So these 2 SWSC crossover wins by larger-enrollment (3126 avg.) Blue Division schools over the smaller-enrollment (2081 avg.) Red produce a 1-14 record favoring the former this season. In 2019, the bulge was 3-12. So in the first 2 complete seasons of this system where the 5 Reds have 3 mandated games with 3 of the 5 Blues (LWE, Brook, HF, Lockport and Sandburg), the cumulative record is 4-26. Statistically that is a 13% winning percentage. Level playing field for the kids on the Red teams? Maybe not so much.
Sorry you went to all that trouble.
True, Lockport is much larger than LWE. I don't necessarily think the size difference is THE problem, it is a problem, but IMO the Red teams aren't as traditionally strong as the Blue and forcing so many crossovers severely hamstrings the Red in getting to the post season. If the SWSC wants the Red programs to bounce back they probably have to end the crossovers.
@johnndoe As an avid SWSC fan, I notice you typically keep bringing this point up in a lot of posts. I agree that there is a disparity (specifically in football, I know in other sports there isn't as much). What would you propose? Do you think it would be better if they mixed up the divisions and didn't go by enrollment? Location? Just one large division for football?
Yes, I keep beating this drum, probably too frequently and loudly. I figured from the get-go this set-up would be a disaster for the Red schools and the 2-season cross-over record surely bears this out, including only 1 representative in these playoffs from the Red league, fueled by this 1-14 after Week 9. I would imagine any vote to change this system might be problematic because this arrangement is too sweet for the 5 larger Blue schools. Also, 3 of the 10 schools are from the same district and 3 more from another. I would be shocked if those votes would be split even though the teams are spread between the 2 divisions. Any solution is not simple, but finding a conference, geographically and enrollment suitable, with a similar crossover problem would be ideal, but that has extremely low probability. These Red school players and coaches are just stuck with an inequitable situation.
Conference with similar issue - West Suburban Gold and Silver. 2 mandatory crossover games per year. All other sports have more parody, but in football, Silver is dominate.
One last observation for the 2 men most responsive to this matter, Cross Bones and sporthog9er. In the 14 games this season the Red teams lost to the Blue in 15 crossovers, the average margin of loss was 27.5 points! I should be done going on about this now.
I'm with you. I was on the "put the Joliet schools in the red" wagon back before they left and when LWC was very competitive as was LWN. Made no sense to continue to sacrifice them while they were trying to build up a program. And here we go again.
