Blum versus Fredericksburg Heritage

[bsawyer]

Blum is a public school. They are in the largest division in 6-man football, UIL Division 1.

Heritage is a private school. They are in the smallest division in private 6-man football, TAPPS Division 2.

Blum has 100 (within 10% of actual) students in 9th thru 12th Grade.
Heritage has 50 (within 10% of actual) students in the 9th through 12th Grade.

Last year, Blum coach Gary Talafuse was awarded the 2006 Super Centex Coach of the Year Award. FYI: He also won the award three years ago when he was at Buckholts.

In the 2006 season last year, the Blum Bobcats didn’t give up an offensive touchdown in its first 11 games (the ten regular season games and their first playoff game) and recorded eight shutouts in that span, including six straight. They played four games in the playoffs, losing to State Champion Richland Springs in the semi-finals. They won their first 13 games and lost their only game to the state champs in the semi-finals.

Last year Blum 45’ed their first 11 opponents, including 3 teams who made the UIL playoffs as well as the private school team who was the runner-up state champion (Greenville Christian) in the largest divison, Division 1.

Blum 2006 record 13-1

Blum 62 Blanket 12
Blum 58 Milford 0 (Milford made it to the 2nd Round of playoffs)
Blum 58 Granbury Happy Hill 8
Blum 45 Bryson 0
Blum 65 Greenville Christian 16 (GC played for the state championship in TAPPS Division 1)
Blum 58 Walnut Springs 0
Blum 47 Abbott 0 (Abbott made the playoffs)
Blum 58 Kopperl 0
Blum 58 Aquilla 0
Blum 53 Bynum 0
Blum 58 Coolidge 0 1st Round Playoffs
Blum 51 Strawn 40 2nd Round Playoffs
Blum 80 Trinidad 44 Regional Finals
Lost to Richland Springs (the State Champs) in the semi-finals

This year, 2007.

Blum was ranked 8th in the UIL State overall, by Granger’s Sixmanfootball website, with 225.21 points when they played Heritage in the first game of the year on Saturday, September 1.

Heritage was ranked 7th in the State in Private Schools with 152.17 points (73 points less than Blum, therefore giving Blum a 73 point advantage in a head-to-head game. Anytime the point spread is more than 45 points, the spread is considered 45 points because of the 45 point mercy rule.)

Blum was a 45 point favorite in their game with Fredericksburg Heritage.

Heritage won by 50 points. 56-6. The game ended in the 3rd quarter because of the 45 point mercy rule.

Heritage beat the ‘spread’ by 95 points.

Was there some unusual circumstance that led to this upset? The field a mud bowl? No. A game played in a driving downpour? No. Blum had all of its starters out? No. In fact both teams had a few starters injured or not able to play.

Question: Is Blum that 'bad', Heritage that 'good', or a combination of both?

 

[Rdavis]

probably both.

 

[OneIfByWare]

I'd say Fredericksburg has got it going on this year. What an outstanding accomplishment that is likely to draw comparisons between Heritage and Appalachian State.

Rain can certainly neutralize a speed advantage, but not 56-6 worth.

 

[SportsRme]

bsawyer, great accomplishment by Freddy. If all those stats mean anything then Freddy should not have to worry about halftime team snacks all yr, cause they won't play anyone that good again.

I did not see it, but I'd have to believe that there must have been some special circumstance that contributed to the result.

Regardless, great job!

Lookout Glenview and Dallas Covenant!

 

[Fredeagles]

[
Rain can certainly neutralize a speed advantage, but not 56-6 worth.[/quote]

There was no rain before or during the Blum - Fredericksburg Heritage game

 

[bsawyer]

Thanks for the complement SportRme.

I agree with you that for a little Division 2 school like Fredericksburg Heritage to play a top ten UIL school like Blum and 45 them is, as you said a “great jobâ€

 

[freeagent]

Thanks for the complement SportRme.

I agree with you that for a little Division 2 school like Fredericksburg Heritage to play a top ten UIL school like Blum and 45 them is, as you said a “great jobâ€

 

[bsawyer]

John, I hope you didn't think I implied that Heritage 45'ed you last year. I was implying that certainly you (Lifegate) were thinking that you had a chance of beating Heritage this year, NOT being 45'ed like Heritage just did to Blum. I was make an effort to give you guys a compliment.

