Or even the foothills... Didn't someone come on here and ask a question?... same as every other year. Why does anyone bother?
Mountain teams...
- Thread starter No Dog in the Fight
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As far as 3a goes, We have all greatly underachieved the last several years, there is no arguing that. I've lived in Charlotte quite a few years and the talent level down east is far superior than in the mountains. There are times when Asheville and Reynolds have made deep deep playoff runs but it seems like that hasn't happen in quite a while. 1a is pretty good up here though. Gotta give those guys some credit
I saw 3 mountain teams play this year....the best one was Kings Mountain!
I believe the best mountain team is the one located just a couple of miles from Cramer Mountain. They wiped the field with all the other mountain teams.
Mountain teams that I've seen this year weren't as good as sub .500 conference teams in a very bad Big South conference. That's reality. All the excuses and reasons thrown forth aside....Stuart Cramer, Ashbrook, North Gaston....bad, bad football teams were better than the 4 mountain "playoff" teams I've seen this year. What in the world is going on up there?
I love to come on here and razz and kid - but I have never in my life seen HS football this weak in NC. I used to argue with anyone would talk about it that NC was vastly underrated in HS football prowess across the country. I thought there were certainly missed opportunities to make it better along the way, but loads of talent was always evident. Our biggest D1 schools in state (UNC, State and Wake) have often overlooked the mountains part of the state.
Tennessee, Clemson and Va Tech have made their teams on such western NC talent over the last 40 years. Half of Clemson's National Championship team's starters were from NC, despite the usual GA HS player leanings there. If you look at the best TN has ever produced...most Vols will tell you they couldn't have asked for better than Carl Pickens, Leonard Little, Heath Shuler, Shawn Bryson, etc at their respective positions over the years.
With all that acknowledged as a nod to the past in NC, and particularly the mountains - but current mountain football is atrocious. I know our football league is bad. I saw Ashbrook twice this year. They were horrible. Not too much talent..definitely think they have more than they actually have. Coaching about as bad as you could expect. But, Ashbrook would've beaten 3 out of the 4 mountain teams we've seen this year. I have to think Hibriten would be pretty good in warmer weather. It's no excuse for them because they live in the part of the state where they ought to be used to some chillier weather. But, they looked neither fast, good, tough or interested in playing football on Friday night. This is an undefeated team, in the fourth round. I love that our team is doing great, but I have never seen a year like this before where we had such an easy road, and it's all thanks to a "mountain" playoff schedule. We haven't seen a D-1 athlete since I was at a swimming hole in early Sept. Nothing close. NOTHING close. I know Rocky Mount has one or two supposedly. We will see. Until then - go Red Raiders!!! I hope Rocky Mount has a case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and plays like their brethren over in the mountains on the other side of the state!!
Tennessee, Clemson and Va Tech have made their teams on such western NC talent over the last 40 years. Half of Clemson's National Championship team's starters were from NC, despite the usual GA HS player leanings there. If you look at the best TN has ever produced...most Vols will tell you they couldn't have asked for better than Carl Pickens, Leonard Little, Heath Shuler, Shawn Bryson, etc at their respective positions over the years.
With all that acknowledged as a nod to the past in NC, and particularly the mountains - but current mountain football is atrocious. I know our football league is bad. I saw Ashbrook twice this year. They were horrible. Not too much talent..definitely think they have more than they actually have. Coaching about as bad as you could expect. But, Ashbrook would've beaten 3 out of the 4 mountain teams we've seen this year. I have to think Hibriten would be pretty good in warmer weather. It's no excuse for them because they live in the part of the state where they ought to be used to some chillier weather. But, they looked neither fast, good, tough or interested in playing football on Friday night. This is an undefeated team, in the fourth round. I love that our team is doing great, but I have never seen a year like this before where we had such an easy road, and it's all thanks to a "mountain" playoff schedule. We haven't seen a D-1 athlete since I was at a swimming hole in early Sept. Nothing close. NOTHING close. I know Rocky Mount has one or two supposedly. We will see. Until then - go Red Raiders!!! I hope Rocky Mount has a case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and plays like their brethren over in the mountains on the other side of the state!!
Did you see AC Reynolds? We played Weddington better then anyone in their conference or the playoffs, we were tied with Shelby late in 3rd quarter, losing 28-14 (they scored their last TD after taking a knee to run clock out but we called timeout so they passed the ball.) ACR lost to West Forsyth 21-6, all respectable scores and losses to good teams!
Yeah Reynolds....and I should've mentioned and have on other past posts- I kinda consider Asheville and ACR to be in a bubble amongst the mountain teams. Both great programs, but you definitely do have an easier road around conference schedule out there. I will say that neither has been shy about scheduling teams from the Piedmont in the past either, so props there.
