[PAmedic]

Giving the "feeder school" its own thread

but whats this all about?


http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... ws!archive]

LCA to league: Let us in

By Ron Brown
rbrown@newsadvance.com
February 7, 2006

Lynchburg Christian Academy this week plans to challenge a Virginia High School League bylaw that prohibits private schools from joining leagues with public high schools.

LCA will make a formal application to become a VHSL member and request to be included in a public high school league.

“The current system makes it very difficult for us to schedule games,” said LCA Athletic Director Frank Rocco, who also serves as the school’s head football coach. “The amount of travel is also an issue.”

LCA is one of six schools that compete in the Virginia Independent Conference.

“That gives us only five games within our football league,” Rocco said.

LCA is forced to schedule games with out-of-state opponents in order to fill its schedule.

Rocco said Virginia is the exception to the rule by discouraging competition between sports teams of private and public high schools.

“The majority of states in America have public schools competing with private schools,” he said.

Ken Tilley, the VHSL executive director, said Monday the group’s bylaws specifically exclude private schools from public leagues.

“Our bylaws indicate ‘state public high schools in Virginia with expressed written authority of their respective school boards shall be eligible for membership in the league’.”

Simply put, LCA is ineligible under current standards.

“They are not a public high school,” Tilley said. “They would not be eligible for membership.”

Mat Staver, president of Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal advocacy group, said that sets up an illegal public school monopoly of athletic competition.

“If they choose to deny membership to LCA, we will exercise our legal recourse to make sure that LCA is treated like any other public school in regards to athletic competition. Our legal recourse would be a civil rights lawsuit against the Virginia High School League.”

Jerry Falwell Jr., the general counsel for Jerry Falwell Ministries, said LCA is already competitive with public school athletic programs.

With about 400 high school students, the school would probably compete in a VHSL Group A league, if allowed admission.

LCA’s football team was undefeated last fall on its way to a second state championship among Virginia independent schools.

“We beat several public schools in scrimmages this year,” Falwell said.

“It’s not that public schools are prohibited from playing private schools,” he said. “They are being discouraged to do so by rules and regulations.”

[PAmedic]

I sorta expected that they had more than 400 kids in the HS, but I guess they expect to grow?

Memory fades- for some reason I thought there was 1000+ kids in there. hmmm

[Sly Fox]

Down here in Texas the public schools can't compete in the same league with private schools. They can play each other in non-district games (which they generally do). A couple of years ago fearing a lawsuit the UIL (University Interscholastic League that oversees the public school competition) allowed two private schools into their ranks which met specific guidelines that kept them from being able to compete in the private school leagues.

My guess is that if the state allows LCA into the leagues with the public schools they will want to enforce strong rules against recruiting that might keep many athletes off the field/court.

[SuperJon]

North Carolina just let a couple private schools into the public school leagues. Cardinal Gibbons and Bishop McGuiness (two Catholic schools) just joined, and Charlotte Catholic has been in the NCHSAA for a while now. Cardinal Gibbons promptly went and won the 2A title in soccer. The big problem is some people say that private schools like LCA recruit. If they can prove that they don't recruit, then by all means, let em in.

[Hold My Own]

it was just a matter of time...Jerry Jr. has developed a BIG interest in LCA and LCA sports within the last 5 years...having children that go there doesnt hurt either

VA is one of the few states that I can think of that doesnt allow it

[PAmedic]

thats a weird deal. I don't think thats the case up here- the league SCAR and I used to compete in no longer exists- my former HS plays in the same league w/ all the surrounding public schools: the PIAA

[Hold My Own]

They will get in...in matters like these that hit the papers Jerry Jr/JF wouldnt do this unless they know that they will win...heres where the problem lies...LCA allows some students to go for free (paid for by Jerry Falwell Ministries) how will the league handle that? Jerry is aware of that and felt like he'd have a good case for that as well....we'll see

[SuperJon]

The Catholic schools in NC do the same thing and are allowed to play.

[ATrain]

Being a former LCA athlete, I can honestly say that travel times to conference matches were ridiculous...Roanoke (North Cross and Roanoke Valley Christian), Martinsville (Carlisle), Charlottesville (Miller), Waynesboro (Fishburne Military), Harrisonburg (Eastern Mennonite or whatever)...eesh, it was ridiculous...and very few public schools would schedule us...we were only able to get Altavista, Heritage, Appomattox and Liberty High out in Bedford county...and we used to whip up on them too.