 

[freeagent]

John, I hope you didn't think I implied that Heritage 45'ed you last year. I was implying that certainly you (Lifegate) were thinking that you had a chance of beating Heritage this year, NOT being 45'ed like Heritage just did to Blum. I was make an effort to give you guys a compliment.

Yeah, but after seeing that score, Heritage will probably 45 us. I'm going to have to seriously think about doing something to even up the odds that week, like sending fully-stocked ice cream trucks to your practices.

 

[bsawyer]

Sorry John. Coach Shipman is one step ahead of you. He knows the tricks you have up your sleeve. He already hired the ice cream police. I saw them the other day.

Don't worry John. You still have six more weeks to think about it. Day and night. 24/7.

Sleep tight!

 

[freeagent]

Sorry John. Coach Shipman is one step ahead of you. He knows the tricks you have up your sleeve. He already hired the ice cream police. I saw them the other day.

Don't worry John. You still have six more weeks to think about it. Day and night. 24/7.

Sleep tight!

Yeah. Compared to what we'll see that night, movies like "Nightmare on Elm Street" would be considered a slapstick comedy.

Oh, was wondering if you saw this in Granger's rankings:

OR DR TEAM W L RAT CHG POR PDR
1 1 Fredericksburg Heritage 1 0 192.65 40.48 7 2
2 1 Rockwall Heritage 1 0 186.86 0.09 1 1
3 2 Greenville Christian 1 0 178.08 1.37 2 2

That's right ... Heritage AHEAD of Rockwall and Greenville. If Heritage was a public school, it would be ranked 28 ... two spots ahead of Blum, so maybe even the ranking above isn't as high as it should be.

John

 

[bsawyer]

Yes John, I saw that Fredericksburg Heritage is ranked #1 in the state, ahead of the big boys in Division 1.

I would think you would find that most Heritage fans, players, and coaches, would rather be thought of as a humble good football team than an arrogant good football team. (Though I would NEVER speak for the Heritage Eagle coaches! EVER!)

You won't get Eagle fans boasting, "We are #1". In fact, I have never heard that chant ever, even after Heritage won the state football championships in 2005 and 2004. We chanted our worthy opponents name instead: St. Albans and Happy Hill respectively.

Pun intended.

Certainly in my humble opinion, Rockwall Heritage and Greenville Christian deserve to be ranked ahead of Frederickburg Heritage. Though the win over Blum was huge, as Shakespeare would say, "One game doth not a number one team make" - except if it is the last game of the year in the state championship.

And that my friend from Seguin, is long way away.

One game at a time.

 

[truthhurts04]

well i may have missed something but you do realize that Blums only 2 starters from last year that were both all-state something along those lines did not play last week? So why are people making such a big deal out of beating Blum? If those 2 played the score is more then likely reversed...

 

[bsawyer]

I understand what you are saying truthhurts04, but the fact of the matter is Blum was a 45 point favorite and lost by 45 points before the 3rd quarter ended.

NOTE: In Granger's point system, Blum was actually ranked 73 points over Heritage.

The two Blum Bobcats that were out were Levi Hardcastle and Stephen McPhearson. And yes, from what I understand, both 1st string and excellent players. But there are twelve positions on any six-man team.

The Eagles had two players out (both on crutches), Luke Andrews and Joey Johnson, both starters at various times.

Blum had only two 1st downs. Heritage had 16 1st downs. (That's eight times more 1st downs.)

Blum had 11 yards rushing. Heritage had 211 yards rushing. (That's 19 times more yards rushing.)

Blum had 92 yards passing. Heritage had 141 yards passing.

Heritage never punted the ball. Blum punted five times.

Two very good players on both teams were sidelined. Certainly Blum would have had a much better game if both Hardcastle and McPhearson would have played. You said, "If those 2 played the score is more then [sic] likely reversed..."

To say that Blum would have 45'ed Heritage, is a bit of a stretch, in my humble opinion.

But that is what the Message Boards are all about. 6-man football fans giving their opinions.

But as everyone that knows me knows - I just love to throw in statistics for the fun of it.

