Looking for guesses here (or facts, if anyone has any) regarding which class East Saint Louis ends up in next year. If I have it right, they were 6A enrollment-wise two years ago when they petitioned up to 7A for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. That 2 year commitment is now up, and if I understand it correctly, their enrollment in 2017 would have actually put them in 5A (would have been fun to see them against Phillips). Anyway, if they petition up again for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, which class would that be? I would think they would have to wait until the 2018 football enrollments came out - correct? They were ousted in the Class 7A post season this year in the quarterfinals, so do they try for another 2 year stint in 7A (if allowed) or stay where their actual 2018 football enrollment would most likely put them? I'm not sure I have a good handle on this at this time, so I'm interested in any thoughts, info, guesses, tarot card readings, etc.
Eastside Flyers in 2018
- Thread starter Hinterland
- Start date
ESL will be 7A. It's not about trying the find the right class that gives you the best chance at winning a championship. It's about competing. The teams that play 7A are different than the teams that play 5A or 6A.
My guess is that there will be another national game - not that I have any knowledge, but piecing together somethings that have been mentioned.
This is on their twitter:
Esl FlyersFootball@Football_Flyers Nov 21
We have an open date for 2018. Looking for a game on October 5th or 6th.
Someone opined that ESL and an Ohio school should go at it because of their recent connection with Lebron James.
This is on their twitter:
Esl FlyersFootball@Football_Flyers Nov 21
We have an open date for 2018. Looking for a game on October 5th or 6th.
Someone opined that ESL and an Ohio school should go at it because of their recent connection with Lebron James.
The Principal at that time did not let the team petition up. He thought it affected other sports (specifically Track)
If that is the case, why not play 8A like half of their conference does? If it is about playing against the best, ESL would petition up to 8A. Seems like they petition up to 7A for just a little bit more competition but not TOO much.
Again this is a school that's now a 5A enrollment and doesn't need to move up at all so....also tell me who schedules as many OOS non-conference power schools than ESTL? Evangel Christian will have a ton of kids playing in the SEC next season so it's bot like they are avoiding anyone.
They definitely are not avoiding anyone in the regular season. But their reasoning of wanting to face the best, not chase a championship contradicts itself playing up to the much weaker 7A instead of 8A.
*For the record I am amazed at their success for their enrollment and that they choose to play up at all. But to me their reasoning doesn’t make sense. Their reasoning suggests they want to play all the way up, so I just want to know the reasoning for stopping at 7A.
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First you have to acknowledge that from year to year there isn't much difference from 7A to 8A. Some years 8A has the most dominant team and some years 7A will have the most dominant team. ESL has been in 7A every since the IHSA implemented the 8 Class system. If there was a guarantee that 8A is better than 7A every year, your point would be valid.
I will also add that no one ever said they wanted to play 7A because it's the BEST.
Belleville East is the only team in the Southwestern Conference that is recently always in 8A. Edwardsville and O'fallon are always near the 7A-8A cut line. Belleville West falls in 7A 95% of the time. Alton is securely in 7A. Granite City and Collinsville are 6A-7A cut line teams. Up until about 5-7 years ago all 8 of these schools were 7a teams. Enrollment has fluctuated for a few schools (Edwardsville, O'fallon on the rise. Granite City, Collinsville, ESTL dropping. Belleville Schools, Alton steady-slowly dropping) My belief is ESTL chooses to stay in 7A because that is the class most known to them. They know the competition is good and the always fit really well into the class.
I know this. He just stated they they have played 7A every year since going to 8 classes. Just clarifying.
That would make sense, but I believe they have typically been 6A enrollment until this year.
So what would be the reason to go 8A?
From 2002 to 2008 ESL was 7A. After winning the title in 2008, The enrollment for the 2009 season was projected to be 6A. ESL Petition to be 7A. In 2010 Through 2012 ESL enrollment was 7A so no petition was needed however the Petition determines the lowest class level. (This mean if ESL was to gain 8A level enrollment during the two years of a petition, ESL will play 8A football regardless of the petition).
In 2013 They were not allowed to petition up which landed ESL is 6A for both years. After playing in 6A for two years there was a better understanding of why the coach wanted to play 7A.
As someone posted earlier, 7A is the class that everyone is most familiar with. 8A is not automatically better than 7A.
So now the reason is that 7A is what ESL is more familiar with? I thought it was about competing against the best.
EDIT: Before you say it, I know 8A isn't automatically the best, but they usually are.
The reason to go 8A is to conquer the top class in the state. That would go along with and make sense in the explanation of wanting to compete with the best.
The reason to go 7A is to get a little better competition, but not too much.
I didn't say you did. I said that earlier in this thread, you stated that the petition to play in 7A "was about competing."
So is 7A not competing? If the answer is yes I don't understand your point of petitioning for 8A. You keep throwing out the Best comment as if that can be proven.
The explanation for petitioning up to and stopping at 7a is as murky as ever. It makes no sense whatsoever.
If you say you want to be in the top class in the state and petition for 8a, that would make sense. If you were afraid of not winning as many championships in that division, so you choose 7a, that would make sense. None of the reasons you gave made any sense.
The good thing for ESL is its their decision in which I am sure they can care less what anyone think of the move. There will always be someone who disagree or think it don't make sense to them. The facts that ruin your statement is over the last 10 years, no one can say the 8A champs will absolutely beat the 7A champs therefore no one can conclude which class is the "best". This fact makes your point completely irrelevant. If 8A is the "best" because it is the largest by enrollment, ESL should never be able to compete in 7A right?
The champs in 5-8a are usually able to compete with each other. Phillips beat Loyola. But no one is arguing that 5a is as good as 8a. Depth is what sets it apart.
It's been explained, you just don't agree which is fine. That is totally separate from petitioning to 8A versus 7A.
I have to agree with you. I think the very best teams in 5a-7a are right there with the best in 8a, but the playoff brackets for 8a seem to be far more loaded with a greater chance of losing for any top team. 8a is just generally tougher.
Usually a tougher road to a championship in 8a, but I agree with going back to fewer classes.
We went to 8 classes to appease "Farmville" so their goat-raising boys had a chance at winning something beside 4H.
In a perfect world, the tall, muscled 13-year-old who was skipping school because he had no clean clothes in 89 Blocks, is playing Flyers football and getting his own life in check.
Granite leaving after this season, but still waiting on confirmation from South Seven Conference. Collinsville's last year is in 2018 for football. It hasn't been determined where they are going yet, but every indication is they will play football only in the Mississippi Valley (Highland, Triad, Mascoutah, Etc.) or be an independent, but schedule the majority of Mississippi Valley teams.
