Heritage vs Happy Hill

[freeagent]

Okay ... I didn't think the Pioneers would make it this far. And I ain't the only guy on line with that idea, so don't gimme all that you don't know jack stuff ...

But having seen both Heritage and Happy Hill (on succeeding weeks, 10 & 11), I think Heritage wins this game, not a 45 but in double digits.

Reason 1 will be coaching. Heritage is a coaching machine and will be well prepared for the matchup. I'm not sure everybody else has been as well-prepared for the game as they thought they would be.

Reason 2 is kicking. Every Heritage touchdown is capped with a two point kick and then a kickoff out of the endzone. So that means when you take the ball, you're down 8 and with the ball at the 20. Means you gotta score AND kick everytime to just break even. Unless you get a stop or turnover on defense AND convert it into points, you can't get ahead of Heritage. Sure stinks in my book.

I'm pencilling in a trip to Moody for Saturday night (as I may be in Temple over the weekend anyway) ...

 

[Kramer]

I will 2nd our pick.
I attended the Granbury Happy Hill vs. Dickinson Pine Drive game.

If my count was/is correct, Dickinson Pine Drive which made all their kicks last week (6 if i recall), missed all 9 in this game and lost by 5.
If my math is correct, that's 18 points left off the board.
I just wasn't the same Dickinson Pine Drive team that I've seen 3x this year, and I noticed their stud MLB (#11) didn't play in this game either.

I see Freddy winning by 32... Had them beating Dickinson Pine Drive by 37, So I'm knocking off the 5 points in which HH beat PD

 

[Box Dad]

PD really missed 9 PATs? Wow, the week before they did well, good snap, lots of leg. That surely loses the game for them.

I would be very curious to see if Heritage has the same problems with game tapes as PD had, however I don't think we would here about it if they did.
Heritage ends the game early in Moody, thats my prediction. I am basing this off the regular schedule. WF Notre Dame and Happy seem pretty equal.
I don't know the answer to how long it took Fredericksburg to finish off WF this weekend.

 

[freeagent]

According to the box score in the SA paper today, game ended with 3:56 left in 4th qtr.

On a field goal. A 39 yard field goal.

 

[ND#9]

lifegate,

I can tell you that I'm 100% sure it did NOT end on a 39 yard field goal. neither team even attempted a field goal. the game ended with a fredericksburg touchdown to make the score 60-12. I would know, I was the lone senior on Notre Dame's team this year.

 

[Box Dad]

ND#9,
Would you say that Happy and Notre Dame were pretty even this year as far as ability?

 

[freeagent]

lifegate,

I can tell you that I'm 100% sure it did NOT end on a 39 yard field goal. neither team even attempted a field goal. the game ended with a fredericksburg touchdown to make the score 60-12. I would know, I was the lone senior on Notre Dame's team this year.

Then there was an error in the box score in the SA Express News, which isn't uncommon.

Since the kid listed as kicking the field goal isn't their kicker (and it looks like the box score says they missed one PAT), the math works out if that last score was a touchdown.

Congrats on a great season ... looks like Notre Dame is somebody we'd better watch out for next year!

 

[eustace]

Can someone clarify something for me. I've heard that Happy Hill is like a boarding school, is that correct? If so, I don't see how that is fair, that you can have kids live on campus, and what is the possibility of recruiting or moving the right kids in when you need them, sounds pretty convenient to me. Plus I know coaches and teams that have had to deal with coaches and players from there and let's just say their testimony at Happy Hill isn't the best. Plus doesn't the Dallas Cowboys work pretty close with the school, when you walk in their gym you must first walk through a shrine to the Dallas Cowboys. Just wondering, I could be completely wrong on this matter.

 

[freeagent]

Can someone clarify something for me. I've heard that Happy Hill is like a boarding school, is that correct? If so, I don't see how that is fair, that you can have kids live on campus, and what is the possibility of recruiting or moving the right kids in when you need them, sounds pretty convenient to me. Plus I know coaches and teams that have had to deal with coaches and players from there and let's just say their testimony at Happy Hill isn't the best. Plus doesn't the Dallas Cowboys work pretty close with the school, when you walk in their gym you must first walk through a shrine to the Dallas Cowboys. Just wondering, I could be completely wrong on this matter.

Yes, the Dallas Cowboys do provide a lot of support to Happy Hill. When I listen to Cowboy broadcasts, they often have certain fund-raising sponsors for Happy Hill (I forget if it was somebody donates a couple hundred bucks every interception, or whatever). In fact, I think Brad Sham's grandson attended the school a few years ago.

I spoke with the Headmaster from Happy Hill a few weeks ago when we played there. Now these are MY IMPRESSIONS, not his or the school's. They probably can speak more eloquently than I can on this.

I remember going to Happy Hill in 2003 when we started football and when Brad Clanton was coaching. The place was at that time more-or-less something on the line of a Christian based school for kids with behavioral problems and it was kind of like a place you'd go before the judge sent you to someplace with iron bars and lots of guards. The average kid spent a couple years at the school. Since we got beat 88-6 (at half; they were defending champs and won it again that year), I really didn't enjoy the trip.