[Hold My Own]

yeh no kiddin Atrain...theres nothing worse then to make a trip up to Martinsville only to have a girl pitching against you and ya end up winning like 100-0...it got old quick

[bigsmooth]

i love how LCA thinks they have so much pull to get in the VHSL. that will not happen. the VHSL pulled the hoops championships away from LU.....i believe it had to do with comments dr. falwell made. thre is still a lot of dislike for jerry in virginia. LCA could compete in football at the class A level, and with the weaker AA teams, and due to the area they are in would compete in hoops at the AA and AAA level. not too many years ago LCA was dreadful in many sports, why not stay in the VIS division II, remain in the league they have been in for a long time the VIC, where they compete very well. all private schools face the travel problems. This is a football issue. LCA has always had to travel for games and bring in teams from out of state for football. VIC football is fairly weak, thus the reason for trying to get in the VHSL. the best teams in the VIC "recruit" players. carlisle, holy cross, miller, and roanoke catholic are notorious for it. LCA would probably play in the group A dogwood district against the likes of gretna and william campbell in football, not very easy. what about the olympic sports?? some of these schools do not even have some of those teams. and of course im sure the VHSL would have something to say about the free tuition thing. as a former VIC athlete, LCA should stay where they are now. .... play non-district games with the public schools and stay in the VIC, b/c other than football over the past ten years their other athletic teams are nothing to write home about. i will talk to my uncle who is on the VHSL Executive Committee and see what he says. personally i think they should remain separate.

[PAmedic]

http://newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellit ... th=!sports

VES second, LCA fourth in VIC wrestling

By Chris Humphreys
Lynchburg News & Advance
February 14, 2006

Virginia Episcopal School fared well in its first Virginia Independent Conference wrestling tournament on Monday at Liberty Christian Academy.
The Bishops, who left the Prep League last year, finished second with a total of 149.5 points to Hargrave Military Academy's 188 points.

VES also had seven wrestlers earn their way into the 14 different championship matches. They won four of those championship matches.

Giuliano Freeo won at 125, Will King won at 135, Gianni Freeo won at 160 and Lew Lloyd won at the 189 weight class for the Bishops.

"I won't be happy until we have 14 first place finishers," VES coach John McLeod said. "I want to set a high standard for my wrestlers. I'm okay with (the result) but we could have done better."

"I'm pretty happy with how I did; he was a pretty strong guy," Giuliano Freeo said.

"A couple of times when I have wrestled a championship match I have been in a daze but today I was really into it," Gianni Freeo said.

The Bishops easily could have won a fifth championship match as Covenant's Tom Brame defeated VES's Medford Sorrells 1-0 in the 145-pound weight class.

Neither Sorrells nor Brame were able to mount any serious scoring threat in the first period and settled for a scoreless tie.

Brame won the toss and elected for the down position hoping to score a quick point with an escape but Sorrells rode Brame for the entire two minutes.

But Sorrells was whistled for an illegal hold and penalized a point.

"When you are on top you can't lock your hands around a guy's waist when his knees are on the mat," McLeod said. "I didn't have an angle but it is hard to lose a match on a penalty point. We are not happy about that."

Sorrells did have a chance to tie the score if he could escape from the down position in the third but Brame managed to ride Sorrells for the entire two minutes and claim the one-point victory.

A young LCA team also showed well in the tournament they were hosting.

The Bulldogs have just two seniors and 10 wrestlers for 14 weight classes but managed to finish fourth with 123 points. They also had four wrestlers finish second.

Andy Drake at 103, Daniel Doebler at 112, Michael Bryant at 119 and Robby McCanna at the 171-pound weight class were the VIC runner-ups for LCA.

"I am pleased," Bulldogs coach Jon Capps said. "We are only wrestling 10 kids and nine placed. Overall I'm very pleased. We're young but we are not too shabby."

"(Second place) was the goal I set for myself so I am pretty happy," McCanna said.

"All the hard work paid off," Bryant said. "I am pretty happy with (second place); the guy I was wrestling is really, really good."

Both teams will be making trips to the state tournament, which begins on Friday at St. Christopher's.

Since there is no qualifying for the state tournament, the Bishops and the Bulldogs can take as many wrestlers as they wish.

VES will be taking 12 wrestlers and LCA will take seven.

"We usually take top four but some of the kids are ninth graders and they are not ready for it," Capps said.

"It's just another tournament," Lloyd said. "If you take it too seriously you'll get nervous.

"(The state tournament) is always fun and this year I will be able to compete a little," Bryant said.

[A.G.]

A big issue is many of the public schools in the area have pretty much blacklisted LCA. Why, you ask? Very simple--RECRUITING. Several players transferred in to LCA from area schools--players who are among top athletes at their schools. The publics don't look very highly on that. That is why the VHSL will fight tooth and nail to keep the private schools out.

[LUconn]

although it seems like it'd be difficult for LCA to schedule the teams that they'd like I think now the "boarding" aspect really put them on a whole other playing feild. LCA could be the next Oak Hill and that's not really all that fair for public schools who have to use their loser local kids.

When I played football in high school we had a state playoff team every 6 or 7 years (no, I wasn't in high school for that long ) We played the likes of schools like New Britain, Cheshire, and Weaver. You guys probably have no idea who they are but they're the bigger city schools who have produced Bill Romanowski, Dan Orlovski, Tebucky Jones, etc. Anyway, when I played we would regularly get slaughtered by these teams. So while these weren't private schools, they definatly weren't on a level playing feild with us in terms of the talent pool.

