Mid-State League 2020-2021

bballfan48

Active member
Who wins each division this coming season?

Any teams that you surprising the divisions? My pick is for Millersport. They will give everyone but HP a run this season with the twins back.
 
 
Who wins each division this coming season?

Any teams that you surprising the divisions? My pick is for Millersport. They will give everyone but HP a run this season with the twins back.
I would love to see Millersport break it big in the Cardinal this coming season. I think their coach needs to get his head around frustrating situations better, though. Not an anger management issue, just needs to learn how to “forget it, drive on.”
 
Enrollment numbers for 20-21

HP 79 +63= 142 boys enrollment+competitive balance adjustment
_________
BU 95 +18 = 113
FCA 62 +49 = 111
GCC 87 +7 = 94
FC 57 +35 = 92
Miller 81 +1 = 82
MP 59 +1 = 60
BR 45 +13 = 58
 
Millersport has everyone coming back right? Or was that two years ago? I knew they had a season with no seniors but couldn’t recall if it were last year. Winning a tournament game last year would have been a nice momentum builder, but maybe the loss to Granville Christian will serve as motivation.

Fairfield Christian had a really solid JV team with plenty of potential. Not a ton of varsity experience, but I’d think they should be improved after a rebuilding year.

Is GCC going to bounce back? Or was their incredible run a few years ago just catching lightning in a bottle?

FC graduates a lot of seniors I think. Berne also but they do have Unger back. No clue about Rosecrans but I think they also lost some key seniors. Would think HP isn’t quite as elite without Anthony, but they still have an ability for getting talented players.

I couldn’t really toss a projection out there, but I don’t see why Millersport couldn’t finish in the top half.I’d think that an experienced team could be extra valuable this year because teams aren’t having the ability to grow together in the summer like usual. Probably see a lot of early season jitters from young teams.
 
Millersport brings everyone back. I agree with the comment about their coach.

Fairfield will play hard but I think they will struggle. I don't think they will have much scoring.

GCC is going to be young but talented. The Sophomore class is very good and they should be getting the PG back that was out last season. Still the worst gym to play in though!

FC should be good. JV was pretty strong.

Rosecrans will be young and will shoot it. They bring back one of those kids but they had an 8th grader last year that would light it up. They are probably two years away from being very good.

HP will be HP

Does anyone have any insight on the other divisions in the Mid-State?

On another note, D4 coaches should be thrilled with the news of Wellington going back to D3. That really opens up the district next season with Grandview losing a lot as well.
 
Cardinal specific:
It's hard to really prognosticate on additions/subtractions/returnees for this year, since some of the schools probably didn't know who all was coming back or enrolling for this coming school year until as late as this week.

re: Millersport - they have a big senior class in basketball this coming season. I would agree with the idea that they're motivated, and with basketball basically being the only sport at Millersport that'll have been played in 1.5 years (with spring sports canned and their soccer team still in its infancy), they'll have some channeled energy from the community. Good to see.

re: GCC - yeah, this is where GCC is probably due for another strong season. This year, or next year. Most likely not to the heights that the team circa 2016 soared to, but still contending for second or third. I actually disagree their gym being the worst to play in, though, as it's better than HP, FCA and arguably Miller & Millersport. The folks are great, just not that big 'a fan on the seating!

re: FCA/FC/BU - I'm not quite certain where FCA will stand in the mix. The problem with FCA is there is a massive dead zone of talent, experience, numbers and physical ability between the class of graduating seniors from last season and their "rising sophomores". I'm also hearing a bunch of different things from people of various connections to the program, one of which is that Coach Hooper may retire after this season. Another is that they may have lost a couple of kids from the freshman and sophomore classes. FC graduates another big class, for like the third year in a row, but it hasn't proved to be too big an obstacle the following season. They return four seniors who had various playing time experiences on varsity. BU is probably the unknown with who all they graduate.

re: Rosecrans and Miller. I would expect Rosecrans to hover in the 4-6 range, with FCA probably in the slot around 6 and 7. I think Miller is likely to go 0-14 in their first season in the Cardinal. They graduated their three primary scorers, one of whom was probably their best or second-best player in program history. Their coach does a good job truthfully, it's just one of those "yeahhhhhhhh, what's understood doesn't need to be explained" for those who've seen them last year.
 
