Class AA Title

[Run4Fun2009]

Carrington also has PBK in with them for a co-op, which probably adds another 75 for a total enrollment. In another post you stated that Trinity would be 9man (or close) without NE, but they would actually still have an enrollment over 80 boys so they're still sitting in the middle of A. Oak Grove will also be A next year when Park Christian splits to form their own team. That's too bad to because I think Oak Grove adds a lot to this class (except this year) and fits well in this division and teams like Griggs County are moving up to replace them

Your right, I forgot about that co-op. As for Trinity, I guess I had just heard that before from someone fairly reliable and never really took the time to check for sure. Nonetheless, they still wouldn't be a big A school. I agree that as of now Oak Grove adds a lot to the class, but would they with the loss of Park Christian? I have no clue how big that school is so I don't know what they get from it.

In football, they usually receive 10-20 quality athletes each year (this year there were less than 10)

[Indy5]

Carrington also has PBK in with them for a co-op, which probably adds another 75 for a total enrollment. In another post you stated that Trinity would be 9man (or close) without NE, but they would actually still have an enrollment over 80 boys so they're still sitting in the middle of A. Oak Grove will also be A next year when Park Christian splits to form their own team. That's too bad to because I think Oak Grove adds a lot to this class (except this year) and fits well in this division and teams like Griggs County are moving up to replace them

Your right, I forgot about that co-op. As for Trinity, I guess I had just heard that before from someone fairly reliable and never really took the time to check for sure. Nonetheless, they still wouldn't be a big A school. I agree that as of now Oak Grove adds a lot to the class, but would they with the loss of Park Christian? I have no clue how big that school is so I don't know what they get from it.

In football, they usually receive 10-20 quality athletes each year (this year there were less than 10)

With that many, I'd say thats a big loss that would certainly hurt them if they stayed AA. Whats the reason for the split?

[Run4Fun2009]

Carrington also has PBK in with them for a co-op, which probably adds another 75 for a total enrollment. In another post you stated that Trinity would be 9man (or close) without NE, but they would actually still have an enrollment over 80 boys so they're still sitting in the middle of A. Oak Grove will also be A next year when Park Christian splits to form their own team. That's too bad to because I think Oak Grove adds a lot to this class (except this year) and fits well in this division and teams like Griggs County are moving up to replace them

Your right, I forgot about that co-op. As for Trinity, I guess I had just heard that before from someone fairly reliable and never really took the time to check for sure. Nonetheless, they still wouldn't be a big A school. I agree that as of now Oak Grove adds a lot to the class, but would they with the loss of Park Christian? I have no clue how big that school is so I don't know what they get from it.

In football, they usually receive 10-20 quality athletes each year (this year there were less than 10)

With that many, I'd say thats a big loss that would certainly hurt them if they stayed AA. Whats the reason for the split?

Park Christian wants to start their own 9-man football program...

[ndlionsfan]

How are they going to do that if less than 10 kids played from that school this year?

[cubsfan]

I'm thinking he is referring to quality athletes that Park Christian gives Oak Grove for football. I think that they have more than 10 kids that play football.

[Run4Fun2009]

I'm thinking he is referring to quality athletes that Park Christian gives Oak Grove for football. I think that they have more than 10 kids that play football.

Plus they think that more kids who don't come out for football will now come out for football if it is for their own school and not a coop

[EHS1998]

I'm thinking he is referring to quality athletes that Park Christian gives Oak Grove for football. I think that they have more than 10 kids that play football.

Plus they think that more kids who don't come out for football will now come out for football if it is for their own school and not a coop

Interesting. Do you feel this is a real factor for kids in determining whether they will go out or not?

[Indy5]

I'm thinking he is referring to quality athletes that Park Christian gives Oak Grove for football. I think that they have more than 10 kids that play football.

Plus they think that more kids who don't come out for football will now come out for football if it is for their own school and not a coop

Interesting. Do you feel this is a real factor for kids in determining whether they will go out or not?

I think it would be most places. I don't know that situatuion though.

