[BondJamesBond]

Do not really believe all of the "hype" of the 15th being weak. Today, Betsy Layne brought home the first Floyd County State Championship in history.

During the past three years our region has brought home what supposedly is the small school championship yet, we all are scratching our heads how does these schools that compete in upper levels in one sport get to compete in a tournment that was built on the "idea" of crowning a small school champion.

In no offense to the history. but go back and look at the state tournament results and see how many times our regional champs have been sent home after a opening round loss.

Congratulations to Betsy Layne!! on a History making day and continuing a tradition of the tremendous amount of pride in the way our kids play the game of basketball in the Mountains !!!

[Real Badman]

Am I the only person on this site who doesn't recognize the "All 'A' Championship" as an official championship?

[bball_fan]

Not trying to pick any fights with anyone on here, but making a simple point! If this was football and a small school around here won the Single A State Championship, or even the Double A state championship...would we call them a state champion even though they did not win the biggest class' state title? I believe so! Is there not a banner hanging in Shelby Valley that says All A state champions from the last two years? Everyone has there right to there opinion, but a state tournament where you send a regional champion from all 16 regions to a single tournament and then find out who the best of those 16 is a state tournament with a state champion. Simple fact of the matter is, Betsy Layne is a state champion! Whether you like it or hate, you cannot argue the facts!

[Tellme2]

I guess The State is Weak now?

[Real Badman]

Not trying to pick any fights with anyone on here, but making a simple point! If this was football and a small school around here won the Single A State Championship, or even the Double A state championship...would we call them a state champion even though they did not win the biggest class' state title? I believe so! Is there not a banner hanging in Shelby Valley that says All A state champions from the last two years? Everyone has there right to there opinion, but a state tournament where you send a regional champion from all 16 regions to a single tournament and then find out who the best of those 16 is a state tournament with a state champion. Simple fact of the matter is, Betsy Layne is a state champion! Whether you like it or hate, you cannot argue the facts!

I agree with somethings you said. But like you said if they won the single A championship in football they wouldn't be playing AAAAAA schools. However this is basketball, not football. It's not drawn up the same way. This is a nice accomplishment yes, but in my opinion it is not the same as winning the "sweet sixteen." That will be a real accomplishment. Betsy Layne should be proud, and feel accomplished, but this is not a state title. I said the same thing last year with Shelby Valley. Not dissin' BL in anyway.

[bball_fan]

I believe our understanding, as well as everyone else is the exact same except for the minor detail of whether or not this is a state tournament. Given the Sweet Sixteen is the one that is remember and comes with all of the glory. And yes the All A does not have near the competition that the Sweet Sixteen will have, but the All A State Tournament is still a state champion. Yes the field is reduced due to enrollment numbers and yes given a choice between this one and the Sweet Sixteen, anyone will pick the Sweet Sixteen. But this is still a state tournament and there will still be a record book that shows Betsy Layne was the 2011 All A State Champion. Just because a tournament offers limitations to who can or cannot be part of it, does not strip it of the fact it is or is not a state tournament. It does however limit to whom you can say qualified to be part of this "class" of teams. The question at hand here is the prestige of the All A compared to the Sweet Sixteen in which there is no comparison. The Sweet Sixteen is by far the one that is more prestigious but that does not take away the fact that the All A is still a state tournament with a state champion.

[justabballfan]

Well what have we learned?

First of all congrats to BL for winning the All A. I guess the 15th may not be as far behind everyone else as much as everybody thinks. I know there are several on here who doesn't give the All A much(any) credit but If I'm not mistaken that last year when SV won the All A(the same negative things were said) and then they won the Sweet Sixteen, (not saying BL will win the Sweet Sixteen) but BL did play SV tighter last year in the 15th region tourney than any of the so called (powerhouse's) from other regions did at RUPP. Just Sayin.

[Pupaw]

First off, congrats to Betsy Layne on winning the Class A State Championship, that is a hard earned accomplishment. Now as for this topic, I feel that the 15th Region AS A WHOLE is one of the weakest in the state. That being said, I realize that there have been 3 straight All A titles brought back to the 15th and a Sweet Sixteen title, but those were done by the best teams in the region. I don't care what anyone says, if you take the MAJORITY of these teams in the 15th region and stick them in the 7th Region they will finish at the very bottom of the barrel. Same goes for the regions around Lexington and so forth. The 15th Region doesn't have the athletes or size to stack up against the best of the best over a consistent basis. If you took the best 3 teams in the 15th Region and stuck them in one of the more talented regions in the state (i.e. 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th) they wouldn't be in the top 3 or even top 5 in those regions. The talent and size would just be too much for teams to handle. Most of the competitive Sweet Sixteen teams to come from this region have had good size and athleticism, and that's what it takes to be amongst the powerhouse teams across the bluegrass.

[Tellme2]

Do you not think these Powerhouse regions recruit and have a major enrollment. v/s these smaller schools.

[Pupaw]

The question was how weak is the 15th compared to the rest. Regardless of whether or not those powerhouse schools recruit or have larger enrollment it doesn't pertain to the topic.

[HORNET POWER]

for the millionth time"CLASS RANKINGS ARE FOR FOOTBALL ONLY" the all "A" started out for the smaller schools but others are invited into it now,example:by classing as you all are putting it Shelby Valley is "AA" and a BIG CONGRATS to Betsy Lane for bringing one back to the 15th region :1: