Small districts hamper prep scheduling

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2013 area Tennessee prep football schedulesDISTRICT 6-AAARhea CountyA30 // Coffee CountyS6 // White CountyS13 // at Walker ValleyS20 // Cumberland CountyS27 // Red BankO4 // at CookevilleO11 // at Soddy-DaisyO18 // at Warren CountyO25 // East HamiltonN1 // at Stone MemorialDISTRICT 5-AAABradley CentralA23 // at Polk CountyA30 // Murf. RiverdaleS6 // OpenS13 // at HixsonS20 // Walker ValleyS27 // Signal MountainO4 // at OoltewahO11 // at ClevelandO18 // McMinn CountyO25 // Soddy-DaisyN1 // at East HamiltonClevelandA23 // McCallieA30 // at CookevilleS6 // at McMinn CountyS13 // at HixsonS20 // Soddy-DaisyS27 // at Knoxville WestO4 // at East HamiltonO11 // Bradley CentralO18 // at Walker ValleyO25 // OoltewahN1 // OpenEast HamiltonA23 // at Signal Mountain, 7A30 // Dobyns-BennettS6 // at Walker ValleyS13 // at RiverdaleS20 // at OoltewahS27 // OpenO4 // ClevelandO11 // McMinn CountyO18 // at Soddy-DaisyO25 // at Rhea CountyN1 // Bradley CentralMcMinn CountyA23 // McMinn CentralA30 // at McCallieS6 // ClevelandS13 // AlcoaS30 // at Oak RidgeO4 // Soddy-DaisyO11 // at East HamiltonO18 // at Bradley CentralO25 // at Walker ValleyN1 // OoltewahOoltewahA23 // at BrainerdA30 // SiegelS6 // at Soddy-DaisyS13 // at TynerS20 // East HamiltonS27 // Dobyns-BennettO4 // Bradley CentralO11 // Walker ValleyO18 // OpenO25 // at ClevelandN1 // at McMinn CountyWalker ValleyA23 // at East RidgeA30 // SequoyahS // East HamiltonS13 // Rhea CountyS20 // at Bradley CentralS27 // at Polk CountyO4 // OpenO11 // at OoltewahO18 // ClevelandO25 // McMinn CountyN1 // at Soddy-DaisyDISTRICT 7-AABledsoe CountyA23 // at Cumberland County, 8A30 // at Marion County, 8S6 // Signal Mountain, 8S13 // York Institute, 8S20 // Notre Dame, 8S27 // at Lookout ValleyO4 // at Sequatchie County, 8O11 // OpenO18 // Grundy County, 8O25 // Silverdale Baptist, 8N1 // at Chattanooga ChristianChattanooga ChristianA23 // at Grace AcademyA30 // Lookout ValleyS6 // at Notre DameS13 // OpenS20 // Sequatchie County, 8S27 // at White CountyO4 // at Grundy County, 8O11 // Silverdale Baptist, 7O18 // at Signal Mountain, 7O25 // Marion County, 8N1 // Bledsoe County, 8Grundy CountyA23 // Marion County, 8A30 // at Grace AcademyS6 // at Sequatchie County, 8S13 // Silverdale Baptist, 8S20 // at Signal Mountain, 7S27 // South Pittsburg, 8O 4 // Open/trying to fillO11 // Chattanooga ChristianO18 // at Bledsoe CountyO25 // at Cumberland CountyN1 // Notre DameNotre DameA23 // at Knoxvilleville CatholicA30 // East RidgeS6 // Chattanooga ChristianS13 // at Boyd-BuchananS20 // at Bledsoe CountyS27 // OpenO4 // at Signal MountainO11 // at Polk CountyO18 // Sequatchie CountyO25 // Open/lookingN1 // at Grundy CountySignal MountainA23 // East HamiltonA30 // TynerS6 // at Bledsoe CountyS13 // at Red BankS20 // Grundy CountyS27 // at Bradley CentralO4 // Notre DameO11 // OpenO18 // Chattanooga ChristianO25 // at GreenevilleN1 // At Sequatchie CountyDISTRICT 6-AABrainerdA23 // OoltewahA30 // at McCallieS6 // at Red BankS13 // at BaylorS20 // East RidgeS27 // Austin-EastO4 // HowardO11 // at CentralO18 // TynerO25 // OpenN1 // Hixson //CentralA30 // Polk CountyS6 // East RidgeS13 // at Marion CountyS20 // at Red BankS27 // Open (p/u Ga. team in 2014)O4 // TynerO11 // BrainerdO18 // at HowardO25 // HixsonN1 // at McMinn CentralEast RidgeA23 // Walker ValleyA30 // at Notre DameS6 // at CentralS13 // Polk CountyS20 // at BrainerdS27 // LoudonO4 // at HixsonO11 // Red BankO25 // OpenN1 // at HowardHixsonA23 // Soddy-DaisyA30 // at South Pittsburg, 8S6 // TynerS13 // Bradley CentralS20 // at HowardSept. 