NECC?

[bwfan]

Statement:  At the NECC superdual last Saturday, Prairie Hieghts and Fairfield dominated all other teams then went head to head with PH winning by 1 pt.  Question: Is the rest of the conference down this year, or are these two teams exceptional this year, or both?

[KarlHungus]

Who has been close to these two in recent seasons? 

[Y21AB]

Who has been close to these two in recent seasons? 

Angola and West Noble in the past couple years!

[neccfan]

Angola has not been close in a dual with the panthers. They lost by 1 point to Prairie Heights in 08/09 conference tournament and 22 in the dual meet.

[ENoblewrestling]

We have finished third in the conference duals the last two seasons.  Two years ago angola beat us by I believe six and P.H. beat us by 2.  We had a chance in both duals going into the last match.  We beat fairfield in our dual that year.

Last season we finished third and both P.H. and FF were about 25 points better than us.  We had Hamilton, Nicodemus, and Herron and Siddons out for that dual, but I would still say they were at least 15 better than us.

This season we beat West Noble by criteria we both had some solid wrestlers out that day.  We would have a good dual with them if both teams were at full strength.  Right now I would put Fremont and Central Noble as the other teams fighting for third.  We beat fremont by 25 or so. We wrestle cn on Thursday. Heights and FF beat us by 60 or so.  They beat everyone else by that much.  

As a team we have the same record as last year, and I feel we are in many ways similar to our team last year.  We are pry down abit, but I would say that it is more that those teams are just that dominant than other teams being way down.  They are just that good.

[cementmixer]

It's still early in the season, so things will develop for the other teams and injuries will heal. But Prairie Heights and Fairfield are solid, top-to-bottom. They both are exceptional teams, led by some strong senior leaders. I look for them to represent 5-7 deep each at semi-state.

[bwfan]

I guess everyone else beat me to the who has been close question.  In the past decade, neither FF nor PH would lay the wood to the all the other NECC teams like they did Sat.  Both teams won 10 to 12 of the 14 weights in those duals.  Usually Busco, Angola, West Noble, even Central Noble would be able to win from 4 to 7 of the weights in a dual against those two.  So again, is it that the competition from the other teams is way down, or are those two teams special as far as the NECC goes.  And by special, I mean could they win a team regional and compete at team Semi State?  Or will it be the usual PH wins or comes in second at sectional then goes no farther?  I think a very good indicator will be PH's performance as a team at Al Smith in a couple of weeks.

[ENoblewrestling]

I guess everyone else beat me to the who has been close question.  In the past decade, neither FF nor PH would lay the wood to the all the other NECC teams like they did Sat.  Both teams won 10 to 12 of the 14 weights in those duals.  Usually Busco, Angola, West Noble, even Central Noble would be able to win from 4 to 7 of the weights in a dual against those two.  So again, is it that the competition from the other teams is way down, or are those two teams special as far as the NECC goes.  And by special, I mean could they win a team regional and compete at team Semi State?  Or will it be the usual PH wins or comes in second at sectional then goes no farther?  I think a very good indicator will be PH's performance as a team at Al Smith in a couple of weeks.

 

I think they are both way up.  They also have to go through mishawaka to win team regionals.  Heights won sectionals last year, I believe they have won several sectionals.  Fairfield will have to beat goshen, elk memorial, and jimtown to get out of sectioanals.  They are very good and may both win sectional but mishawaka is a tall order, add penn to that equation to.

[bwfan]

I think they are both way up.  They also have to go through mishawaka to win team regionals.  Heights won sectionals last year, I believe they have won several sectionals.   Fairfield will have to beat goshen, elk memorial, and jimtown to get out of sectioanals.  They are very good and may both win sectional but mishawaka is a tall order, add penn to that equation to.

OUCH.  Nevermind, for some reason I was thinking that team regional opponents would be the same as the teams in individual regional.  Now that I see Mish and Penn in the mix, my last post is amoung the dumbest I have ever read on this board.  However, personally I think they can compete against EM and Jimtown.

[porkrinder]

I don't think it should come as a shock to anyone that those are the top 2 teams in the NECC.  Prairie Heights long been the program by which all other NECC programs were measured against.  Fairfield, as of late, has asserted themselves as a contendor.  Prairie Heights wrestles...that's what they do.  No other sports program is a source of any pride in that school the way wrestling is.  Fairfield has a fanstastic athletic department from Yogi down to "Tex" the night shift janitor.  They have an influx of Goshen kids moving their, and their athletics have thrived.  Not surprised that they are the top 2...am a little surprised by some of the scores.  But, I don't think scores this early in the season are totally indicative of everyone's potential.  Some of our wrestlers were still playing football 2 weeks ago. 

[maligned]

They both hammered some quality teams at Laf. Harrison a couple weeks ago.  Fairfield beat SB Riley--a fringe Top 20 team last year bringing a lot of quality back--in the process.  PH has had some really nice teams over the years, but Fairfield has never been this good as a duals team.  It's not necessarily a down year for the rest of the NECC; these two are bringing it.

[NECC]

I think it's fair to say that most other teams are content with the few good wrestlers they have.  Heights and FF are built as a team and will reload every year because thats how their built.  Most other teams have a few good kids and it's a tossup for the rest of the matches...also I still see far too many forfeits.  TEAMS!! aren't willing to just give up 6 that easy, there's always someone waiting in for a chance.  In the smaller communities like ours, we are made of 3 sport athletes...at Heights...they wrestle...thats it!  And they're supported well...not mocked or treated differently like at some other schools.  I expect to see great representation in the Coliseum from both schools and hopefully more.

[maligned]

More proof that Fairfield and Prairie Heights are having far above average years:

 

Mishawaka 43, SB Adams 30

SB Riley 58, SB Adams 18

Fairfield 37, SB Riley 28

 

You can't tell everything from common opponents and opponents' opponents' data, but you can tell a lot.

[busstogate]

To say teams are "content" with forfeiting enough matches to put winning duals in danger is not fair at all to say; it's completely preposterous.

 

There are many factors that could go into why numbers or retention is a problem, but desire to underman is not one.

My teams wrestle most of the NECC yearly and the talent comes and goes in waves on each and every team we see, including the ones you mentioned.  Some have had more of it linger than others; some have to develop a bit before they can have the spread wealth manifest itself.

 

I think it's fair to say that most other teams are content with the few good wrestlers they have.  Heights and FF are built as a team and will reload every year because thats how their built.  Most other teams have a few good kids and it's a tossup for the rest of the matches...also I still see far too many forfeits.  TEAMS!! aren't willing to just give up 6 that easy, there's always someone waiting in for a chance.  In the smaller communities like ours, we are made of 3 sport athletes...at Heights...they wrestle...thats it!  And they're supported well...not mocked or treated differently like at some other schools.  I expect to see great representation in the Coliseum from both schools and hopefully more.