed's, and Wapsie Valley all have in common? Two things: 1) They are all in the top 8 according to BC Moore in strength of schedule and 2) None of them are going to Des Moines next week to play in the State Tournament. Now I do see your point about a team that plays a weak schedule should not automatically get respect until they beat a team of significance, but I also would like to point out that some teams do take care of business when it comes to whoever they play. One example I would like to point out is a couple of substate games to compare: 1) North Linn #1 vs Clayton Ridge #66, final score was a 26 point difference. 2) Grand View Christian #2 vs Southwest Valley #58, final score was a 41 point difference. Well, you could say GV ran up the score so it doesn't prove anything that GV beat a stronger team by 41 compared to NL who beat a weaker team by only 26...well if you look at the box score, both GV and NL out scored their opponents in the final quarter (NL by 8 and GV by 12), so that argument doesn't hold up. Also, I would like to use Iowa State Football as an example. ISU always has one of the toughest/strongest strength of schedule in the nation, but they SUCK at football, on the flip side I bet Oklahoma doesn't have as strong schedule strength because they are better than everyone on their schedule. So what does Oklahoma do? They play Ohio State at the beginning of the year, kinda like GV played Pella, the #1 team in class 3A. I do think that GV made some decent (not great) teams look pretty bad, when other teams like MVAO would only beat the #136 ranked team by 29, GV would beat the #137 ranked team by 60 with a running clock I would presume! I will agree with you that NW Iowa has had the definite edge over the last 15 years in class 1A, but I do believe that can shift back to the East over the next 5 to 10 years, we will see. I also agree with you that GV needs to prove themselves in the State Tournament where it counts, we will see how it goes next week. It will be interesting to see how the coaches view the teams in their rankings for the tournament tomorrow.
I think I understand what you're trying to say. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around it and I'll tell you why. (And I'm being serious).
1. BH's biggest margin of victory this year was 28 against a #58 ranked 2A school okoboji. Their biggest margin of loss was 12 to #28 ranked in 1A Central Lyon (early in the year)
2. Sheldon #12 ranked in 2A, won the Siouxland this year. Their average margin of victory was 10!!!
3. The team that got Dead Last in the Siouxland this year, Sibley #61 ranked in 2A. They went 0-19 in conference. Their biggest lost was by 40 to Sheldon, who won the Siouxland. Other than that they actually lost all 19 conference games by an average of 14 points.
4. GrandView won their games by an average of 50 points. 50 POINTS!!
5. Diagnal lost there games by an average of 34 points. GV beat them by 87 freekin points.
One of these conferences is the 9th ranked conference out of 32 per BCMoore (which is saying something beings it's mostly 1A and 2A schools). And one of these conferences is the 32nd ranked conference out of 32.
So again, and I'm being totally honest. I have no clue what it feels like to "take care of business" by 40-50-60-70-80 or 87 points, because We never get to see it. But yet, as I mentioned before, the Siouxland has produced a state champion 10 times in the last 14 years. Can the west central or the bluegrass conference boast anything remotely close to that? The answer is No. We both know that. So to me, when GV beats diagnal by 87, or when Grandview wins their season games by an average 50 points, but has a strength of schedule of 121 out of 148, that isn't "taking care of business." In my mind, That's ahnihilating a group of teams that is just God Aweful in the worst conference in the entire state. (Not saying every team is terrible in bluegrass, but 90% are). Fact of the matter is, I think your claiming that it's worth something to beat a bad team by 70 and to you that's "taking care of business." Up in the Siouxland, a win is a win anyway you can get it. And if you can beat the 0-19 last place team in the conference by more than 14, then that was a good night. And if you can beat the 6th place team in the conference on the road by 1 point, then you speed your ass home cuz that was a good night. I bet you in 20 years, maybe even 25 years, I can't remember the winner of the Siouxland going undefeated in conference play. If someone wants to correct me, be my guest.
I guess we will find out how good GV is next week. If they prove me wrong, that's fine! But the last 4 years GV has done the same thing every year. They whoop up on their conference all year with one of the worst schedules in 1A, but once districts start, in 4 years, they have only won 2 games against teams ranked in the top 30, and have only made it out of substate once.(now twice). Sorry. No respect deserved, no respect given from me. At least not yet! Good luck. And if you win it all next week, don't come tell me I'm an idiot, because these numbers above, and my opinion won't really change much. If you win it all, I will absolutely say KUDOS! But all that means is, you finally won a game against a top notch opponent during tournaments, and if GV is so dang good as you say, and they win all year long by an average of 50 points, you should win it all!!! Again good luck. In a weird way I'm now rooting for not only RSM but GV as well.
. And if I'm allowed to make another prediction, I would take RSM by 6 or more over GV