27 // at Livingston Academy, 8O4 // East RidgeO17 // Red BankO24 // at CentralO31 // at BrainerdHowardA23 // at BaylorA30 // StratfordS6 // OpenS13 // LoudonS20 // HixsonS27 // at Greater Atlanta ChristianO4 // at BrainerdO11 // at TynerO18 // CentralO25 // at Red BankN1 // East RidgeRed BankA23 // Boyd-BuchananA30 // at Soddy-DaisyS6 // BrainerdS13 // Signal MountainS20 // CentralS27 // at Rhea CountyO4 // OpenO11 // at East RidgeO18 // at HixsonO25 // HowardN1 // at TynerTynerA30 // at Signal Mountain, 7S6 // at HixsonS13 // OoltewahS20 // Knoxville CatholicS27 // Soddy-DaisyO4 // at CentralO11 // HowardO18 // at BrainerdO25 // at East RidgeN1 // Red BankDISTRICT 5-AAMcMinn CentralA23 // at McMinn CountyA30 // Boyd-BuchananS6 // SequoyahS13 // Knoxville GraceS20 // at Polk CountyS27 // at Meigs CountyO4 // SweetwaterO11 // at Knoxville CarterO18 // at LoudonO25 // OpenN 1 // CentralPolk CountyA23 // Bradley CentralA30 // at CentralS6 // OpenS13 // at East RidgeS20 // McMinn CentralS27 // Walker ValleyO4 // at SequoyahO11 // Notre DameO18 // at SweetwaterO25 // at South PittsburgN1 // LoudonDISTRICT 6-ALookout ValleyA23 // at Silverdale BaptistA30 // at Chattanooga ChristianS6 // OpenS13 // Grace AcademyS20 // Marion CountyS27 // Bledsoe CountyO4 // at WhitwellO11 // Meigs CountyO18 // at South Pittsburg, 8O25 // at Copper BasinN1 // Sale CreekMarion CountyA23 // at Grundy County, 8A30 // Bledsoe County, 8S6 // at Whitwell, 8S13 // Central, 8S20 // at Lookout ValleyS27 // Sequatchie County, 8O4 // Sale Creek, 8O11 // at Copper BasinO18 // OpenO25 // at Chattanooga ChristianN1 // South Pittsburg, 8South PittsburgA30 // Hixson, 8S6 // at Sale CreekS13 // Sequatchie County, 8S20 // Whitwell, 8S27 // at Grundy CountyO4 // Open/looking to fillO11 // at Boyd-BuchananO18 // Lookout Valley, 8O25 // Polk County, 8N1 // at Marion CountyWhitwellA23 // Mt. Juliet Christian, 8A30 // at MidwayS6 // Marion County, 8S13 // at HarrimanS20 // at South PittsburgS27 // at Mid. Tenn. Christian, 8O4 // Lookout Valley, 8O11 // Clay County, 8O18 // at Sale CreekO25 // Richland, 8DISTRICT 5-ABoyd-BuchananA23 // at Red BankA30 // at McMinn CentralS6 // Franklin Road AcademyS12 // Notre DameS20 // openS27 // at Donelson Christian AcademyO4 // at Grace AcademyO11 // South PittsburgO18 // at Copper BasinO25 // at Sequatchie CountyN1 // Silverdale BaptistCopper BasinA23CoalfieldA30at Hayesville (N.C.)S6 Silverdale BaptistS13at Tellico PlainsS20at Andrews (N.C.)S27OpenO4 at Towns County (Ga.)O11 Marion CountyO18 Boyd-BuchananO25 Lookout ValleyN1 at Grace AcademyGrace AcademyA23 // Chattanooga ChristianA30 // Grundy CountyS6 // at Davidson AcademyS13 // at Lookout ValleyS20 // OpenS27 // at EaglevilleO4 // Boyd-BuchananO11 // at Sale CreekO18 // at Silverdale BaptistO25 // Jackson CountyN1 // Copper BasinSilverdale BaptistA23 // Lookout ValleyA30 // CommunityS6 // at Copper BasinS13 // at Grundy County, 8S20 // at Hayesville, N.C.S27 // SweetwaterO4 // OpenO11 // at Chattanooga ChristianO18 // Grace AcademyO25 // at Bledsoe CountyN1 // at Boyd-BuchananDISTRICT 3-AMeigs CountyA30 // at SweetwaterS6 // GreenbackS13 // at Sale CreekS20 // RockwoodS27 // McMinn CentralO4 // Knoxville GraceO11 // at Lookout ValleyO18 // at MidwayO25 // HarrimanN1at Tellico PlainsDIVISION II-AA East/MiddleBaylorA23 // HowardA30 // at Knoxville WebbS6 // at MBAS13 // BrainerdS20 // Pope John Paul IIS27 // OpenO4 // McCallieO11 // Murfreesboro OaklandO18 // at Brentwood AcademyO25 // EnsworthN1 // at Father RyanMcCallieA23 // at ClevelandA30 // McMinn CountyS6 // Pope John Paul IIS13 // at Seigel, 8S20 // Bowling GreenS27 // at Ensworth, 8O4 // at BaylorO11 // at Brentwood Academy, 8O18 // OpenO25 // Father RyanN1 // Montgomery Bell Academy //

