The 3A league is one major mess
By: Tim Chambers
Tomahawk Sports Editor
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The Everly Brothers may not ring a bell for todays generation of high school football players but a song they sang in the 60s will soon be familiar among the Mountain Eight football coaches and athletic directors.
Bye, bye love is a familiar tune that many of us grew up listening to. We know the chorus by heart. Remember goodbye happiness, hello loneliness, I think Im going to cry? That what some administrators are already doing and here is why.
The conference schools are spread out like a weeks washing especially for Johnson County. Can you imagine developing a rivalry among Northview Academy, Claiborne County and Pigeon Forge? Its not going to happen regardless of whats at stake.
Everyone is a loser. The biggest one is Elizabethton.
The Cyclones have a good football team and theyre currently ranked No. 5 in the states Class 3A poll. But its not good when you only have a handful of fans on the visitors side during your Homecoming game inside a new five million dollar stadium.
Johnson County fares no better.
Samuel Icenhours first quarter touchdown run of 36 yards was more than the number of fans that Northview brought. West Greene probably said the same thing about us last week although the weather conditions were horrible.
The TSSAA has killed high school football in Northeast Tennessee with its numbers game. And pretty soon theyll feel the crunch as well.
Johnson Countys biggest rival game is Hampton. Some will say Elizabethton but that will change in two years.
My gut feeling tells me Elizabethton will consider moving back up into 4A after the 2016 season. If that happens theyll no longer play the Longhorns.
Sullivan South, Greeneville, Sullivan East, Volunteer and Sullivan Central are much more attractive games for them plus Grainger County has a history of fielding some good athletic teams. Cherokee and Seymour are very competitive and each has a nice facility.
You can see how the move would benefit them financially.
To read the entire article, pick up a copy of this week's Tomahawk.