Program of the decade? Camden, Northside stake claims
Northside and Camden County will play on Saturday for the Class AAAAA championship.
Is this also for the title of ”football program of the decade”?
Let’s look at the candidates:
Northside: 121-13 record this decade, two state titles, two runner-up finishes, but is it significant that the titles were won in Class AAAA, below the highest level?
Camden Couty: 120-13 record this decade, two state titles, but are Camden’s W-L record and playoff draws enhanced from playing in the state’s weakest Class AAAAA region?
Lowndes: Three state titles and six championships in the state’s toughest region, but does that make up for having only 106 victories this decade and a 2-4 record vs. Camden County?
Buford: 137-7 record this decade and five state titles, with a sixth possible, but how do you compare AA vs. AAAAA?
Is there another program that deserves consideration? Parkview? LaGrange? Charlton County?
As far as the other finals, there are no great surprises that I see except Clarke Central. Great job by Leroy Ryals in reviving a program that hasn’t been in a title game since 1992. Sandy Creek also deserves some recognition. An early loss conspired to keep this team out of the limelight until it counts.
All the finalists from AAA down have been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 at some point this season. I’d say Sandy Creek is a solid favorite to win AAAA, but the rest of the finals are toss-ups.
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420 comments Add your comment
randy prosen
December 6th, 2009
7:59 pm
I’m tired of hearing about weak region 3. By the looks of the playoffs region 4 and 5 not so great. But those regions are never brought up. Camden County could play in any region in the state and still rise to the top. Thats my belief. Go Cats.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:03 pm
Shut up talking about Region3!!!! We don’t control the region or the Savannah schools playing up. That is why we schedule three strong teams before the region season starts. The only way to make it where we can travel for the other sports and join region 1is for yall to move your cities and counties closer to the coast, and you are crazy if you think we are building another highschool, we like it just the way it is.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:12 pm
It is true there are several weak regions but region 3 is special because it has 1 extra large size 5A school playing against 4A and 3A size schools. Camden could definitely play and compete in any region, but the fact is they dont. We praise Camden for their outside and playoffs wins, but the region wins will always have an asterick *
wildcat24
December 6th, 2009
8:13 pm
I dont think you can question the Camden County Highschool football program. Camden has won and won and won this decade. Nothing else. Camden is in a region that is considered one of the weakest but even with that we always stand up and compete in big games. Camden could easily run up to the lowndes counties, north gwinnetts and hoovers and be intimidated but they don’t. We’ve never gotten the respect that we should have gotten. All because we win and take care of business. So what we play savannah schools we cant win championships playing those teams. We don’t win playoff games against those teams. But yet we have 2 soon to be 3 state championships in the last few years. Highschool football isn’t controlled by the bcs like the ncaa. You win playoff games and championships on the field.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:14 pm
Wow, some people are really sensitive about this region 3 thing
spwhite
December 6th, 2009
8:15 pm
Why should Camden build another school? We are only the 7th largest in the state. So should the other 6 counties build schools also? I never hear anybody whinning about the other schools that have a larger enrollment then Camden, why is that? Oh I know because they are not winning!!! LOL
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:16 pm
Yea, Northside would like it if we were the only school in the county so we could have an unfair advantage too.
NHSeagle74
December 6th, 2009
8:19 pm
Northside played AAAAA in 2001 and 2002 and played Parkview in 2001 in the state game unless you are saying Parkview doesn’t play AAAAA. Also played Parkview in the playoffs in the Elite 8 in 2002.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:22 pm
We are not sensitive about Region 3, we don’t have a problem with it. You and others are the ones that bring it up EVERYDAY. I don’t see the since in complaining this much about something you have no control.If it were not for basketball we would be in region 1. The Savannah schools just don’t care about football, and it is a shame they certainly have the talent in a city that size to compete.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:24 pm
We’re not whinning, just stating the facts. We do respect the Camden Program as one of the best.