We schedule teams from the piedmont because the mountain team aren't as high quality, some of them have their years but not Year in year out. We are in search of a week one game now that West Forsyth can't play us, we hope it's down state somewhere. 
i agree with you there shelby lion. i dont understand all the mountain team bashing.we played a real tough wedding team and got beat by a touchdown so were now only as good as the sub 500 teams in the big south conference? all due respect there deboer 31 you sir are full of septic tank spillover.
Why, because you guys beat them? Got a newsflash for you SL. The Golden Lions couldn't beat us now and you know it!
Put that in your snuff can and dip it.
Let me turn this conversation from blasting teams that have not advanced to congratulating every Kid that worked hard in the weight room all winter and summer, stepped on the football field in 90 degree July and August heat, busted their tail all fall to compete on Fridays to represent their school and community. In a day when our culture is attacking our game and declaring that everyone should receive a trophy, or kick a soccer ball, these kids have learned valuable life lessons. Congrats to those teams that have advanced but I will also give praise to every kid that strapped on the Helmet and competed with their teammates! 99% of these kids will never set foot on a College playing surface, They play because they "LOVE IT"! Whether you from the West, Midwest, Mideast, or East you have earned RESPECT!
Amen.. football the greatest team sport on the planet!!! PERIOD!
No sir not for that reason, simply because I said so.... And you know I am never wrong.... LOL
Hibriten is not a mountain team Champ..... They are a foothills, or DIET Mountain team.... Don't get the two confused
PS: Seadog you don't believe South Point could beat Shelby... Matter of fact you know they cant.... It was proven PRE-LEAVE for you and Coonie...
PSS: Yall dropped South Point like a bad habit weeks ago, so I know you haven't seen them play since their start, so how do yall know if they are any good? You gave up on them weeks ago! He he he he ha ha ha ha
Go get em Big Red.....
If you read my posts at all - I'm not over the moon delusional like some about this SP team or defense because I know what I'm looking at. This talk about best defense all time for SP and so forth is crazy talk...and I'm an SP guy. So, I'm not one of the loonies who glad hand and kiss butt no matter what happens on the field year in and out.
What I say about mountain teams was right on. We have seen 4 of them in the playoffs. 3 of those were considered to be amongst the best from the mountains. Two 1 loss teams and an undefeated team. To be real honest - of all 4, not one of them was worth a d#mn. That's not to demean SPs run, but moreso to react to your saying I'm full of it. There were a bunch of 1 loss and undefeated mountain teams that absolutely stunk.
Would love another shot at Shelby. SP is a different team. May still lose but not not at that score. Good luck to the Lions next week.
Well when I saw SP's bracket and saw they would be playing WH, Tuscola, and Pisgah to get to the western finals I knew it would be a cake walk. That conference they play in is horrible. Tuscola and Pisgah are average teams from the mountains despite what their record says. I know they can't control their conference schedule, but had they played stiff competition outside of conference everyone would have seen they weren't true 1 loss teams.
Fair enough...and that's kinda where I'm at with it too. I very well know ACR and AHS are the class of the mountains and play on a different level nearly every year.
the vast majority of mtn 3a and 4a teams have never gotten far enough in the playoffs to see how good the teams are. just like the shrine bowl there's a reason very few mtn players get picked. if you ever go to a shrine bowl you'll see what i mean
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yes i think theyre is a reason that few mtn players are selected for the shrine bowl.take last year for instence. rico dowdle wasnt picked.he only got to play because another player got injured and rico took his place.now according to you shrine bowl players are only picked if they are the best senior players in the state. rico is now the starting tailback at the university of south carolina as a true freshman. is every other player that was picked ahead of him now starting at a division 1 school in college? no they are not.so the main reasons that very few mtn players get picked isnt always that theyre not good enough. my opinion is the players from the east get a lot more recognition than the mountain players do just because of where they play.not necessarily their talent level.
Dowdle didn't go to the Shrine Bowl camps which 95% (at least) of all picks go to now in the last 10-13 years that they've been doing this. It's helped immensely in getting USUALLY most of the best talent on the field for NC. We still can't get past the coaches bringing their own players who don't deserve to be there....but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. What you're talking about does happen....but If you're Dowdle, Crezdon Butler, Leonard Little, Carl Pickens.....you aren't getting overlooked. They had as much (or more) talent than anyone in the east and were good enough to play. There isnt' nearly the amount of talent in the mountains as there is in the PIedmont and East. That is proven every year. I just witnessed it for a straight month in the playoffs. We've had pretty good JV years in the past where those teams could've beaten 2 out of the 4 mountain "playoff" teams we saw this year.