Buckeye
I didn't follow the Buckeye as much as would I have in previous years with some friends' kids having since graduated. Circleville returns Riley Gibson, who's probably the best returning guard in the league. FU graduates their experienced backcourt. Bloom returns a bunch of kids, but graduates Otto. I expect Amanda to be in the pits, as they graduate their best players. Maybe LU can pull an upset here or there?

Thing about the Buckeye, NOT UNLIKE THE CARDINAL (IMO), is there are some really good coaches. Cody Carpenter is in his second year at Circleville (nice one, Amanda-CC), Joe Goodyear at BC and Alex Eversole at FU.


Ohio
I haven't followed the Ohio very well, but this is probably WC v Buckeye Valley for the top crown. DJ Moore is the truth, and he's only a junior!
 
Ohio Division is going to be Worthington Christian's to lose. Buckeye Valley will be good but struggled on the road in the Ohio Division. Whitehall and Wellington will be in the mix. Bexley and Grandview Hts will be rebuilding. Grandview Hts has the pieces in a strong sophomore class (Freshmen team went 15-1) but will have to go thru a year of growing to get back in the mix. Worthington Christian should be a favorite to make the State Tourney in Division III.
 
A thought: if COVID-19 concerns affected the viability of a complete basketball season or gym capacity, are there schools who are affected harder than others in the $$$ department?
 
I would say most of the private schools will be affected. It will really destroy them if football doesn't get a full season.

Looking at crowd size, Fisher and Rosecrans always have decent crowds. I am thinking WC would take a hit but should not hurt as much.
 
I would say most of the private schools will be affected. It will really destroy them if football doesn't get a full season.

Looking at crowd size, Fisher and Rosecrans always have decent crowds. I am thinking WC would take a hit but should not hurt as much.
I’m pretty sure we could make out better $$$ wise if there wasn’t football this year. Football is expensive, Lancaster costs $$$ to use - we only have four home games and one of them is FCA. MSL-Cardinal crowds for football are really hard to make money out of.
 
The Cardinal should be very interesting this year. A lot of youth between the teams it sounds like.

I heard that GCC only has 1 senior and 0 juniors in the program. That sophomore class is very good though. How quick can they transition to the varsity level? They find out right away by opening the season with HP.

Does anyone have any size to match-up with the big at Berne?
 
Based on what a buddy of mine who went to GCC said, the Eagles have 0 seniors and 0 juniors. Apparently their freshmen and sophomores scared off the upperclassmen because they would have stolen their playing time. No idea if that's true, but that's what he mentioned.

According to 270 Hoops (eye rolls I know), GCC had a stud freshman enroll this year, Ransom, who came from New Hope. I believe there was a good soccer player for Tree of Life a few years ago named Ransom, but not sure if they are related. Anyway, it looks like they could be shaping up for another Regional run in a couple years if these strong underclassmen classes are all stacked together. Seems like most schools have a strong class here or there, but GCC has a few down years, then all of the talent comes up (or moves in) during the same couple of classes.

I agree that there does seem to be alot of youth in the Cardinal. Central Distrcit D4 in general seems to have a young group. I remember seeing a ton of seniors and not many juniors on last year's tournament program, so it looks like most schools picked the right year to develop in case the season gets cut short. Millersport seems like one team that could have a high point since I don't think they had any juniors last year. Would be a shame if they didn't get to see those years of development pay off.

EDIT: Maybe I should have read the other comments above before posting since half of what I said was redundant. It's not plagiarizing if I'm copying myself, right?
 
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We may be on a collision course for district semifinals of FC/GH/BU/NC in some order. Obviously way too early to make such a call, but BU will be really good and Coach Brown has been a miracle worker at FC.
 
I just saw a tweet from Frank at the ThisWeek News. GCC has six sophomores and three freshman on the varsity roster. Looks like things might line up for them like they did Bailey's senior year.

I feel bad for Millersport because this might be their best team in a long time. Hopefully we can get some sort of season in so they can compete. I see them competing for that third spot in the league.

