1 Nov 09
After all the hype, discussion and gnashing of teeth, the "Z" plan invented by TSSAA has resulted in Camden being seeded third in the 2009 Division I Blue Cross Bowl Class 3A bracket and playing a home game against Lewis County Friday night at 7 PM. Click here for a link to the complete TSSAA brackets.
Talking with Head Coach Kevin Ward about the controversial method that was used this year:
"It turned into a big attempt to promote the TSSAA, I think! It really had nothing to do with promoting the football playoffs, building rivalries, all those things that were mentioned preseason; it's all about TSSAA! They had their little TV show on Saturday morning, and they STILL had mistakes in their brackets! It seemed like they were too concerned about the show to get the brackets correct; they had to go back and make bracket corrections since the show! Maybe all the mistakes will lead to this flawed system going away soon."
On the playoff picture for Camden:
"We get Lewis County here. Milan (10-0) is a #1 seed, Manassas (9-1) #2, they are both Region Champs. The next qualifier is district runner-ups. We are the only one, so we go down as a #3 seed. Next in are the automatic qualifiers, those who finish in the top half of their district. Fairview, Lewis County and Oakhaven are all in that group and place them by overall record. The two wild card teams are Stewart County and Westview. Westview got the tiebreaker because they beat more teams that won 50% of their games. Very confusing, but we have all of the brackets set and we are in the lower half with Manassas and Westview on the other side. The higher seeded team plays at home. If we are lucky enough to win, we would travel to Manassas if they win or stay at home and play Westview if they win."
About getting ready for the Lewis County Panthers next Friday night:
"Their record doesn't say anything about how good this team is. They played a really good Spring Hill and Giles County team and even with Fairview; they are a solid club, as usual. They could easily be 7-3. We are very familiar with Coach Sharp and his assistants; we actually get together with them in the summer and talk football, work on some different things that will improve both of our programs. They run a wing-T offense like we do with some slight variations. They will run a "wildcat" play out of it and Coach Sharp is one of the finest men in this profession, he has taught me a lot about how to run a program, be organized, and prepare for games. He was my freshman coach at Milan and I have the utmost respect for him. I know they will come over here prepared as anyone can be and be ready to beat us if we don't play well. I am concerned about how our kids will react after having lost the last game and missing a week. I don't see an outmatched cupcake first round team coming here, they have speed, some size, run the same basic offense we do. Defensively, they will put eight men in the box and dare you to beat them throwing it! We have our work cut out for us."
There will be a pep rally Thursday night at Wright Field at 6 PM. Everyone is invited to come and cheer our Lions as they prepare for their first round playoff game. Afterwards, there will be a pot luck supper in the CHS cafeteria and a chance to meet the team while you eat with friends and fans. Come on out Thursday night and bring enough extra food for a couple of hungry football players! Let's eat and talk a little high school PLAYOFF football and help our team get ready to beat Lewis County on Friday at 7 PM!
GO LIONS!
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