Just being a large school does not make for a great program, see Collins Hill. But when you have a good program like Camden, then being a large school and with an automatic #1 playoff seed definitely is an advantage.
chris
December 6th, 2009
8:26 pm
NHS and Drago,
The question was about “this current decade” not the past ten years. The current decade is not over and as Drago pointed out 1999-2009 is eleven not ten. I did read wikipedia and it is an excellent example of why it shoud not be used as authoratative as it is wrong. By wiki logic the first decade in human history had just nine years as we never had a year “0″.
It doesn’t matter really–go back to reliving high school and pumping gas, coaching or whatever else fills your “no more glory days”!
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:27 pm
Why is it an unfair advantaqge? No one made your county build more schools, yall did that on your own. I will defend the great benefits to a one county school, there is alot more to it than football. Ther is no way to duplicate all the things on that campass for a second school. You really should see it.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:28 pm
Northside has played in some weak regions over the years with Macon and Columbus schools and as a fan I hated it. Losing is no fun but blowouts each week aren’t either.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:29 pm
Get back to grading papers Chris, you have bus duty iin the morning!
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:33 pm
Your right NHS the blowouts are boring. It is what it is. I also like being the number 1 seed every year no way to deny it does help. I just wish we didn’t have to play the number 2 seed from Region 1 in the second round.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:37 pm
Houston County has built 4 high schools in the name of educational improvement, fewer students in each school and therefore smaller class size. Not saying there is anything wrong with having one big school but you have to admit that you have more athletes to choose from by being much larger. Does Camden does not build additional high schools because the population is more centralized or stagnant or to maintain their football domination. Surely your population is growing. Has the one school been expanded lately?
RAM#8
December 6th, 2009
8:41 pm
excuse me but Valdosta had 7 yes 7 state championships in the 1960s.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:46 pm
If you dont like football or sports, why are you here? If you are bored maybe you should try a Electrical Engineering blog. Its okay if you want to stay and talk football, just please dont call us jock sniffers and idiots. In my life, I have pumped gas, played sports and been a coach. All were fun and I continue to do them today. (I only pump my own gas now however)
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
8:47 pm
As I said, you need to come see it for yourself. I have been to Northside many times and I went to school in the Atlanta area. The argument you make for education reasons doesn’t hold water, the class size is not different in Camden. We have more class rooms, and the best education courses I have seen anywhere in the state, I have lived all over. Ga. the proof is also the fact that we don’t have a need for private schools here. (there is one very small unacredited school) The great football program is a buyproduct of an outstanding educational syestem starting at the elementary level.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:48 pm
Wrong decade, we are talking the last ten years, we just are not sure of the actual start date
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:50 pm
I have seen the Camden campus from the outside several times and it looks like a small college, never seen the inside however.
NHS Fan
December 6th, 2009
8:51 pm
Sorry, Raymond. You’re wrong. Northside played in the highest classification, whether it was AAAA or AAAAA, up until 2004, including the AAAAA state championship game against Parkview in 2001.
Todd Holcomb
December 6th, 2009
8:51 pm
‘’I hate to break it to you jock sniffers but this decade isn’t over until next year. The first decade of the 21st century is 2001-2010. 2000 is part of the twentieth century you idiots. For those AP jocks out there, this is because we start counting with the number 1 not 0.’’
A decade is a 10-year period. The one that we are discussing is 2000-09.
‘’When will the AJC and this state just admit that Camden County has a great program, and quit trying to justify why they win and other teams lose?’’
I have nominated Camden County as one of the four finalists for program of the decade. I submit that as my admission that Camden County has a great program.
Meanwhile, are you telling us that Buford is the program of the decade? If you say we should stay away from justifying why a team wins or loses, then Buford’s 137 total wins and 5 state titles stand alone.
‘’Wow, some people are really sensitive about this region 3 thing.’’
Ain’t that the truth.
I merely asked a question to the audience. Are Camden’s W-L record and playoff draws enhanced from playing in the state’s weakest Class AAAAA region?
It’s just a question. It’s not an accusation. It’s not a statement. It’s not a condemnation. You can’t have a real debate on this issue if you don’t bring this up. I think Camden fans have defended their program pretty well so far.
spwhite
December 6th, 2009
8:51 pm
Actually right now I would guess that the population is stagnant due to the economy. I would say that the population is about 70 percent centralized around the highschool. The school itself is not that old. Maybe on of the Camden fans can tell us exactly when the new school was built. The old highschool is in Saint Marys and is now 1 of the middle schools.