Who does Berne have outside of the big kid? I thought they graduated the good guards?
 
Looks like the Cardinal is tipping off tonight. A few interesting match-ups right away.

Does anyone have links to live streams?

Millersport/Fisher Catholic - A good test right away for Millersport. I think this should be a close game. Would not be surprised if the Port can pull it out.
HP/GCC - Who replaces CJ for HP? How does a young Eagles team handle pressure? HP big
Berne/FCA - I don't think FCA will have anyone who can match Unger. Berne by a lot
Rosecrans/Miller - Both lose a lot to graduation. I saw Miller play a few JV games last year, will probably be a tough year. Rosecrans rolls
 
Looks like the Cardinal is tipping off tonight. A few interesting match-ups right away.

Does anyone have links to live streams?

Millersport/Fisher Catholic - A good test right away for Millersport. I think this should be a close game. Would not be surprised if the Port can pull it out.
HP/GCC - Who replaces CJ for HP? How does a young Eagles team handle pressure? HP big
Berne/FCA - I don't think FCA will have anyone who can match Unger. Berne by a lot
Rosecrans/Miller - Both lose a lot to graduation. I saw Miller play a few JV games last year, will probably be a tough year. Rosecrans rolls
I’ll have more on the analysis and live-stream ends, but Berne has postponed all 3 of their boys games scheduled for this week.

FC/MP ppd due to weather.
 
I saw the FC/NC game. Looked like NC had control most of the game. FC did not shoot the ball well.

Did the other two games get played?
 
I saw the FC/NC game. Looked like NC had control most of the game. FC did not shoot the ball well.

Did the other two games get played?
I didn't get a chance to see the game, but this doesn't surprise me. NC is probably a team that could play for district finals considering who all they return from last year (they only graduated Carlisle and I think someone else?). Decent height and an ability to shoot the lights out. FC is probably not going to get their wheels turning until the 3/4 mark of the season -- and even then a 3rd straight district finals appearance may be out of reach. I sort of feared that they may not have hardly any shooters beyond Bronder. It may take a few games to figure out how their starting five + first two off the bench gel and see what works/what doesn't work. NC is probably going to be the sterner of the two opening night opponents FC would've had /shrug
 
So, I would not normally shriek at a box score and open a can of worms on it. But, I think this warrants some discussion.

Harvest Prep hosted MSL newcomer Miller last Tuesday. It was obviously a foregone conclusion that Miller was going to lose. But 117-23?!?

My question is... why does the MSL keep letting this happen? And by “this”, I’m not referring to the blowout margin. Rather, I’m frustrated with these constantly uncompetitive games that both HP and their opponents keep getting fitted into. Not at all criticizing Coach Dennis or HP on the score. Just am not seeing how these games are remotely beneficial for the Cardinal as well as for HP. When will the MSL slot HP over into the Ohio for basketball? When will this madness end?!

Thoughts? @Snowman8 @bsee54321@bballfan48
 
So, I would not normally shriek at a box score and open a can of worms on it. But, I think this warrants some discussion.

Harvest Prep hosted MSL newcomer Miller last Tuesday. It was obviously a foregone conclusion that Miller was going to lose. But 117-23?!?

My question is... why does the MSL keep letting this happen? And by “this”, I’m not referring to the blowout margin. Rather, I’m frustrated with these constantly uncompetitive games that both HP and their opponents keep getting fitted into. Not at all criticizing Coach Dennis or HP on the score. Just am not seeing how these games are remotely beneficial for the Cardinal as well as for HP. When will the MSL slot HP over into the Ohio for basketball? When will this madness end?!

Thoughts? @Snowman8 @bsee54321@bballfan48

Miller joining the MSL is the dumbest decision I’ve ever seen.
 
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I totally agree with HP being in the Ohio but from what I heard they refuse to move to the Ohio because they want to be in better position for the playoffs in basketball. In football it’s more beneficial but in basketball it’s not.
 