The Shrine Bowl Camps are a money maker. You can't tell if a kid is a football player by camps. You can tell if he is an athlete, his ACTUAL 40 time and his measurables. Film and his coaches can tell you if he is player or not. I know that the Shrine Bowl coaches can't look at film of all the players to choose from but input from coaches should weigh heavily on their decision. I really think it has turned into the good ole boy network in this process. There are a lot of deserving players left off every year just because of numbers but the process is flawed.
I agree with all that. But, you do narrow down some of the good ole boy network who used to get their kids on the team that had no business being on there because they were 1/4th the athlete or player that was found at a camp like these. Camps don't make players...but they absolutely reveal athleticism points. If you're trying to be competitive on the backend with WRs and DBs....have some camps.
You are absolutely correct. My boy was a senior at West Rowan this year and I have watched him play football since the 3rd grade. He loves it! High school football was an amazing experience for us. We were blessed to have great coaches and great teammates. I know the memories will last he and I the rest of our lives.
When we beat Freedom in the 1st round this year he said he was just happy to get one more game! When we beat Crest in the second round he said he was happy to get 1 more game! When we got defeated at Hibriten in the 3rd round it all ended. However the lessons learned and the memories made will last a lifetime.
And who could blame him? If you are a football player west of Marion/Morganton areas you would be wise to disregard any possibility of playing in that game, and exert no effort (or expense) to that end, no matter how good you are. As for those dog and pony "combine" shows, Top tier players from EVERYWHERE already have miles of digital video coaches can use to evaluate their talent available for the asking, and should already KNOW who iis good enough and who isn't to play on their team. At any rate they already mostly KNOW who is going to be on that team no matter who shows up at the combines. As we are so often reminded there is no "I" in team, but there damn sure is a "ME," And at some point for smart players, that has to be a consideration.
i personally think the shrine bowl camps are a joke. why dont they just watch the players play in games. thats how you see true heart and talent.
one other thing you said that really gripes me too deboer. you say you have had jv teams that could beat 2 out of the 4 mountain teams in the playoffs this year right? which 2 mountain teams are you talking about?tuscola? pisgah? erwin? reynolds? be serious. statements like those are really ludicrous. if you just want to talk smack do it.but at leaST MAKE IT SOMEWHAT BELIEVEABLE
Since North Carolina has lost six in last ten years maybe they need to take some of these mountain boys.
In 1962 Boyd Allen Canton coach was head coach of N.C Shrine Bowl.That year he took two players from Brevard,2 from Canton,2 from Glen Alpine,1 from Enka. Probably the most ever from the mountains The S.C squad had won the last three games,final score was 14-7 N.C.
In 1962 Boyd Allen Canton coach was head coach of N.C Shrine Bowl.That year he took two players from Brevard,2 from Canton,2 from Glen Alpine,1 from Enka. Probably the most ever from the mountains The S.C squad had won the last three games,final score was 14-7 N.C.
73,,,I wasn't kidding. 2011 JV team for instance. It was loaded because all the typical freshmen and sophomore call ups that happen every year in Belmont couldn't because the jr/sr roster was so stacked with talent. A couple underclassmen played up, but 90% played JV for their first two years. That team would have beaten the first 3 teams we saw in the playoffs this year. Tuscola had a 15 year old QB. Tackling Pisgah's FB wouldn't have been a problem for that crowd. I wasn't exaggerating. I wasn't talking smack so much as trying to get a dialogue on how and why mountain football is this bad. It is down around the piedmont I think, until I saw those teams in the playoffs. You obviously don't think so. But, if you're a "playoff" team and get put on a running clock....then you aren't a playoff team and are subject to beatings from people you don't want to admit might be able to do it.
You ever notice when you talk about decent mountain football teams, Pisgah fans bring up the 70's. Truth is the 82' and '09 Tuscola teams where the only ones since then that could even sniff a State Title with equal athletes. Demographics (looked that up if you live in Canton) have changed and neither Pisgah or Tuscola have the athletes anymore to compete with down the mountain schools. The Reynolds fans are on here telling it like it is. I remember when Tuscola use to hammer Reynolds. But lets talk about Boyd Allen and a statewide athletic base that was primarily post integration kids without a large contingent of African American kids playing for various social reasons of the time. Just remember what happen to your overrated butts in Belmont could happen to South Point with a few other teams in the State. So spew the 'Mill Tough' crap somewhere else. On the hill, Asheville and Reynolds will be the only ones who have the athletes consistently to make it happen. I do realize Murphy goes every year, but they play no one with a heartbeat year after year. Support your team and community and be a fan, wonderful, but don't come on here acting like your program is close to being relevant in the big picture.
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