[RunItUpTheGut]

Every year, the last week is filled with really good football games. Good teams battling it out with one another, and people flock to see all the good games.

Problem is, its absolutely worthless and means nothing for the winning team.
For example, Knox/Corbin, HarlanCO/Bell, JC/Belfry, Mayfield/Caldwell and on and on.

Teams that lose will say they rested players for the playoffs (and they prolly should). Teams that win, gain nothing except maybe an injury or two.


My question is, is there any good reason the regular season doesn't end with a clean district slate? My personal opinion is that these teams would do much better finishing the regular season playing consecutive district games. I also think they would do much better in these good games this week, if they were played earlier in the year.


What say you? Change it or leave it?

[HDE]

No one ever talked about "resting" high school players until the NFL started it a few years ago when teams like the Colts and Patriots clinched really early.
No game is meaningless for high school kids, especially against a big rival.

Following that logic, every game was meaningless before 1959 because there were no playoffs. Very few teams even qualified for the playoffs until the 1980s, and I don't recall anyone calling those non-district games meaningless.

[mayfield_9]

I say change it.
But if you want to see a good (great?) game, come to Mayfield on Halloween night. No starters will be on the bench, unless they are truly injured.

[RunItUpTheGut]

No one ever talked about "resting" high school players until the NFL started it a few years ago when teams like the Colts and Patriots clinched really early.
No game is meaningless for high school kids, especially against a big rival.

Following that logic, every game was meaningless before 1959 because there were no playoffs. Very few teams even qualified for the playoffs until the 1980s, and I don't recall anyone calling those non-district games meaningless.

I don't disagree, but aren't there coaches who will do that exact same thing on Friday? Some even talk about not caring and resting starters for the playoffs.

[skully03]

I don't think players will be sitting just to be sitting in these big games. Only sit them if they are dinged up and need to heal before the post season push. As far as changing the schedule I would be for it.

[cj2561]

Some team need these games. Because the team that in there district is wreak. And there is some team that would want these games at the end of the season.

As for the guy that was talking about the old days. I think they should go back to that. Just the top 2 teams from each district make the playoffs. That way they won't be no more 0-10 teams making the playoffs.

[panther nation]

I vote for change. Like GUT said this Fridays game would be much better if played earlier in the season. With both teams having some players with injuries that could play if it's wasn't for the playoffs being next week. You need those key players more in the playoffs than the last game of the season. I'm all for making the last game a district game.

[AtlPirateFan]

I would like to see a District game on the last week of the season myself. Not because I find the game meaningless. Most times (for Belfry) it's a rival. My biggest annoyance is that it has literately zero bearing on the district or even most times on the playoff seeding. I like my football sprinkled with a little drama and emotion. Having district games close out the season would be awesome for that. Heck put them on a floating schedule so that the top two teams in the district from the year prior always play in the final game of the year to juice up the atmosphere and pressure just a bit more. Just my opinion.

[E's Army]

Some teams need a good opponent after playing in soft districts.

[64SUR]

Some teams need a good opponent after playing in soft districts.

I wish williamsburg had a team to play like mayfield at home. :popcorn:

[adopted purple]

Unless a player is banged up, I don't think sitting out helps them. This isn't the NFL. There isn't millions of dollars being spent on players. It's high school football. Line up and play. You don't get better playing 1-8 or 3-6 teams. You play teams that will challenge you, like the playoffs do. If they are hurt, rest them. If they are not hurt, play them.

[baseball1974]

In a perfect world they could play all of their out-of-state and non-district games during the first half of the season and then play their district games all in a row to end the season. Kind of the same way college basketball does with conference games. This would also eliminate the excuse of "well they only beat us because it was early in the season and we're a different team now." Most teams do close to this with leaving the last week for an off team, but I think it'd benefit everybody if the district was pushed to the last game of the season.

[Flash154]

Good teams offered to play Williamsburg, but they declined. They have always been happy with a winning season. It is their Super Bowl.

[64SUR]

Good teams offered to play Williamsburg, but they declined. They have always been happy with a winning season. It is their Super Bowl.

Name one Flashlight154 eriously:

[RAMDAD50]

Some teams need a good game because the first two playoff opponents suck

[Tight End]

Many times teams get better & are just flat better late in the season than they are at the beginning of the season. I think teams should play teams that give you really GOOD competition, don't play these weak schedules (I have been seeing). It makes your team weak IMO. Go for the gusto in HS, these kids want to play unless they are hurt they should play, they can rest when the season is over! :CE_DP_Ste

[1101guesswho]

I agree...

[Van Hagar]

You know, the NFL has addressed this by having the last two weeks of the season be nothing but games between teams from the same division, which is basically the equivalent of our district games. They know this decreases the likelihood of just tanking a meaningless game. High school teams should probably end with a district game when possible, I know some districts have an odd number of teams meaning one couldn't play, but it would work for most.