I totally agree with HP being in the Ohio but from what I heard they refuse to move to the Ohio because they want to be in better position for the playoffs in basketball. In football it’s more beneficial but in basketball it’s not.
This is what I hear also. If Harvest would have to play Worthington Christian, Whitehall, Columbus Academy, Buckeye Valley, Bexley and Grandview Hts twice they would be better basketball team for it. With WC, CA and GH regularly in Division III with Harvest it would allow a great scouting report to be developed by playing Harvest Prep. Harvest would rather pound on teams and have to focus on 6-8 games in the regular season and be 19-3 every year heading to tourney. From a competitive side the Mid State League Commissioner and members need to do something about it- Grandvew Hts has been trying to get back in the Cardinal for a few years with no avail. Grandview Hts has success in basketball but would not be beating teams 112 to 23.
 
Completely agree with bsee and the others. But I also wonder what the process for kicking a team out of the league could be? Booting a school for just being really good is a tough sell, but other than the one transcendent year from GCC, the current members of the Cardinal are only playing for second place against a team whose competitive balance number almost bumped them up two divisions at one point. When teams set goals at the start of the season, what is the goal of another team in that conference? Finish in top 2 of the conference?

You wouldn’t move Worthington Christian into the Cardinal if they wanted and HP is essentially the same school, at least for boys basketball. I don’t know enough about the other sports though. Sure does seem like HP needs to have some self-recognition, but like others have said it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.

I’m sure Miller is really looking forward to that second meeting this year...
 
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Completely agree with bsee and the others. But I also wonder what the process for kicking a team out of the league could be? Booting a school for just being really good is a tough sell, but other than the one transcendent year from GCC, the current members of the Cardinal are only playing for second place against a team whose competitive balance number almost bumped them up two divisions at one point. When teams set goals at the start of the season, what is the goal of another team in that conference? Finish in top 2 of the conference?

You wouldn’t move Worthington Christian into the Cardinal if they wanted and HP is essentially the same school, at least for boys basketball. I don’t know enough about the other sports though. Sure does seem like HP needs to have some self-recognition, but like others have said it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.

I’m sure Miller is really looking forward to that second meeting this year...
The Mid State League has been willing to move teams based on sport- because Worthington Christian is playing in the Cardinal in football and Liberty Union played 3 years in the Ohio for football and Harvest currently plays football in the Ohio Division. So Harvest Prep cannot say keep us in the Cardinal because of the sports not being competitive in the Ohio. At this point Harvest Prep is a better fit for the Columbus City League because the football and boys basketball are king at Harvest and would be very competitive in the those 2 sports. The Columbus City League outside of Africentric girls basketball is not steller competition in other sports; volleyball, tennis, golf, wrestling, baseball or any that I may have missed. Track the City League has had some good individual athletes have success but not much as a team.
Any way this has been discussed a few times with nothing being changed. I do not see any rivalry being developed by Harvest by beating the teams the way they do in their Division. I do not think kicking Harvest out of the league is the answer even thro I think they are a better fit in the Columbus City League. Like Snowman said Harvest needs do some ' self-recognition' and realize they need to move up in boys basketball.
 
From my knowledge, Harvest complains when they get talked about moving up. I think they need to be in the Ohio as well. The box score was almost as bad with Fisher Catholic. I don't understand not wanting to be challenged each game. They know that 14 games a year, they don't have any issues.

On another note, I thought the MPort-Rosecrans game would have been a little closer last night.

Looks like a battle for 2nd-4th in the league.
 
From my knowledge, Harvest complains when they get talked about moving up. I think they need to be in the Ohio as well. The box score was almost as bad with Fisher Catholic. I don't understand not wanting to be challenged each game. They know that 14 games a year, they don't have any issues.
The Mid State League has been willing to move teams based on sport- because Worthington Christian is playing in the Cardinal in football and Liberty Union played 3 years in the Ohio for football and Harvest currently plays football in the Ohio Division. So Harvest Prep cannot say keep us in the Cardinal because of the sports not being competitive in the Ohio.
Completely agree with bsee and the others. But I also wonder what the process for kicking a team out of the league could be? Booting a school for just being really good is a tough sell, but other than the one transcendent year from GCC, the current members of the Cardinal are only playing for second place against a team whose competitive balance number almost bumped them up two divisions at one point. When teams set goals at the start of the season, what is the goal of another team in that conference? Finish in top 2 of the conference?

