[Middlesboro]

Wouldn't that be a fun team to watch every year.

[RunItUpTheGut]

If they consolidated, they would be beat down by a Whitley/Corbin/Wburg team every year :biggrin:

[E's Army]

If consolidated they would be the largest 5A team in the state. Their male enrollment would be slightly over 700. Probably be in Whitley's district.

[Fly Like a Duck]

...and, pray it never makes it to 6A numbers because your nearest district is in Lexington/Madison Central.

[Bobcats 9108]

...and, pray it never makes it to 6A numbers because your nearest district is in Lexington/Madison Central.

It wouldn't be that big. I would think if it ever happened it would only be around 1400-1500 students. All three schools have a declining enrollment.

[VELVET CLOSER]

I've asked that same question about Belfry, Pike Central, Phelps, Shelby Valley, Pikeville and East Ridge. Make one big Pike County High. Im sure that would be 6A, and traveling for games would be awful but it would be fun to watch.

[LCC]

I've asked that same question about Belfry, Pike Central, Phelps, Shelby Valley, Pikeville and East Ridge. Make one big Pike County High. Im sure that would be 6A, and traveling for games would be awful but it would be fun to watch.

That would be over 3,000 students

[Bulldogs4Ever]

One big Pike County High. Youd have to take helicopters instead of buses to get the kids to school. Place is about like Afganistan in terms of geography.

[EKUAlum05]

Politics would destroy that consolidated effort.

Heck.. The individual schools are struggling with politics

[Bulldogs4Ever]

But as for Bell, Middlesboro and Pineville, that would be a nice school. Large 5A. But Independent Middlesboro will never join in.

[HCS]

Pineville, on the other hand, is getting extremely small. I think they have less than 100 boys in the high school. This junior class may be their last good team for a while, if they can keep going.

[pjdoug]

If they consolidated, they would be beat down by a Whitley/Corbin/Wburg team every year :biggrin:

My exact thoughts :biggrin:

[adopted purple]

What if Trinity, St X, and Male consolidated? What about Bowling Green, South Warren, and Warren Central? Could be some powerhouse teams.

[PHSForever]

One big Pike County High. Youd have to take helicopters instead of buses to get the kids to school. Place is about like Afganistan in terms of geography.

Not to mention the politics are like tribal Afghanistan politics too. But really, the transportation is hardest on the "backside" of the county, in the areas closest to WV and Va. In the other areas, while the hollers are still narrow, etc, for the most part it is pretty good.

[RicFlair]

What if Trinity, St X, and Male consolidated? What about Bowling Green, South Warren, and Warren Central? Could be some powerhouse teams.

That's impractical.. You're talking about a 3A a 2A and a 1A school, not 3 5A schools.

[64black&gold]

Danville/Boyle Co. ???

[KYHSFBFan]

That would be over 3,000 students

You'd be better off splitting Pike Co into 2 schools.. That's a big county and would be a huge school. I could see some busing nightmares.. Even if you split Pike into 2 schools, that'd still be 2 big 5a schools..

[RunItUpTheGut]

To be honest, while good in theory, and the thought that they would be really good if you combined them now....In all honesty, after the first 4 or 5 years, youd probably go back to being average. When you consolidate, you mix in a lot of good athletes at one time that all played. After 4 or 5 years, you've got kids who may not have played had they still been separated.

[HCS]

To be honest, while good in theory, and the thought that they would be really good if you combined them now....In all honesty, after the first 4 or 5 years, youd probably go back to being average. When you consolidate, you mix in a lot of good athletes at one time that all played. After 4 or 5 years, you've got kids who may not have played had they still been separated.

Again with this theory of being good early and then being average.
Pike had several consolidations and none were very good early or after five years.

[RicFlair]

To be honest, while good in theory, and the thought that they would be really good if you combined them now....In all honesty, after the first 4 or 5 years, youd probably go back to being average. When you consolidate, you mix in a lot of good athletes at one time that all played. After 4 or 5 years, you've got kids who may not have played had they still been separated.