I have a son who is a sophomore at Camden. And I must say that I have been very pleased with the dedication the teachers have shown towards the kids education. Always some form of communication coming from the teachers via emails or personal phone calls. And no he does not participate in any sports.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
8:53 pm
Oh well, lets talk football. In your opinion is the Camden team better this year than last and why?
wildcat fan
December 6th, 2009
8:54 pm
12-3 against the SEC of HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL 1- AAAAA put and * by that. Won 3 play-off games against Region 1-AAAAA, hopefully 4 in the last 2 years. Non was against region 3AAAAA, amazing is’nt it. No disrespect to any team, but we also played ,North Gwinnett,PeachTreeRIDGE, Newnan, those teams are not in region 3AAAAA. On your schedule I dont see teams from Florida, South Carolina, Alabama. Just beat us when you play us.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:00 pm
I believe Northside played in the second highest classification for 2004 (SC WR), 2005 (SC Statesboro), 2006 (SC NHS), 2007 (SC NHS)
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:02 pm
Todd, Playoff draws inhanced? Who had the toughest road to the dome once the brackets were drawn? N Gwinnett (who you said would win) ,Lowndes (who you said would win), and Colquitt. (you did pick Camden). I don’t blame you for being partial to Atlanta schools being this is an Atlanta paper, I’m just sick of noone talking about the big wins we have had this last 9 years only the week region we have no control over. I’m thankful Jeff Herron schedules those tough games early on, because there is no way we would be ready to play if we only played our region games. I can’t wait to be back in the Dome this Saturday.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:03 pm
No one is questioning Camden’s non-region or playoff schedule/performance. We will show up and play David vs Golith.
wildcat fan
December 6th, 2009
9:04 pm
Automatic #1 seed doesn’t mean nothing. If your better, just come in and win the game. Ask Lassiter, Stephenson, Newnan , North Gwinnett, Grayson,all #1 seeds that lost, we win because we are better on that given night not because of a #1 seed, if that was true how did Colquitt make it this far being a #3 seed. They went in and won.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:08 pm
Hard question NHS, The teams are so different form last year to this. We had 15 starters leave after last season, they knew they were good and showed it. The team this year just seems to out play through effort instead of experience if that makes any since. That too is why I prefer highschool ball as opposed to pro. I’m just glad I don’t have to watch that Bacon kid yall had again this year. I havn’t seen NHS this year, how do yall look?
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:11 pm
Wow, #1 seed doesn’t mean nothing, well maybe not it in region 3. But it certainly does in region 1. #2 has to play Camdem in the 2nd round and as Northside and Lowndes knows, its no fun to plan Camden at Camden. At least this year we get you on a neutral field. (Because of our #1 seed by the way)
wildcat fan
December 6th, 2009
9:14 pm
Its not a David vs Golith as you would want every one to believe. We respect Northside very much. And this is a very evenly matched game. The only edge we might have is our running game, our backs were here last year when our top back(#7 Greg Baker) was hurt. They step in and we didn’t miss a beat. Other than that we are very young, so stop it.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:14 pm
Sorry NHS, your number ! seed has nothing to do with us playing on a neutral field. We would meet in the dome for the championship even if you were the number 4 seed that is were the game is. I still wish it was played at the home stadiums.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:17 pm
We seem to be in a similar situation, new starting quarterback and running backs and new defensive players. Started out weak but have improved thru the season. Offensive line is mostly seniors but most everything else is juniors and sophmores. Overall at this point after the Newnan performance, I think this years team is better, especially at the all important QB position. We dont have a Bacon but we are more balanced. Defense about the same as last year.
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:19 pm
If we do win,(and I say if because Northside is really good) has any other team beaten Lowndes, Colquitt, and Northside in the playoffs in one year? If we can do it, it will be quit a feat!
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:21 pm
If we were not the #1 seed, we would have played at your place in the second round not at the dome this week. Being #2 mattered to Lowndes as well since they lost to you guys on your field. If Lowndes had been #1 and you had been #2, that game would have been at Lowndes and Lowndes would have won. It matters!