You wouldn’t move Worthington Christian into the Cardinal if they wanted and HP is essentially the same school, at least for boys basketball. I don’t know enough about the other sports though. Sure does seem like HP needs to have some self-recognition, but like others have said it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.
I totally agree with HP being in the Ohio but from what I heard they refuse to move to the Ohio because they want to be in better position for the playoffs in basketball. In football it’s more beneficial but in basketball it’s not.
I don't fully understand why or how HP complaining about a move to the Ohio for hoops holds it up from actually happening. Harvest Prep football competes in the Ohio specifically because five of the other seven schools whose football competes in the Cardinal "voted" them out for competitiveness concerns. And with HP's other athletics (see: spring sports) traditionally being a drain, I'm not sure what it is about the school that makes the League (central office/membership) care so much about what Harvest Prep wants.


I do not see any rivalry being developed by Harvest by beating the teams the way they do in their Division.
As someone that's followed a school in HP's division of the MSL, going back to when HP was in the previous Cardinal with LH + GH + LU + WJ, there's basically been no potential for a rivalry or even an interscholastic competition series that promotes good attitudes and respect. The lopsided scores really aren't the issue, either, at least not to me. From my experience, there's always been a venom in the air coming from the fans and parents in Lancaster, Millersport and Sugar Grove against the school's athletic department that has lingered for a decade. I can think back to an earlier time where I personally felt and had particularly negative viewpoints to the school. It's not excusable to feel that way toward kids-- but I also think the same view is deeply baked into the Cardinal toward HP and it's basically proven to be unfixable. Athletic directors and coaches don't feel this way toward HP, but a lot of fans and parents do. For folks that have been around the Cardinal for a long time, HP's saga of the late 00's/2010-2011 with the infamous OHSAA issues typified (significant) ethical issues that hurt the spirit of competition. It fomented great feelings of resentment in the sense purest toward being a part of a league. That lingering cloud hung over its hoops program the following two seasons when it probably should not have. And unfortunately for HP and its kids, an already planted seed of bad optics from the past ended up coming back around when HP saw (legal and ethical) transfers into its hoops program not a second slower after the conclusion of the '12-13 season when the postseason ban ended. I'm not referring to Dennis's kids, either. And even when there's not a fire... people still imagine smoke to signify that there is a fire. Such is 2013-current HP basketball and how many see it.

I'm not someone that believes HP necessarily recruits or does anything unethical -- I'm more inclined to think, even with the CB adjustments what they are, it's a product of being a school within a densely-populated section of Ohio's largest city where opportunity and environment (small, private school) are markedly superior offerings compared to what Columbus City, Groveport and Canal offer... with the added benefit of playing for a great, charismatic coach who incorporates life lessons and principles into his philosophy on & off the court (same principles he add when being the girls coach at LU way back when.) And I think that's fine... in fact, I think it's great! Good on HP in that regard! What's to say any of the other four private schools in the Cardinal wouldn't utilize the same modus if they were located at Brice & Shannon, after all? As a fan, I've had the pleasure to talk to various folks of various capacities associated with HP football and basketball. They're good folks! They are! They're not the same folks that were around the infamy era. They want to see well for their student-athletes on & off the court. BUT, unfortunately a lot of people in the stands still have negative feelings toward the school and don't feel the same way. They think HP recruits just like the school did a decade ago. [No -- it's a product of location and opportunity within the free market of secondary education.] They think HP intentionally tries to humiliate their opponents. [No -- it's a highly competitive program that wants to play for state titles... even if they're still playing the Cardinal after its demonstrably proven that there's no bridge between them and the next-best team.]

The kids at all of the schools within the Cardinal, including HP, deserve better. Kids at HP deserve better competition against schools with comparably similar-strength programs with fanbases that don't _strongly dislike_ them and their school for things they have nothing to do with; kids at the other seven Cardinal schools deserve not to have to play for second every year against a school they really don't feel an authentic sense of competition against (because basketball is the only common denominator boys sport HP and the other seven really play each other against... as football is in the Ohio and the school nominally "fields" a baseball team, and that basketball team doesn't even play in the same postseason tournament anymore!) Unfortunately, you can't wave a magic wand and make that 'better' happen by suddenly changing the opinions and hearts of a couple thousand fans across the Cardinal membership and by increasing the other seven schools' enrollment to a level that makes it more competitively balanced with what HP works with in order to create better competition and parity. You can, however, make the better happen by slotting them over into the Ohio.
 
