2023 MN High School Football season

[Some guy]

Data? 92% of all teams supported District football one year ago. More non-metro teams couldn’t fill schedules than the metro. Read the Board Summaries and minutes. What you’re stating was not said. Paraphrasing or not.

This is both true and false
92% of athletics directors/whoever decides voted for it. For any number of reasons.

This is not 92% of teams supporting it
This is not 92% of coaches supporting it.


Often times this is 92% of bureaucrats supporting it because it relieves them of pressure. Passes a responsibility to someone else. And that’s fine. We have district football for a reason

 

[State of Football]

This is both true and false
92% of athletics directors/whoever decides voted for it. For any number of reasons.

This is not 92% of teams supporting it
This is not 92% of coaches supporting it.


Often times this is 92% of bureaucrats supporting it because it relieves them of pressure. Passes a responsibility to someone else. And that’s fine. We have district football for a reason

Correct. AD’s or coaches could’ve submitted their information. 1 submission per team.

 

[Some guy]

Correct. AD’s or coaches could’ve submitted their information. 1 submission per team.

1 submission per MSHSL football school. The team and coach often have no say in the vote

 

[MplsGopher]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Superintendents of multi-high school districts don’t meddle with their schools’ votes, as well.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Superintendents of multi-high school districts don’t meddle with their schools’ votes, as well.

Correct. Blaine, Anoka, Champlin Park, Coon Rapids, and Andover are not the same.

 

[Some guy]

Correct. Blaine, Anoka, Champlin Park, Coon Rapids, and Andover are not the same.

No. But the AD’s and head principals of those schools control their votes more than the football teams do

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I'm just happy that the MSHSL is moving - however slowly - toward full seeding of state tournaments.

with Volleyball going to full 1-8 seeding, I have to think that basketball will be following suit - hopefully in time for the 2025 state tournament.

 

[Some guy]

I'm just happy that the MSHSL is moving - however slowly - toward full seeding of state tournaments.

with Volleyball going to full 1-8 seeding, I have to think that basketball will be following suit - hopefully in time for the 2025 state tournament.

May be some internal debate about hoops.
Should they seed 1-8

I think they should cut sections one round early.
Seed 1-12 of the final 16 and then random draw 4.

Wrestling has gone to a model that doesn’t prevent you from advancing if you’re the second best team in the state but the best happens to be from your section. I would love that in more sports.

 

[prespsguy]

Matt Lombardi departs as Maple Grove football coach

The Crimson won the Class 6A state title in 2022 under Lombardi's leadership.

www.kare11.com

Any reactions to this???

 

[mggoph]

Matt Lombardi departs as Maple Grove football coach

The Crimson won the Class 6A state title in 2022 under Lombardi's leadership.

www.kare11.com

Any reactions to this???

Matt Lombardi Departs Maple Grove for Minnetonka After Historic 14-Year Tenure

After 14 years, Coach Matt Lombardi leaves Maple Grove with a state championship legacy for Minnetonka. Reflect on his impactful tenure and future prospects.

bnnbreaking.com

"His departure comes not from a singular incident but from a series of minor disagreements on protocol and administrative visions."

Whatever that entails?

 

[prespsguy]

Matt Lombardi Departs Maple Grove for Minnetonka After Historic 14-Year Tenure

After 14 years, Coach Matt Lombardi leaves Maple Grove with a state championship legacy for Minnetonka. Reflect on his impactful tenure and future prospects.

bnnbreaking.com

"His departure comes not from a singular incident but from a series of minor disagreements on protocol and administrative visions."

Whatever that entails?

Exactly, a lot of words without really saying anything...

 

[mggoph]

Strange....assume it's nothing too scandalous since he's already hired by Tonka as the DC?

 

[MplsGopher]

Adding into the discussions about the playoffs and extending to a different sport:

An absolute and total abomination that Minnetonka boys won’t be in the state hockey tournament.

What an awful, horse manure system. The regular season is absolutely meaningless. Just win your section tournament.

Trash. Abolish the MSHSL

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

Adding into the discussions about the playoffs and extending to a different sport:

An absolute and total abomination that Minnetonka boys won’t be in the state hockey tournament.

What an awful, horse manure system. The regular season is absolutely meaningless. Just win your section tournament.

Trash. Abolish the MSHSL

What do you suggest they do?

 

[Out State Gopher]

The "everyone gets a ribbon" mentality is what's wrong with sports. If you want it, earn it!

 

[disco]

What do you suggest they do?

Yeah, upsets happen.

 

[MplsGopher]

What do you suggest they do?

I’ve given already what I consider a very reasonable and correct alternative:
i) abolish section tournaments
ii) state brackets go from 8 to 16 — top ranked team in each section gets autobid (there’s your “geographic diversity”) and the highest ranked remaining 8 make it.

How is that not the perfect solution? Maintains representation from around the state while also not making the regular season completely meaningless.

Also shortens the post season, probably at least a week.

 

[disco]

Strange....assume it's nothing too scandalous since he's already hired by Tonka as the DC?

One of my friends has a son who plays for MG. The whole situation is really weird. He's going to finish out the year as a teacher there, but can't have anything to do with the football program.

It's obviously not something super serious or abusive or he wouldn't be able to stay there, and wouldn't be hired as a coach elsewhere.