[Run4Fun2009]

I'm thinking he is referring to quality athletes that Park Christian gives Oak Grove for football. I think that they have more than 10 kids that play football.

Plus they think that more kids who don't come out for football will now come out for football if it is for their own school and not a coop

Interesting. Do you feel this is a real factor for kids in determining whether they will go out or not?

I think it would be most places. I don't know that situatuion though.

I'm not sure...it will be interesting to follow them

[NDsports35]

Ndsportsfan14's prediction was a hundred times more reasonable than j biker's. Shanley could beat DL by as much as 50 in my opinion. People don't realize how different of a level these guys are on. Devil's Lake has a lot nicer kids though (Besides sports I know) Shanley's kids are stuck up and not classy at all. I know from personal experience. Just saying.

[Run4Fun2009]

Ndsportsfan14's prediction was a hundred times more reasonable than j biker's. Shanley could beat DL by as much as 50 in my opinion. People don't realize how different of a level these guys are on. Devil's Lake has a lot nicer kids though (Besides sports I know) Shanley's kids are stuck up and not classy at all. I know from personal experience. Just saying.

Shanley's students are NOT all stuck up...there may be a few bad seeds in the school but that doesn't mean that they ALL are stuck up. Every school has students that act stuck up

[alumni2004]

To say that Devils Lake will get beat by 50 is absolutely ridiculous. You look at the line they have, and they should be able to handle Shanley's line up front. Connor McGovern is obviously a different story, but you look at Devils Lake's average size up front it is around 235 lb's. Shanley's is around 220, but with 280 of that comes from McGovern. In the end it's going to come down to the Offensive and Defensive line play of either team. Devils Lake's depth will prove to much about the so called "Power House" that is Fargo Shanley.

[Indy5]

To say that Devils Lake will get beat by 50 is absolutely ridiculous. You look at the line they have, and they should be able to handle Shanley's line up front. Connor McGovern is obviously a different story, but you look at Devils Lake's average size up front it is around 235 lb's. Shanley's is around 220, but with 280 of that comes from McGovern. In the end it's going to come down to the Offensive and Defensive line play of either team. Devils Lake's depth will prove to much about the so called "Power House" that is Fargo Shanley.

You don't think Shanley has depth too?

[heimer]

The people that are saying Shanley will win by 50 are the same people that said they could name the score against Valley City a week ago. The game was 17-0 with 3 minutes left of the third quarter.

I believe Shanley is the favorite, handily. I like their head coach alot. I have not seen anything that would lead me to the conclusion that they are "all stuck up" as was presented earlier in the thread. But, since a couple of bad seeds are inflating the Deacon image here, I feel compelled to respond in a way that presents an opposite opinion.

Myth: Shanley will win by 50.

Fact: No one in Region I has the line that Devils Lake has, so Shanley likely has not seen it this year. The Firebirds will use that line to keep the ball from the Deacon offense. Valley City moved the ball well against Shanley last week, and Grafton put 30 on the board with a boot-strap team due to injury, so Shanley's defense is not spotless. If Devils Lake controls the ball, the game will be good.

Myth: Shanley would win consistently at the AAA level.

Fact: After seeing all of the teams that were ranked at one point this season in AA, save Trinity, I have yet to see any team, save Shanley, that would beat any team in the EDC. Outside of Shanley, current AA would go winless against current AAA, no matter the matchup, location, whatever. Shanley would perhaps win a few games, maybe even a playoff spot, but they would have been on the road in the first round and out immediately.

Shanley has done everything right the past few years. They accepted their role as a AA school. They used their success to drive influence for a field, and a very nice field, that admittedly, was in the works before last year. Steve Laqua is a great coach, and the players have accepted their roles in the system. They are a great AA team. I don't think we need to go much farther than that, and to do so, really perverts the view of what they accomplished these past two years.

[EHS1998]

Well said.

[Indy5]

The people that are saying Shanley will win by 50 are the same people that said they could name the score against Valley City a week ago. The game was 17-0 with 3 minutes left of the third quarter.