The Dock - I appreciate the thoughtfulness in the response. I do feel bad for the Hp kids because they get the negative thoughts right off the bat. But I also see they way some things happen with their basketball program and can see why people have those thoughts.
I have been around the Cardinal for about 10 years and have had a son and nephew both play in the league at different times. One of my favorite things about the Cardinal has been the coaches and most of them have taken the time to talk to players from the other team after great games. Coach Dennis and his staff don't even come out to the court until two minutes before a game. They don't talk to the other coaches during JV games or anything along those lines. I know that rubs a few coaches the wrong way.

I feel that they don't "recruit" because OHSAA has made the rules a little less restrictive. Coach Dennis runs his own AAU program and if you look back at the teams. you usually see a few of the kids end up at HP. My nephew was handed a business card with contact information and on the back, a note that said "Lets chat about your potential". This was turned into OHSAA who did an investigation and HP got a slap on the wrist. I think they do a lot of the same things private schools do now. Most people I talk with talk about how it is a roster overhaul each year and that rubs people the wrong way.

I have heard some rumors about HP wanting to go the full prep school route and get out of OHSAA. I am not sure how true it is but I have talked with several different people who have mentioned it.

I feel awful for their baseball teams. That is where my schools try to get revenge and it is not fair to those kids because they usually do not play football or basketball. My son played them about six years ago and they only had one or two guys that could get it over the plate. The game was called after two innings and HP only had six kids come to the plate.

I don't understand why HP would not want to move up to the Ohio. Most of the schools are D3, helps prepare you for the tournament. Also, better competition and better games each night.
 
The Dock - I appreciate the thoughtfulness in the response. I do feel bad for the Hp kids because they get the negative thoughts right off the bat. But I also see they way some things happen with their basketball program and can see why people have those thoughts.
I have been around the Cardinal for about 10 years and have had a son and nephew both play in the league at different times. One of my favorite things about the Cardinal has been the coaches and most of them have taken the time to talk to players from the other team after great games. Coach Dennis and his staff don't even come out to the court until two minutes before a game. They don't talk to the other coaches during JV games or anything along those lines. I know that rubs a few coaches the wrong way.
The coaches in the league are great, in general, with or without Dennis. Timlin, Hooper and Rock are awesome -- Brown and the succession of Berne Union coaches (Blevins -> Little -> McKnight) all do great jobs and are good guys. Millersport's coach (can't think of name off top my head) interacts with the kids well, and Sean Bartley at Miller... man! Some people forget that he's also the head varsity football coach. And he drives the bus! LOL. Good guy, does what he can. (I recognize what you're saying on Dennis in that regard. Don't really disagree with you, on that.)

I think one thing also that is hard to come around on regarding HP vis-a-vis the competitive balance in the Cardinal is how "playing for second" sucks. Since the Cardinal reformed in 2013 and before Miller joined this fall, 5/6 of the non-HP schools in the Cardinal finished second. GCC of course has the fabled '15-17 saga of Bailey, Baker & Co. The only one that didn't finish second in the last seven years was Millersport, but they can have the fact they finished above BU/HP/FC in 2011-12.^ It can be really frustrating and hard for schools like Berne, FCA and in particular Rosecrans to have had some really good individual teams with nothing to really show for it in the end because the path to the league crown is headed off by a larger-classification program that is demonstrably and structurally superior.

The two seasons of probationary HP, '11-12 and '12-13, the Warriors were 4-8 against BU/FC/MP (0-6 in '11-12; 4-2 in '12-13.) I remember those games pretty well... some really good memories. Admired those HP kids that stayed and played on those teams -- as I came to understand and learn, those were kids that had the school baked into their blood and family traditions... and to stay and play there when there was no postseason opportunity and the heat of some angered opposing competition? Incredible. And they had some really good players in that corps then, too!