[Sly Fox]

I guess if you would've roided up you could've been as good as Romo and his boys.

[Hold My Own]

smooth, I got to most Seminole District football games and I graduated from one...but I'll be honest LCA could beat any of them on any given night...and the Seminole is always strong is Baseball and Football it's not a weak conf. at all


But the recruiting isnt the problem it's if the kid is not having to pay for school, kids switch from public high school to public high school all the time to play on a better team

[bigsmooth]

who said the seminole was weak?? it is one of the top AA districts in the state for football. LCA would not play in the seminole. sure anyone could win on any given night. im sure LCA would compete very nicely in hoops, possibly that district. i never disputed that they could not compete.The fact is they would be a single A team if they were admitted right now and im sure they would do well in the dogwood district. please do not tell me that you base your facts of beating a seminole team any given night on scrimmages? amherst, jefferson forest traditionally, heritage, and possibly brookville would beat LCA, and teams like salem, fleming and pulaski county from the roanoke area would beat them. LCA is a quality team, but they lack depth. typical for any group A school. for instance why does salem high school dominate group AA football?? b/c the best football players in the roanoke valley transfer there under VHSL guidelines...move into the district...or so they say. im not a lawyer, but i think LCA will have a problem when it comes to some students going to school for free and the boys who play sports i guess could be perceived as a scholarship player. also how to you govern LCA's "school district"? they obviously are a private school. public schools have to attend school in their zone, or pay tuition to go to another school if it is allowed in that particular school district. so it all depends on each school system on their policies. im sure the VHSL has done their homework and will block the move. if LCA wins, great, but losing traditional rivalries to enhance their football schedule to me is ridiculous.

[A.G.]

bigsmooth--right on all counts. I personally think LCA would get smoked in the Seminole. I've seen many of the area class A players compete against the Seminole teams (or players) in the group sports, and they just can't hang (as a group). Even VES competes against some of the area teams and just can't compete. I would think LCA would rather be a big fish in a small pond, than a dead fish in a big pond. Many of the players that have transferred to LCA (and other area private schools) do so because they have not been successful--or may have even gotten cut--in their public high schools. Then, they get to LCA or others and accumulate these inflated stats and inflated egos.

[Hold My Own]

I am not basing it on a scrimmage where they may or may not even keep score! Come on....I'm not saying they would win it but I know they could beat several schools that are in it....not to mention 2 of those teams your talking about may have to go to AAA in the next 2 years...as far as what district they would fall under, that's a good question, I wonder what other private schools use for their districts

A.G.
But to say they would get smoked in the seminole? Have you seen RHS football within the last 3 years? I know they'd beat them and so to say they'd get smoked I think is pretty gutsy....and also what sport were you talking about? B/c Baseball (smoked), Basketball would be in the top 3, football hold their own....so smoked? I dunno man

[bigsmooth]

HMO, i agree with your assessment that LCA would beat some seminole teams in football. rustburg, staunton river for sure. i really think it would be a push to beat JF, even though they are down right now, and the others i have already stated previously. i do believe they would be a middle of the road team. in the seminole. basketball could be another story. i think LCA has built a solid foundation for the future in hoops and right now would challenge and maybe even win the title. baseball would be competitive too. but unless LCA gets more students they are a class A team in the VHSL. virginia private schools have three divisions I, II, and III. enrollment cut-off is split for boys and girls instead of the VHSL which counts total number of students. enrollment cut-off for boys is 112 for D3, 178 for D2, and 188 for D1. LCA is a D2 team. when it comes to state playoffs in virginia for private schools it is very competitive, with many of those players going to big south schools and a few that actually make it big and go to big D1 schools. so from my perspective when it comes to football and possibly baseball, LCA may be better suited to be a group A public school team, but other sports they would be better in the private school ranks.

[Hold My Own]

we agree...what I also cant wait to see is when they become a boarding school, which JF says will happen in the VERY near future....it'll be fun to watch

[TallyW]

Boarding School?

[jimflamesfan]

As PAMedic said, Public and private schools play each other in PA.

LCA would do well playing public schools... although it is an advantage that students from other schools can choose LCA.

There was a Catholic School where I grew up (Bishop Mccort) that dominated the public schools most of the time.

[bigsmooth]

I have always said LCA should have boarding students. that way they could have a post-grad team like at hargrave, FUMA, and Oak Hill. we could become the christian oak hill and certainly hope to get some of those players. we could do that for football too. and for the last time, i did not say LCA could not compete, i just think they are better off to keep their private school status and continue playing public schools like they do now. it is definitely a football decision.

[A.G.]

Post grad football and basketball--BRILLIANT!
That is actually a fantastic suggestion and could create a certain feeder program for LU.