I believe Shanley is the favorite, handily. I like their head coach alot. I have not seen anything that would lead me to the conclusion that they are "all stuck up" as was presented earlier in the thread. But, since a couple of bad seeds are inflating the Deacon image here, I feel compelled to respond in a way that presents an opposite opinion.

Myth: Shanley will win by 50.

Fact: No one in Region I has the line that Devils Lake has, so Shanley likely has not seen it this year. The Firebirds will use that line to keep the ball from the Deacon offense. Valley City moved the ball well against Shanley last week, and Grafton put 30 on the board with a boot-strap team due to injury, so Shanley's defense is not spotless. If Devils Lake controls the ball, the game will be good.

Myth: Shanley would win consistently at the AAA level.

Fact: After seeing all of the teams that were ranked at one point this season in AA, save Trinity, I have yet to see any team, save Shanley, that would beat any team in the EDC. Outside of Shanley, current AA would go winless against current AAA, no matter the matchup, location, whatever. Shanley would perhaps win a few games, maybe even a playoff spot, but they would have been on the road in the first round and out immediately.

Shanley has done everything right the past few years. They accepted their role as a AA school. They used their success to drive influence for a field, and a very nice field, that admittedly, was in the works before last year. Steve Laqua is a great coach, and the players have accepted their roles in the system. They are a great AA team. I don't think we need to go much farther than that, and to do so, really perverts the view of what they accomplished these past two years.

I saw Devils Lake's line this year. I will say they're the best in the west, but I don't think they're "great". What helps them is they have depth, where most teams don't. I don't think they'll be able to handle McGovern. I have a hard time believing DL's line is too much better than Shanley's. I guess I'm not really sure what their line has, but McGovern is a pretty good start.

[ndfan]

Hopefully this game will be just as good as last years state championship game.

[Indy5]

Hopefully this game will be just as good as last years state championship game.

I'd say doubtful because 1) That game was insane and 2) Shanley is way better then they were last year and DL isn't as good as they were last year.

[alumni2004]

Fargo Shanley's Offensive line: Matt Martino, Junior 6 feet 200lbs. Connor McGovern, Senior 6 foot 4 280 lbs. David BeauClair, Junior 5 foot 10, 167 lbs. Josh Berg, Sophomore, 6 feet, 250 lbs. Preston Nichols, Senior, 5 foot 11, 195 lbs.

Devils Lake's Offensive Line: John Traynor, Senior 6 foot 3, 265 lbs. Taylor Aasmanstad, Junior 6 foot, 250 lbs. Jacob Lagasse, Junior 6 foot, 220 lbs. Tanner Paine, 6 foot, 230 lbs. Connor Swiontek 6 foot 1, 285 lbs.

Now you tell me who's line OVERALL is better?

[Run4Fun2009]

Fargo Shanley's Offensive line: Matt Martino, Junior 6 feet 200lbs. Connor McGovern, Senior 6 foot 4 280 lbs. David BeauClair, Junior 5 foot 10, 167 lbs. Josh Berg, Sophomore, 6 feet, 250 lbs. Preston Nichols, Senior, 5 foot 11, 195 lbs.

Devils Lake's Offensive Line: John Traynor, Senior 6 foot 3, 265 lbs. Taylor Aasmanstad, Junior 6 foot, 250 lbs. Jacob Lagasse, Junior 6 foot, 220 lbs. Tanner Paine, 6 foot, 230 lbs. Connor Swiontek 6 foot 1, 285 lbs.

Now you tell me who's line OVERALL is better?

Size doesn't always matter...

[fanofeverything]

Size of you line doesn't matter that much in HS football in ND. Quickness off the ball and the basics of blocking are what get it done. Velva in A is outsized on the line most games they play and they usually dominate the trenches. And as far as the Shanley by 50 myth, I don't see how its a myth. I think its a real possiblity. I doubt it will be by that much but Shanley is definitely capable of winning by that much. Remember DL lost to Trinity and if they play like that game they will get wallopped by 50 here. I think it will be something more like 40-14 tho.

[living life]

This is about a fricken state championship!! Not alignment. There are topics for that stuff. Let the kids have there glory and forget the crap for one week. And it does matter how you spell stuff!

