Is the talent level closer now than it has ever been between 3A and 5A

[hawkdad]

While it may not be the norm I think every now and then you can have a small school that happens to have the right kids playing together at the right time that can beat alot of excellent large schools. Of course the odds (enrollment) say this won't be a common accurance but it does happen. Larger schools may have trouble admitting it though. The larger school's always seem to have an excuse why this game was close and that getting beat by the smaller school was only a fluke, but in reality the cards just fell the right way for the smaller school as far as talent that given year. The larger schools need to eat a little crow and give credit where credit is due. Silsbee is that smaller school this year!!

[BLUEDOVE3]

While it may not be the norm I think every now and then you can have a small school that happens to have the right kids playing together at the right time that can beat alot of excellent large schools. Of course the odds (enrollment) say this won't be a common accurance but it does happen. Larger schools may have trouble admitting it though. The larger school's always seem to have an excuse why this game was close and that getting beat by the smaller school was only a fluke, but in reality the cards just fell the right way for the smaller school as far as talent that given year. The larger schools need to eat a little crow and give credit where credit is due. Silsbee is that smaller school this year!!

Please tell me what big schools you are referring to in your comments that you feel Silsbee can beat? And please don't name these schools in Southeast Texas. Yates is 4A and I doubt you guys can beat them.

[hawkdad]

Yes,I was referring to local teams as I think that was the intent of the thread. I'm not going to proclaim I know the talent level of all the schools within a 100 mile radius. I really don't care what teams in Houston are doing anyway. Now, do I think Silsbee could beat 4A and 5A schools outside this immediate area. I guess they could probably beat alot of them. But it would only be a guess. Anyway, my post was more on the side that few people gave Silsbee any chance against Ozen and then gave every excuse in the book why it was as close as it was. I believe that game in itself had something to do in part with this thread being started. Your last sentence inplied you think Im from Silsbee but I'm HJ all the way!! Just trying to get Silsbee and other talented 3A schools their due when deserved.

[bullets13]

again, in this area, any given year we might have a small school or two that compete with most of our bigger schools in this area, but in recent years the only elite "big" school we've had was ozen, who was head and shoulders above EVERY school in the area.  i still say that if you take the best teams in 3A, and pit them with the best teams in 5A, the 5A teams will pound them every time.  Now could a school like Silsbee beat 5A schools this year?  Of course!  I honestly feel the might could beat a good percentage of 5A schools in the state, but they would not be an elite 5A school.  The same can be said of HJ/Silsbee the last two years.  As for the gap closing between 5A and 3A, if you're talking locally, maybe a bit, but statewide there's not a chance.

[shorttexas1]

again, in this area, any given year we might have a small school or two that compete with most of our bigger schools in this area, but in recent years the only elite "big" school we've had was ozen, who was head and shoulders above EVERY school in the area.  i still say that if you take the best teams in 3A, and pit them with the best teams in 5A, the 5A teams will pound them every time.  Now could a school like Silsbee beat 5A schools this year?  Of course!  I honestly feel the might could beat a good percentage of 5A schools in the state, but they would not be an elite 5A school.  The same can be said of HJ/Silsbee the last two years.  As for the gap closing between 5A and 3A, if you're talking locally, maybe a bit, but statewide there's not a chance.

Well said!

[shorttexas1]

Yes,I was referring to local teams as I think that was the intent of the thread. I'm not going to proclaim I know the talent level of all the schools within a 100 mile radius. I really don't care what teams in Houston are doing anyway. Now, do I think Silsbee could beat 4A and 5A schools outside this immediate area. I guess they could probably beat alot of them. But it would only be a guess. Anyway, my post was more on the side that few people gave Silsbee any chance against Ozen and then gave every excuse in the book why it was as close as it was. I believe that game in itself had something to do in part with this thread being started. Your last sentence inplied you think Im from Silsbee but I'm HJ all the way!! Just trying to get Silsbee and other talented 3A schools their due when deserved.

That same Central team that Silsbee blewout beat HJ so no I don't think the talent gap is closing...  I think Silsbee has a very experienced, athletic, well coached, veteran ball club that would give alot of bigger schools a run for thier money THIS YEAR... Next year key parts will have graduated and they will still be good, but not as good as the bigger schools!

[AggiesAreWe]

Yes,I was referring to local teams as I think that was the intent of the thread. I'm not going to proclaim I know the talent level of all the schools within a 100 mile radius. I really don't care what teams in Houston are doing anyway. Now, do I think Silsbee could beat 4A and 5A schools outside this immediate area. I guess they could probably beat alot of them. But it would only be a guess. Anyway, my post was more on the side that few people gave Silsbee any chance against Ozen and then gave every excuse in the book why it was as close as it was. I believe that game in itself had something to do in part with this thread being started. Your last sentence inplied you think Im from Silsbee but I'm HJ all the way!! Just trying to get Silsbee and other talented 3A schools their due when deserved.

That same Central team that Silsbee blewout beat HJ so no I don't think the talent gap is closing...  I think Silsbee has a very experienced, athletic, well coached, veteran ball club that would give alot of bigger schools a run for thier money THIS YEAR... Next year key parts will have graduated and they will still be good, but not as good as the bigger schools!

I think the title of this thread was misleading in a sense. It should have been stated as to this area and not elude to the entire state. In this area, as for the big schools, only Ozen and Central have really done anything in the playoffs. Yet you have several small schools that have done some damage in the playoffs. Could those play with the big boys on a year in year out basis? Probably not, but I think it's closer now than it was before only because of the drop in quality of the big schools in this area and not the increase in quality of the small schools in this area.

Short, as for Silsbee next year, we may not be as good next year, but we will have a good group back. We lost 3 key players from last year's state semi-finalist and returned 2 starters. Next year, we will return 3 starters and lose 4 key players in our 10 man rotation, two which are starters. With the shape of our JV, I look for Silsbee to only drop a smidgen from the level of this year's squad.

[BLUEDOVE3]

again, in this area, any given year we might have a small school or two that compete with most of our bigger schools in this area, but in recent years the only elite "big" school we've had was ozen, who was head and shoulders above EVERY school in the area.  i still say that if you take the best teams in 3A, and pit them with the best teams in 5A, the 5A teams will pound them every time.  Now could a school like Silsbee beat 5A schools this year?  Of course!  I honestly feel the might could beat a good percentage of 5A schools in the state, but they would not be an elite 5A school.  The same can be said of HJ/Silsbee the last two years.  As for the gap closing between 5A and 3A, if you're talking locally, maybe a bit, but statewide there's not a chance.

True dat!