It's a numbers game, that's why sports are classed. Historically bell county, and middlesboro especially have produced good and even some great athletes and combining the 3 schools would only make those chances of having those 5 or 10 good players more likely.... Not to say they would be phenomenal every year, just saying the chances of having championship caliber teams year in and year out is more likely

[adopted purple]

That's impractical.. You're talking about a 3A a 2A and a 1A school, not 3 5A schools.

Actually, One 5A and two 4A schools. I think it could be practical. If I'm in charge of consolidating, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[MountainSports]

I've asked that same question about Belfry, Pike Central, Phelps, Shelby Valley, Pikeville and East Ridge. Make one big Pike County High. Im sure that would be 6A, and traveling for games would be awful but it would be fun to watch.

For conversation sake Pike county high school would probably located somewhere around Kimper and have around 4 new roads built to it. Such as Shelby valley and pike central buses come from one road, belfry from one, Phelps from one, and finally east ridge from the last one. Something similar to how mingo county central high school In west Virginia was built. This school would feature 2000+ students and coach Haywood would be the coach. Lol

But what I think would be more realistic is Phelps and belfry consolidates. Phelps come to belfry.
Pike central, Shelby valley, and east ridge make a school near fishtrap.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Again with this theory of being good early and then being average.
Pike had several consolidations and none were very good early or after five years.

Who said they HAVE to be good?
I said it before and ill say it again. All you get when you consolidate crap is a bigger pile of crap.

BUT, when you take 3 or 4 schools with a good sports history that have a system in place t make them competitive, they will be good for the first cycle.
I said this in 2009 when it came to Harlan County on here and for 4 years I was told I was wrong, stupid, and you all would still be just as good. Your not. And I was right. Your players are Harlan County players now. Not Cawood, Cumberland, and Evarts players combining.
I really don't understand how I can prove it more to you. The proof is in your team the past couple of years.

[E's Army]

Mercer County had one good season after consolidating and have become very mediocre since.

[BlueCrew34]

The problem with consolidation is that you're not thinking about the kids. Three schools means potentially around 50-60 kids get on the field any given season, along with that maybe 120 or so are on teams. One mega school would bring those numbers way down. Also each school has its own identity and history/ culture. Consolidation destroys that, areas that supported their school and got involved stop caring as much. Competition between local schools drive them to be better in every aspect, consolidation promotes apathy in my opinion

[HCS]

Who said they HAVE to be good?
I said it before and ill say it again. All you get when you consolidate crap is a bigger pile of crap.

BUT, when you take 3 or 4 schools with a good sports history that have a system in place t make them competitive, they will be good for the first cycle.
I said this in 2009 when it came to Harlan County on here and for 4 years I was told I was wrong, stupid, and you all would still be just as good. Your not. And I was right. Your players are Harlan County players now. Not Cawood, Cumberland, and Evarts players combining.
I really don't understand how I can prove it more to you. The proof is in your team the past couple of years.

They weren't good until they consolidated and they got better each year as Harlan County. They won a REGIONAL championship in 2012 with guys who never played a game at Cawood, Evarts or Cumberland high schools.
Last year was a down year and now they are getting better again.

If this is such a rock solid theory, where else did it happen besides Mercer?

[HCS]

The problem with consolidation is that you're not thinking about the kids. Three schools means potentially around 50-60 kids get on the field any given season, along with that maybe 120 or so are on teams. One mega school would bring those numbers way down. Also each school has its own identity and history/ culture. Consolidation destroys that, areas that supported their school and got involved stop caring as much. Competition between local schools drive them to be better in every aspect, consolidation promotes apathy in my opinion

Harlan County has 77 players on the team now. They were lucky to have 90 between the three of them toward the end.
They have freshman, JV and varsity teams now. They don't have everyone playing both ways now.
And more importantly, they've won four district and two regional championships since they opened. The three of them had won one playoff game in the previous 10 years.
Competition between bad teams doesn't make anyone better. Putting them together made them better.