[RAM-A-DEVIL]

Before I comment, let me qualify a couple of things: I have no part in setting up the tournament, nor do I even know any of the people/coaches that are responsible. With that being said, your comments are way off base and totally unfair. I suggest that you read the rules and guidelines of the state association. They are located on the website under the heading "State Championship Information". http://www.digitalsports.com/article/typ...28185.aspx There are six links at the bottom of the page. If you read the attachments, everything is clearly explained.

Also, most middle schools do not have the budget or administrative support to travel to games that are 4+ hours away. This thing has to make geographical sense. Do you think that Raceland or Greenup would travel to Lone Oak (or vice versa) for a first or second round game? Whose to say that there won't be 16 teams in the west and only 4 in the east next year? Would you still feel the same way??? Let's just face reality, when money is tight, the 7th grade teams will receive less support...that is why you have less participation. Plus, a lot of the conferences in the west did not schedule accordingly as to allow their teams to participate. I know that Bowling Green will have to skip out on their conference tournament to play in the state or they will have to play 2 games in one day...which they probably could do (LOL!).

Looks like you just stated all of the reasons we shouldn't have a Jr. high state tournament. If it can't be split up the right way then why do it. I would feel the same way if there were more teams in the west than in the east. I'm from Raceland by the way. We will have to play 3 games just to get to the quarter finals of the 7th grade but if we were in the west we could play one game and be in the semifinals....Does that sound fair to you? If we can't do it right and make it fair then why do it at all? Personally I think a jr. high state tournament is rediculous. For example: We play a confrence Championship game on oct. 17th 2 days later we start play in the state tournament on the 19th, and if we win there we play again 3 days later. Now I'm no football Guru or anything but isn't that a little hard on jr high kids bodies playing games that close together. It all seems a little much to me. I thought we were trying to make highschool players.....Not kill them before they get there.