But in my conversation with the Headmaster, the school changed its focus a few years ago. They do accept kids from disadvantaged situations but not if they require medication or significant intervention. They do have on-campus housing units (about 8 students and 2 adult couples [4 people] as house parents, the couples are often students at a nearby theological seminary) but they have tried to shift more to an academic focus than a rehabilitation focus, as they are not in the situation to provide the staff (therapists, social workers, etc.) required for that type of care.

As for boarding schools and recruiting (more correctly, the TAPPS term is "inducement" to attend a school to participate in TAPPS events); boarding schools must apply and receive a special status from TAPPS and Happy Hill has achieved that status. Part of that status is that you cannot use boarding as an inducement to recruit athletes. Yes, a boarding student can compete in sports, but you'd better not have your dorms full of football or basketball players exclusively.

Trust me, I've seen places where the idea was done that you'd bring in athletes, give them room and board (cheap) and think that the paying customers (parents and current students) would be happy to let that happen. It ain't the "outsiders" turning those folks in -- it's the people on the inside who are sick of seeing their school and program turned over to folks who are ruining their school and using as their own private playground. I didn't see that happening at Happy Hill.

The school has always had a pretty solid athletic program; they were down for the last couple years (especially when they moved up to 2A/Division I). While they have nice facilities (and anything they can stick a donor's name on, they will ... and I'd do the same thing, by the way), they are not 5A public school level. The gym looks very nice and the football facilities are okay.

 

[dport]

Can someone clarify something for me. I've heard that Happy Hill is like a boarding school, is that correct? If so, I don't see how that is fair, that you can have kids live on campus, and what is the possibility of recruiting or moving the right kids in when you need them, sounds pretty convenient to me. Plus I know coaches and teams that have had to deal with coaches and players from there and let's just say their testimony at Happy Hill isn't the best. Plus doesn't the Dallas Cowboys work pretty close with the school, when you walk in their gym you must first walk through a shrine to the Dallas Cowboys. Just wondering, I could be completely wrong on this matter.

I'm not sure what other coaches have told you, but this is the second year HHF has been in our district and not only is Coach Saul an outstanding coach but also a good man who has shown nothing but respect for his opponents and the game. His kids play the game hard and with class and have great attitudes. This is my testimony towards them.

 

[eustace]

Thank you both for your clarification on this. I still don't think it's a fair situation compared to smaller TAPPS schools who may not have the finiancial backing that they do, also the advantage of having the athletes living there on campus, I know this is just my opinion. But I do know from experience that on 2 different occasions that 2 different coaches acted very childish and immature and didn't leave a good impression on me or our school, athletes, and parents. Just one man's humble yet accurate opinion.

 

[FBsFun]

eustance, you are right, it is NOT fair.

Your small school, likely has a Jr High, where your kids are trained to block and tackle correctly. Or, you have supporting parents that get little Johnny personal training at summer camps. Your coaches work for years to instill discipline into your young athletes.

For the HHF coach, it is a "box of chocolates" every year. I'm sure he has issues to deal with that we can't imagine.

God Bless whomever coaches at a great organization like HHF.

 

[ND#9]

lifegate, thanks. it was an amazing season, and being that they're only losing me from this year's team, I already know that other guys will work their butts off to make up for losing me on both sides of the ball. heck, notre dame will probably be better next year than this if they put their minds to it. and to boxdad, yes i would say that we were pretty even. Honestly we did improve from the year beforehand, but had some trouble defending the spread. the key is hitting happy hill hard, they did not protect the ball well against us and, in turn, we forced 4 turnovers. after playing against freddy, i can honestly say that they will annihilate happy hill.

 

[eustace]

FBsFun, your right it's not fair, glad you agree with me. And yes we are a small school, with a Jr. High program. But our coaches are all volunteer, some even parents. Yes our parents pay for their kids to come and get a christian education, and most of them stuggle with that, not to mention even having the money to send little Johnny to camps or personal trainers, must be nice though. I'm sure HHF has their issues with kids, but don't alot of schools. Plus we don't have NFL caliber players and team to back us with support. So not a whole lot of sympathy there. I just know what we've experienced with HHF on multiple occasions, and sounds like other schools are experiencing it as well. Thanks.

 

[smokeyjoe53]

Same talk happened when Cherokee was making their runs back in the late 60's and 70's. People thought they had an unfair advantage because of Cherokee Home for Children. Difference being the Home was off campus. Both are still viable entities but you don't hear the accusations now. Maybe it's because Cherokee hasn't been quite as successful in football recently.
What do they say about Jealousy? Green-eyed monster..............

 

[CoachHouserDCA]

I want to second that Coach T. is a great coach, and his kids will be ready for Freddy!

HH kids play hard and they are fast. They played us with class and they beat a great Brownwood team. I hope it is a great game. Congrats to them for making it to the State game.

Coach Houser AD
Denton Calvary

 

[freeagent]

Same talk happened when Cherokee was making their runs back in the late 60's and 70's. People thought they had an unfair advantage because of Cherokee Home for Children. Difference being the Home was off campus. Both are still viable entities but you don't hear the accusations now. Maybe it's because Cherokee hasn't been quite as successful in football recently.
What do they say about Jealousy? Green-eyed monster..............

Seems nobody complained about their unfair advantage in 2006 -2007 - 2008 - 2009- 2010, when Happy Hill wasn't a factor in the playoffs.