^ - Wanted to make a quick trip down memory lane, Laker style! Alton Frizzell, man. I remember being a big fan of Russell Westbrook when he was getting started in the Association, and thinking a little then but also certainly in retrospect, "MAN! That Frizzell kid gets after it and is good." And that '11-12 Laker team? Not only did you have Frizzell, but two very serviceable big guys and the unmatchable Kirk Grandy on the sidelines. Literally, unmatchable! It was either that year, or Frizzell's senior campaign in '12-13 that the Lakers trugged down Rt. 37 for a Friday night contest. Fisher was up 33-23 at the half, and in the 3Q Frizzell got T'd thanks to him jawing back to J Delisio's infamous on-court smack talk! Place was roaring... Frizzell next possession gets the hoop-and-harm and, as he goes to the line, he turns around and does the "shhh" finger motion to his lips @ the FC student section with a wink. And by God, he led the Lakers back from down 12 and won it!

I didn't think I'd see the 'Port ever getting that back in the future. Then came what I was seeing in the Biddy Leagues. 99% sure it was the Purvis boys then... phenomenal what they were doing as 4th and 5th graders! Thanks for indulging me on that quick recess to the previous Cardinal era. Those last two years: it wasn't the Ohio Capital Conference by any means, but it was a fun and crazy league. "Funner" than hell, and to the players I'm sure there were multiple games that felt like pure hell those two years across multiple gyms!

I feel that they don't "recruit" because OHSAA has made the rules a little less restrictive.Coach Dennis runs his own AAU program and if you look back at the teams. you usually see a few of the kids end up at HP. My nephew was handed a business card with contact information and on the back, a note that said "Lets chat about your potential". This was turned into OHSAA who did an investigation and HP got a slap on the wrist. I think they do a lot of the same things private schools do now. Most people I talk with talk about how it is a roster overhaul each year and that rubs people the wrong way.
Of course! Recruiting is, to an extent, legal and permissible by OHSAA. In the context of what we're discussing, (illegal) recruiting on the basis of sports, as a fan the way I see it is a three-fold problem with proof, enforcement and endgame: 1) sports-motivated recruiting and ensuing transfers from said recruitment can be really hard to prove the "cause and effect" [and its the cause that is difficult to prove]; 2) OHSAA penalties probably aren't stiff enough on recruiting infractions, but also the fact that they only apply to OHSAA postseason play & fines; 3) in a more perfect and sensible world, the mechanisms and oversights that investigate & punish recruiting isn't spent on one individual player where the transfer impact is greatly insignificant to competitive balance small-picture and big-picture alike... and instead those resources and energies would be better spent chasing bigger fish. To use the great Jerry Tarkanian quote: "the NCAA was so mad at Kentucky that they gave Cleveland State two more years of probation."

I have heard some rumors about HP wanting to go the full prep school route and get out of OHSAA. I am not sure how true it is but I have talked with several different people who have mentioned it.
My guess is such a move, were it to happen, would incorporate the usage of the facilities & faculty of the connected, on-campus Valor Christian College in order to accommodate post-grads in the vein similar to what Oak Hilll or basketball-centric prep schools in New England do. Prep school route in the sense that it would take "5th year/'grade 13'" kids on instead of entirely supplanting the model they have for 9-12 (upper school) education. Would make a lot of sense if they were to do it.

I feel awful for their baseball teams. That is where my schools try to get revenge and it is not fair to those kids because they usually do not play football or basketball. My son played them about six years ago and they only had one or two guys that could get it over the plate. The game was called after two innings and HP only had six kids come to the plate.
The HP baseball and softball situations have always been a lose-lose for HP & the Cardinal. Conventional wisdom would suggest the school fields the programs in order to satisfy the minimum seasonal-sports requirement that OHSAA has. Or perhaps instead the school might have genuine interest in having programs for the sake of the students' opportunity to compete, but its always been really uninspired from a fans' perspective (home diamond full of rocks, frequent instances of not finishing out the season.) Probably a factor of there just not being a lot of kids that like baseball enough to play it instead of AAU or club soccer, too. Definitely something a "Harvest Prep baseball rule" could come in handy for the MSL handbook if all eight schools in the Cardinal would agree to it: no obligation to make up the games in case of rain-out.
 
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