 

[disco]

I’ve given already what I consider a very reasonable and correct alternative:
i) abolish section tournaments
ii) state brackets go from 8 to 16 — top ranked team in each section gets autobid (there’s your “geographic diversity”) and the highest ranked remaining 8 make it.

How is that not the perfect solution? Maintains representation from around the state while also not making the regular season completely meaningless.

Also shortens the post season, probably at least a week.

That's not a terrible idea.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

Yeah, upsets happen.

Agreed. I'm excited to have some new blood in the tournament.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Adding into the discussions about the playoffs and extending to a different sport:

An absolute and total abomination that Minnetonka boys won’t be in the state hockey tournament.

What an awful, horse manure system. The regular season is absolutely meaningless. Just win your section tournament.

Trash. Abolish the MSHSL

This can't be serious. Sections has always been the most important games. You just get seeded based on regular season. It's not the metro tournament, it's the state tournament.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I’ve given already what I consider a very reasonable and correct alternative:
i) abolish section tournaments
ii) state brackets go from 8 to 16 — top ranked team in each section gets autobid (there’s your “geographic diversity”) and the highest ranked remaining 8 make it.

How is that not the perfect solution? Maintains representation from around the state while also not making the regular season completely meaningless.

Also shortens the post season, probably at least a week.

Because ranking HS teams is hard and there is no doubt it would be unbalanced to the metro area.

 

[MaxyJR1]

One of my friends has a son who plays for MG. The whole situation is really weird. He's going to finish out the year as a teacher there, but can't have anything to do with the football program.

It's obviously not something super serious or abusive or he wouldn't be able to stay there, and wouldn't be hired as a coach elsewhere.

MG might have been the preseason #1 this Fall. It will be interesting to see who they hire.

 

[disco]

MG might have been the preseason #1 this Fall. It will be interesting to see who they hire.

Yep. They were poised to make a serious run at a title this season. That's what makes this all the more mysterious. This is a really odd time of year for this too.

 

[Out State Gopher]

We need a return to single class hockey. Roseau has No Fear. Classes are for academics not athletics! Watch Hoosiers. David vs Goliath competitions should not only happen in the Bible.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Like it or not, there is a lot of politics involved in HS sports - from the small schools up to the big Metro schools. parents - administrators - school board members - boosters. a lot of egos involved.
feathers getting ruffled.

some coaches seem to be able to stay above the fray, but others get fed up with all of the background noise and decide to look for greener pastures - or quieter pastures.

the line about "protocol and administrative visions" jumps out at me. as in Who Gets to be the Big Dog? - the Coach - the AD - or the Superintendent?

 

[swede2]

We need a return to single class hockey. Roseau has No Fear. Classes are for academics not athletics! Watch Hoosiers. David vs Goliath competitions should not only happen in the Bible.

Two class hockey hasn't been around forever. I'm not a hockey guy but my recollection is that the split happened within the last 20 years. And I recall that some of the northern traditional hockey powers played up to AA although having A enrollment, but eventually migrated down to A.

In the late 90's basketball went from two classes to a single champion. I believe this was '96 or '97. Minneapolis North won both years (not without some drama in '97). After a couple of decades of two class basketball, no one was too excited about it and we returned to multi-class basketball thereafter.

I would guess the hockey people would come to the same conclusion as the basketball people.

 

[Ope3]

Two class hockey hasn't been around forever. I'm not a hockey guy but my recollection is that the split happened within the last 20 years. And I recall that some of the northern traditional hockey powers played up to AA although having A enrollment, but eventually migrated down to A.

Roseau is still playing AA in hockey even though they are vastly under the enrollment threshold.

 

[xyz1]

Hockey went to two classes in the early 90s when the state legislature passed a law mandating it. After a dismal two-year experiment with "tiers" based on that season's won-loss record - which led to things like Rosemount playing in the "small school" class - they went to two classes based on size; some tradition rich small schools (Roseau, Hill Murray), or financially rich schools (Benilde, St. Thomas Academy) opt up to the higher class. That Hermantown stays in Class A after playing at the AA level throughout youth hockey, and scheduling mostly AA teams in the high school regular season, should profoundly embarrass everyone involved with the entire program, but somehow does not.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Two class hockey hasn't been around forever. I'm not a hockey guy but my recollection is that the split happened within the last 20 years. And I recall that some of the northern traditional hockey powers played up to AA although having A enrollment, but eventually migrated down to A.

In the late 90's basketball went from two classes to a single champion. I believe this was '96 or '97. Minneapolis North won both years (not without some drama in '97). After a couple of decades of two class basketball, no one was too excited about it and we returned to multi-class basketball thereafter.

I would guess the hockey people would come to the same conclusion as the basketball people.

Basketball was' 94-'95 & '95-'96 seasons for the Sweet 16 experiment. You were guaranteed to play your class in the first round and the brackets were set in a way to get A and AA teams to the semi-finals, IIRC.
They went to 4 classes soon after.

For the people that want to go away from section play in hockey, I would propose that the 4 section metro area go to it and see how it's received.

For example, have the Section 1, 2, 7, and 8 reps go to state. and then have a metro seeded bracket that gets the 4 best metro teams to state. Issues with this is that section 1, 2, 7, and 8 have metro teams in them.

Key word in all of the is "State" hockey people play in districts all through youth and should understand that "State" is to represent the who state.

In the end, win your games at playoff time.