Roger
December 6th, 2009
9:22 pm
Camdencoast, I am thinking Valdosta did it in their state championship runs…
spwhite
December 6th, 2009
9:24 pm
NHS (Northside High School) – Good question. I think our team may actually be more balanced than last year, if that is possible.
At the first half of the year the wing t was not as smooth as last years version. I know that last year I could just not follow the ball most of the time. This year I had no problem following the ball, untill we got to the playoffs. Now its like they turned it up a notch. Same for our backs. So far they have been playing like they are possessed. Johnson has really come alive.
Our defence looked pathitic against Hoover and really against First Coast. Both of those teams had great passing games. I was really nervous about our defence going up against the spread but they must haved learned something from those first few games. Its hard to forget that Camden is actually a young team this year. The thing that impresses me the most is that they have made it this far when no one gave them a chance after the first 3 games.
I just hope that they can continue play at their full potential at the dome.
NorthSide did impress me last year when they came to Camden. There are some big ol boys on that team. That quarterback must coat himself with grease before a game, man he sure is hard to catch!!!
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:24 pm
Not in the PLAYOFFS, Roger.
wildcat fan
December 6th, 2009
9:25 pm
I watch your games on-line and thats why i give the edge to our backs, that O’neil kid is big and strong. Recievers are about even, even though you throw the ball a lot more, we have a very very very good reciever, and a pretty good one. Our Defense is a little faster, but your defense is really good, aggressive secondary. QB, I will give you the edge he runs a little better. Specail teams even.
Roger
December 6th, 2009
9:26 pm
True CC, you might be right than
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:27 pm
I would say that would be a first and a feat. If you pull that off, you are the true state champions. Northside beat Valdosta and Lowndes this year in the same year for the first time ever and that was quite a feat for us.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:34 pm
Sounds like an even match. I guess turnovers, field position, field goals, and coaching will decide the game. What is the range of the Camden kicker?
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:35 pm
I got your point NHS, not too sure Lowndes would have won at their stadium. They may could have, but it is not a fact as you stated. You keep stating that you have to play us if you are the second seed, you seem to forget we have to play one of you also. And coming from an athlete that played pro ball years ago. Home field advantage means some to the players but not as much as you think. It means more to the fans.Most of the teams I played on preferred the road to get away from all the distractions and just enjoy playing and being with the team.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:41 pm
Playing at Lowndes is tough. I would say it gives them at least a 10 point advantage. It appears that Camden plays well at home and on the road. Not so for Northside and Lowndes, they play much better at home. The records prove that.
EagleNationRising
December 6th, 2009
9:41 pm
This is an interesting conversation. However, one can not crown a team of the decade before we determine a winner on Friday night. I will throw this into the fire. For anyone to question the AAAAA to AAAA question is stretching it a little bit.
Northside won the State Championship in 2007 at Ware County High School. Ware County beat Lowndes County. Lowndes County did not lose another football game. Northside has beaten two Nationally ranked and undefeated Lowndes County teams. Lowndes County has struggled against Camden County head-to-head.
Northside has played top AAAAA programs, top AAAA programs, and top AAA programs. When you look at the best teams, there is not a significant difference. From Ware County to Statesboro to Lowndes County to Camden County to Peach County to Carver-Columbus depth and coaching is the biggest difference. Some AAA teams have greater depth than some AAAAA programs. For instance, Newnan had many of their top players playing both ways.
Only teams in AAAAA believe that they are entitled to greatness because the teams play in AAAAA. Northside has played most of the top teams in both the AAAAA and AAAA classification. There is not a significant difference (at the top). The Lowndes County 2007 State championship with one loss to the AAAA runner-up comfirms it!
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:43 pm
We have a senior kicker that has made a 50 yarder. Can Camden kicker match that?
NHS (Northside High School)
December 6th, 2009
9:46 pm
True about 4A and 5A, but whats your take on Buford in 2A?
CAMDENCOAST
December 6th, 2009
9:48 pm
Hey guys, I have tried for two days to get hotel room close the dome. (hoping someone would cancel) Everything is full because most everyone is having to travel to Atlanta. The Atlanta schools won’t be playing.