2022 Preliminary Plan

[Flip]

St. Mary's was good play at the top level?

[maddog1971]

St. Mary's would be very competitive at top level of football just like Shanley. They may not go to the dome very often but they would compete in the playoffs.

[Thundersnow]

Bismarck St. Mary's is 3-0 against teams in 11AA this year, beating Mandan, Fargo Shanley and Williston.
Their overall record against teams that were AAA in the 2020 season is 5-1. Their only opponents that were AA in 2020 were Wahpeton, conference opponents Turtle Mountain and Watford City, and first round playoff opponent, Devils Lake. It's pretty clear they were better than Williston, Minot, Mandan, Bismarck, and Legacy this year. They would probably be ranked in the poll and they would absolutely be competitive in 11AA this year and most years.
If you see this as an argument for "all Class A teams belong in the same division", I would disagree. I see this as an argument for St. Mary's to play in the largest class and for teams like Devils Lake, Valley City, Turtle Mountain, Wahpeton and Watford City to be in a division with teams like Central Cass, Langdon, Grafton, Hillsboro, Beulah and Hazen.

[Flip]

I honestly don't care except for I think St. Mary's with their success over the last 30 years

I was referencing this quote. I don't ever remember them being good.

[WalkingStick]

I honestly don't care except for I think St. Mary's with their success over the last 30 years

I was referencing this quote. I don't ever remember them being good.

http://northdakotahsfootball.altervista ... stmary.htm

Well from 1998-2012 they weren’t very successful (2009 was first year in AA)

[maddog1971]

2020 Champs
2019 Semi
2018 Champs
2017 Champs
2016 Champs
2015 Semi
2014 Champs
2013 Champs
2010 Quarters
2009 Quarters
2004 Quarters
1995 Finals
1994 Champs
1993 Semi
1992 Quarters
1991 Champs
1990 Finals
1989 Semi
1988 Champs
1985 Finals
1983 Finals
ETC...

[WalkingStick]

2020 Champs
2019 Semi
2018 Champs
2017 Champs
2016 Champs
2015 Semi
2014 Champs
2013 Champs
2010 Quarters
2009 Quarters
2004 Quarters
1995 Finals
1994 Champs
1993 Semi
1992 Quarters
1991 Champs
1990 Finals
1989 Semi
1988 Champs
1985 Finals
1983 Finals
ETC...

I just don’t think we can use pre-2000 to justify nowadays talk…things were drastically different in the State back then…they actually were closer in enrollment to other WDA schools back then…Major cities with A schools have grown drastically since then…therefore enrollments have also changed. Football landscape was different then…

Have they had a run of success since the creation of AA division…yes they have lately…but we all know success builds further success and it carries over.

[maddog1971]

I think the programs that are good need to play better competition. This is why I don't have a problem the way they do things right now. St. Mary's is at the top every year for the last 10 years.... they need to be moved.... just like they were moved down when they all the sudden could not compete anymore at the AAA level. Most on here want to see Central Cass moved up a class because why? Numbers? It sure is not success. I honestly don't know if either one of those programs have ever won a state Championship.... they are almost always competitive.... but not dominate. If Central Cass wins two state titles in a row... I will vote for them to move up but this is the best team they have had in many years.... and they did not make it past the quarter finals.

[WalkingStick]

You want to have classes based off of success; others want enrollment...this is why there is no easy solution; no one can agree on one setup. I know...let's just go off of senior & junior enrollment since you like using that as an argument.

Should Velva and their 69 students have to play up against Devils Lake, Wahpeton, Dickinson, Century, etc. because they've been really good in Class A for YEARS (nearly .800 winning percentage).

How about Cavalier...they've been too dominant in all levels they have been in...their 65 athletes should have to move all the way up as well...they've been too successful to be 9-Man or Class A.

[Attack the Process]

In the St. Mary's argument, below is the success factor scenario that is built into the new plan.

St. Mary's finishes from previous seasons as stated above:
2018: Lost in Final's against Shanley (3 points)
2019: Lost in Semi's against Hillsboro (2 points)
2020: Won in Final's against Beulah (4 points)
2021: Will finish with either 3 or 4 points.

If you add the points together, they could end with either 12 or 13 points. Either way, they should have to move up to due playoff success points through a four year period.

NDHSAA won't make them move up though as they will state that the first year in the four year period was this year.

Success Factor
Teams shall earn the following point values for the final level of the playoffs they achieve as follows:
Eliminated in quarterfinal – One (1) point
Eliminated in semifinals – Two (2) points
State Runner-Up – Three (3) points
State Championship – Four (4) points

Division 11A and 9B teams achieving twelve (12) points or greater due to playoff success during a four-year period shall move up to the next largest division for the next two seasons.