Rhea County is moving out, Meigs County is moving down and out and East Hamilton is going up, and with each shift come major schedule changes.

Rhea is moving from District 5-AAA to 6-AAA in the 2013-14 school year, while Meigs has dropped from District 5-AA to 3-A and East Hamilton is leaving District 6-AA for 5-AAA.

Football coaches have survived piecing together new schedules, but most would rather pull weeds along their fences by hand.

"I dread it with a passion, especially in a district that has four teams that play football," Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds said.

Reynolds got something of a late start because the Buccaneers, unlike Polk County, reached the state semifinals.

"When you get your butt kicked in the first round, you have plenty of time," Polk coach Derrick Davis said. "Of course now is better than when I first started. The phone rang constantly -- people looking for an easy win."

Class 2A Boyd-Buchanan, which went 9-1 in the regular season, lost a playoff quadrant top seed this past season because the Buccaneers lost to Class 4A Maplewood.

"I didn't look at all the [playoff] tiebreaker stuff," Reynolds said, "but the reason we didn't play enough 2A teams was because we couldn't find teams to play, and they weren't in our district. It would help if we were able to play teams in our own classification. If [the TSSAA] did away with so many districts and back to the old way (five classifications instead of six), it would help. The state needs to help when it comes to scheduling."

Reynolds' team actually has Class 1A enrollment numbers but plays up in 2A because of the 1.8 multiplier applied to all private schools playing in Division I. Because of the success the Bucs have enjoyed and their small district (5-A), opponents are hard to find.

"I'd love to play teams in my own classification," Reynolds said, adding that District 5-A would have been helped if the TSSAA had sent Meigs County and Tellico Plains, which dropped from Class 3A, south instead of northwest.

"That would have given us a six-team district, but I think they petitioned to go the other direction. I guess they didn't want to travel to Chattanooga," he said.

District 5-AA, which lost Meigs and Tellico, did add Loudon, but it still left 5-AA coaches to cover the loss of a district game.

Polk's Davis, while waiting to find out if Loudon was moving in, took to keeping a computerized list.

"I had one column for possible games, one column for definite 'no' responses and one for definite yeses," he said. "It's better than it used to be, though, from a technical standpoint. You can email or call a cellphone or even text. No more calling a school, having to leave another coach a message and just hoping that he got it."

Communication advances aside, Davis longs for the return of districts that numbered 8-10 teams. It was competitive, but he loved having a nine-team district even though his team traveled to the Chattanooga area three or four times per year.

"I know I've beat this to death, but it's the price teams are paying for having so many classifications," he said. "I'd like to start [the scheduling process] with more [automatic] games and bigger districts."

Although he is moving from playing Class 3A and 4A teams into a district of Class 5A and 6A teams, East Hamilton's Ted Gatewood chose to look at the positives.

"We're losing some rivalries and starting new ones," he said. "This will be a great challenge for the kids and the program."

He answered "probably" when asked if his program stood to generate more money.

"We've played Ooltewah and Bradley at home and both were good gates, and because of where we're situated I don't see any more travel," he said. "Our worst trip will be crossing [Highway] 153. Our other trips will be right up I-75."

Baylor and McCallie, Chattanooga's Division II representatives, each lost a built-in game when Battle Ground Academy dropped from DII-AA to DII-A. The drop came with both already traveling often in addition to struggling to have 10-game schedules.

"I don't think it's so much about us but everybody taking care of themselves," McCallie athletic director Bubba Simmons said. "Some of those good games we used to have with local teams, I think those coaches are trying to do what's best for their programs and doing what's best for them in the postseason."

Baylor and McCallie had seven built-in league games. That's now down to six.

"It was hard enough to find three [nonleague games], but now we have to find four," Simmons said.

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