harlan vs atlantic

[ronsss]

its hard to believe but harlan now has lost 3 games in a row, unheard territory that they have not entered in many years....also, last friday nights thumbing by dallas center grimes (34-0) has to be a new low for the cyclone team, and bladt probably has a tough time keeping the spirits up....this week they play atlantic, and i am not sure harlan can beat this team ...what are your thoughts on this game ...???

This post was edited on 9/20 3:36 AM by ronsss

 

[fmclonefan]

I'm stunned that DCG beat Harlan 34-0. DCG is a solid team, but nothing spectacular. Has Harlan ever missed the playoffs before? I don't know much about Atlantic, but I think many teams will be circling Harlan on the schedule and thinking, "payback time!"

 

[oonfoofoo]

It's getting ugly. It will be a close game but Atlantic wins. You could see it in Harlan against DCG.....first DCG score the entire defense walked off the field with heads down. I think I saw it said somewhere that this year things were going to catch up with Harlan. No lifting program, no training program. Looks like everyone is panicking. Rumors of kids quitting....crowd complaining....kids not getting it.....chaos this year.


Makes no sense what they are doing...All year numerous times on 3rd and 5 or 6 they go for the big play. Watched last week against DCG on a series they have 2nd and 8 or 9....CB and FS playing at the sticks and they are back peddling on the snap....Ball gets thrown 30 yards downfield. Receivers don't break off routes....ah screw it....not sure their passing tree includes hooks, curls, slants, very few backs out of the back field...nothing quick.......pretty much post and fly.....I think they are at about 30% completion rate.

nuf said. It's going to be a long rest of the year.

 

[ronsss]

i sort of not sure why bladt would let all the tangibles go down the drain that made him a lot of success....another factor that struck me oddly, is why only 8 seniors on the team.....even with the young team, i dought even next year they will a threat., just not a lot of talent on this team.. sort of wonder how these kids did in jr high and freshman years.....

This post was edited on 9/23 9:32 AM by ronsss

 

[PNation]

How does a program like Harlan not have a lifting program?

 

[oonfoofoo]

Next year they will be better....if the rumors of the kids quitting aren't true. How much better? It can't be worse. The top kid there is the soph TB and it sounds like he is done after this year to focus on baseball. I know his family is not happy about the training / lifting programs. He is the strongest kid in the school and he trains with his father and a former D1 / Pro guy and stays away from the school stuff.

As for 8 seniors...only 4 or so start and one of those was a transfer from Denison. The senior class is well....odd. No leaders


As for success as younger kids...that's a lot of the problem believe it or not. They were very good at the lower levels and I think the 3 classes between them have only lost a few games.....when you listen to people talk it's "we should do this" and "we should do that". Success at Jr. High and Frosh does not equate to success at varsity level

Here's how you can attest to the level of dedication.....rumor has it that team had to skip 7 on 7 tourney in Carroll because offensive coordinator was on vacation.

 

[iowahawkfan123]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2014/09/24/harlan-doomsday-bump-road/16164453/?sf31551160=1

 

[ghost80]

Bump...

Bladt tried to pass this off as nothing more that a case of a class that had few males and that they had a very tough start to their schedule. He also somewhat ripped his conference saying that all would be well now that they are in conference play and that their remaining teams only had a combined .500 record (sorry Bladt but if you combined all the high school in the state they too would average .500).

Two weeks later.....

Harlan has picked up a second win but by only 3 points over a soft Atlantic squad and suffered another shutout at the hands of Winterset 23-0.

Harlan will likely only win 1 of their remaining 3 games and end the season 3-6. I don't believe for a second the problem is just a senior class that is void of males. An absence of males in the class is something he would have noticed years ago and began preparing for.

 

[WyattEarp1]

Originally posted by ghost80:
Bump...

Bladt tried to pass this off as nothing more that a case of a class that had few males and that they had a very tough start to their schedule. He also somewhat ripped his conference saying that all would be well now that they are in conference play and that their remaining teams only had a combined .500 record (sorry Bladt but if you combined all the high school in the state they too would average .500).

Two weeks later.....

Harlan has picked up a second win but by only 3 points over a soft Atlantic squad and suffered another shutout at the hands of Winterset 23-0.

Harlan will likely only win 1 of their remaining 3 games and end the season 3-6. I don't believe for a second the problem is just a senior class that is void of males. An absence of males in the class is something he would have noticed years ago and began preparing for.

How do you prepare in advance for a small group of males in a class? Begin converting some girls into boys?

 

[ghost80]

The biggest thing might be to see what can be done to retain that "small group" of males. There were 16 in that class listed as SO 2 years ago...9 listed as JR last year...only 8 listed as SR this year.

Having 50% of the participants in a class drop the sport in a 2 years span is not a sign of a healthy program. If anything, having a small class might make the kids feel they have a better chance of playing due to less competition and retaining more of the kids instead of fewer. Bladt can gripe about lack of senior leadership but at the end of the day something caused half of the kids in this class to quit in a 2 year span.

Obviously there are other things that can be done both for this class and the class behind it to get them more playtime (prior to this year) and be better prepared (and motivated) to continue to be part of the program if a low number of males really was the problem.

My hunch is the low number of males is an excuse by Bladt.

 

[Leemark]

Very simple, some good kids, but the talent is not at the level Harlan has been accustomed to. In addition to being small in size the Sr class is one of those classes short on talent. Kids see the sport isn't good for them and they move on to something else. Unfortunately for Harlan the Jr class is short on talent also. The 8th and 9th grade teams are showing promise and the Cyclones might be good in a year or two again. Harlan will see success in football again, however, the days of powerhouse football in Harlan may be done. Time will tell.

 

[iowahawkfan123]

This post was edited on 10/5 11:03 PM by iowahawkfan123

 

[iowahawkfan123]

How big is Harlan compared to other 3A schools? Are they closer to 2A?

 

[fmclonefan]

Harlan is middle of the road 3A school. Not close to being a 2A school. Latest BED enrollment (9,10,11 grade) figures have Harlan at 382. The smallest 3A school is Solon at 315. About 22 schools between the two. Bigger 3A schools in the 500-600 range. Newton is actually the biggest at 639.

 

[iowahawkfan123]

That's surprising.. for awhile now, people have been using the excuse that "Harlan is a smaller 3A school". The fact of the matter is, this team is not a typical Harlan team. No size, no strength, no experience. It is a junior dominated team, most of which haven't played until this year. Hopefully they get things turned around.

 

[oonfoofoo]

Originally posted by iowahawkfan123:
No size, no strength, no experience.

That pretty much sums that up right there. Unless something changes it will be that way for awhile.

 

[iowahawkfan123]

The freshman offensive line averages 250 lbs... so the future is bright size-wise, but is the talent there?

 

[oonfoofoo]

Very big but not athletic.