 

[truthhurts04]

So Heritage has 2 players that run a 10 something 100? In 6man speed like that kills, and both those players have that speed...so yes I can see them making up that difference when healthy

 

[MetroEagles32]

So Heritage has 2 players that run a 10 something 100?

I know you UIL six-man fans think that the TAPPS teams have nothing, but...last year at Rockwall Heritage we had two guys who ran 10-something 100's. One of them is currently on the University of North Texas track team.

Just saying, don't assume that the guys from Freddy weren't that fast, because I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[bsawyer]

OK, truthhurts04, your two guys are studs. They are two of the greatest athletes to ever play six-man football. Really. I am happy for you that you have such talented athletes. Honestly.

As you have admitted, "if" they would have been able to play, the outcome would have been different. In your opinion Blum, would have 45'ed Heritage "if" they would have played.

I honestly can admit that "if" they would have played, I do not know what the outcome would have been, only that it would have been a different score.

Your "team" really needs them or else - well - uh - ah - um - something like what happened Saturday might happen to your "team".

There are lots of "ifs" in every game of football.

I don't see any Heritage fans on the UIL Division 1 District 12 Message Boards gloating or posting what ifs like...

"If" our two guys were healthy we would have 45'ed Blum in the first half...

"If" we would have been able to play the game on our home field...

"If" we would have been able to play on Friday night instead of Saturday morning then blah, blah, blah ....

"If" the officials would have been ...

If, my friend, truthhurts04, the sun didn't rise in the east every day, none of us would be here. And there wouldn't be anything called six man football.

But because the earth does rotate on its axis, and the sun does rise in the east every day, well then...

I wish the Blum Bobcats a prosperous remainder of the season.

 

[SportsRme]

bsawyer, you started this topic by stating that there were no special circumstances, but then we find out that 4 starters were out the whole game including their two studs.

I'd call that a pretty significant special circumstance.

No one else all year will play the same Blum team that you did. Enjoy your ranking, because your ranking will benefit from this all year.

ya know, if RS would agree to leave four starters at home, including their best two, more teams might schedule them.

 

[SPREAD]

You can belive that RS will not overlook Blum because of this game. Blum has a good team and will step up when it counts.

Congrats. to Freddy on the win.

 

[bsawyer]

I must respectively disagree with you, SportsRme.

My original post gave Blum huge accolades. Accolades they deserved.

None of my posts have stated ANY of the following:

That I thought Heritage was going to beat Blum.
That I think Heritage is better than Blum.
That the game between Heritage and Blum was played with all players healthy and in the game.
That Blum's two studs weren't top players or they wouldn't have made a difference in the game if they had been able to play. (Since that seems to be the subject that everyone wants to talk about.)

You said, "bsawyer, you started this topic by stating that there were no special circumstances".

I never said that there were no special circumstances. I said it wasn't a downpour, or a muddy field. I mentioned in my first post that both teams had a couple of important players out.

In subsequent posts, I have admitted that the outcome (score) of the game would have been different if Levi Hardcastle and Stephen McPhearson would have been able to play. Certainly that is just my opinion. I even admitted that they may well be some of the best players in 6-man football.

But may I bring to your attention that most 6-man football teams have had one, two, or more of their top players sidelined for various reasons in the 70 years since Texas 6-man football began.

I recall Heritage being 45 point favorites in several games over the years when they had two or more of their top players injured. They never lost one of those games, let alone being 45'ed by their opponent.

In Heritage's first two years of football, because they did not have twelve players, most players had to play every down, on offense and defense. Larger schools have the luxury of having more players to substitute when there is an injury. In order to consistently win, small schools like Heritage have to have great coaches and a well-rounded team, because there are always players out with injuries or for other reasons.

And as I have said in previous posts, Heritage is not reveling in their #1 ranking. It simply isn't their style.

I assume that every team Heritage plays this year will be especially gunning for them, because they are (or were) ranked #1. Knocking off the #1 team seems to be a big feather in the cap of many teams. I assure you that the Heritage players are humbled by their #1 ranking, not puffed-up by it. Cockiness is not something Coach Shipman promotes or allows on or off the field.

Whatever team you cheer for SportsRme, I wish them well this season.