[Bisonguy06]

The people that are saying Shanley will win by 50 are the same people that said they could name the score against Valley City a week ago. The game was 17-0 with 3 minutes left of the third quarter.

I believe Shanley is the favorite, handily. I like their head coach alot. I have not seen anything that would lead me to the conclusion that they are "all stuck up" as was presented earlier in the thread. But, since a couple of bad seeds are inflating the Deacon image here, I feel compelled to respond in a way that presents an opposite opinion.

Myth: Shanley will win by 50.

Fact: No one in Region I has the line that Devils Lake has, so Shanley likely has not seen it this year. The Firebirds will use that line to keep the ball from the Deacon offense. Valley City moved the ball well against Shanley last week, and Grafton put 30 on the board with a boot-strap team due to injury, so Shanley's defense is not spotless. If Devils Lake controls the ball, the game will be good.

Myth: Shanley would win consistently at the AAA level.

Fact: After seeing all of the teams that were ranked at one point this season in AA, save Trinity, I have yet to see any team, save Shanley, that would beat any team in the EDC. Outside of Shanley, current AA would go winless against current AAA, no matter the matchup, location, whatever. Shanley would perhaps win a few games, maybe even a playoff spot, but they would have been on the road in the first round and out immediately.

Shanley has done everything right the past few years. They accepted their role as a AA school. They used their success to drive influence for a field, and a very nice field, that admittedly, was in the works before last year. Steve Laqua is a great coach, and the players have accepted their roles in the system. They are a great AA team. I don't think we need to go much farther than that, and to do so, really perverts the view of what they accomplished these past two years.

1) This was some pretty good analysis overall. Great effort by Devils Lake, and congrats to Shanley.

2) The underlined comment is not a fact but an opinion, and a very flawed one at that. I bet you didn't get to see a single EDC regular season game this year.

3) My opinion is similar to heimer's - I think Shanley would have been competing for a #3 or #4 seed in the EDC at best, and I don't believe they could've defeated a BHS or Century on the road in the playoffs. I did hear some chatter this year that Shanley was the best team in any division. That was nonsense. I see them as clearly being a notch below South, West Fargo, Bismarck and Century. I think most people would also agree that Shanley would not be a AAA doormat. They'd be competitive in most games.

4) Given what we have just seen in the AA championship game, my opinion is that Devils Lake also could hang in with most of the AAA teams with the exception of the top four. I think they'd beat a team or two in the east and in the west.

Do any of these AA/AAA division observations matter? Well, I'd say no, but Devils Lake is moving up to AAA football for the next two years in a move that the NDHSAA sees as necessary but others have questioned. Some people are looking at this with the mindset that the Firebirds are going to be sacrificial lambs in AAA. I even think some in Devils Lake believe that, and that rubs me the wrong way.

For one, the lines between the divisions aren't so clear cut and rigid. The cream of the crop in A (Velva, Watford, M-NS, Cavalier) could compete with almost all of AA. I don't think they'd beat Shanley or DL, but I'd give them a chance against any other team. Likewise, Shanley and DL could compete with most of AAA.

More importantly, the Devils Lake naysayers are failing sports psychology 101. Build your kids up and get them to buy in and believe that they can compete! I'm not sure that the AAA title is a realistic goal for DL next year, but how about .500 and a playoff berth? If DL could achieve that next year, they should be just as proud as they are of this year's state runner-up team.

Devils Lake has built a strong program with good numbers on the roster and plenty of success on the field. I hope they enter AAA with the same approach and enthusiasm for the game. If they do, they'll be just fine in AAA.

[ndfan]

Awesome championship game, congrats to both teams on great seasons!!!

[75ford]

Awesome championship game, congrats to both teams on great seasons!!!

I have to agree that this was a great game, and these teams were very balanced today. It you were at the game it was obvious that Devils Lake had the ability to run the ball all game long against Shanley. This kept the deacons offensive off the field, also Deacons have alot of athletes going both ways which played a fatique factor when Deacons were not on offense. Great game and these teams are very balanced and what a game for second straight year - congrats to both programs.