To the NCHSAA- an open letter.

[72 State Champion]

An open letter to the NCHSAA- The 2017 realignment and playoff format forces the renewed discussion of what constitutes a true State Champion and what is now simply the flavor of the month. The history of North Carolina High School football playoffs is riddled with inconsistencies, adjustments, rival associations, AP votes, regionals, split classifications, field reductions, MAXPREPS rankings and now byes, which historically constituted a variety of methods to win all your playoff games yet still not qualify by NCHSAA standards as a State Champion. Is a 2017 4A-AA or1A-AA State Champion more or less valid than a State Champion from previous years that never received the reduced field and bye and therefore the easier and protected path to a title? It is odd that the NCHSAA would sacrifice the gates of games in order to provide byes to supposedly the better programs in 4A and 1A because of the reduction in overall number of teams. None of this had to occur.
Last off season when this playoff format was set, it was upsetting, yet got lost at the time in the shuffle. Now that playoff time is here, it is overwhelmingly evident that once again the NCHSAA failed to provide a common sense approach to the playoffs.
We choose now not to discuss the absurdity of the current seedings and byes, as the bigger and more important issue for some of us is the fact that the ever-changing playoff format produces different opportunities for different programs to make it to the top.
Therefore, our claim has always been that regardless of Association massages of the playoff formats and whose title means more than whose, is to once again advocate that any title in any association in any classification and any subclassification in any year since football began in North Carolina is to be correctly termed a "State Championship" It was as far as the team could go. Period.
And who, other than the teams snubbed, really cares anyway.
It is past time for the current unified NCHSAA/WNCHSAA to declare and reference ALL CHAMPIONSHIPS WON IN THIS STATE AS "STATE" CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 

[Wildcat10fan]

Very well put

 

[photo0001]

My question is do you think the bye helps or hurts the top 4 place teams ?

 

[TigerDen1]

My question is do you think the bye helps or hurts the top 4 place teams ?

I think this late in year, it hurts.

 

[Tigertown_a_Rick]

Hard to argue against any of your points that are made above....Great letter by the way!

If the state gets rid of the BYES this year, and either reduces the playoff field to 32 or increases it back to 64, how will this year's champions be viewed?....Have to agree with you that all champions should be equally recognized because some of those champions won their champioships under circumstances that they had no control of...Like the WNCHSAA championships that you referenced...It's really unfair NOT to recognize those champions even though they were not under the umbrella of the NCHSAA at the time.....If there are going to be modifications to the playoffs periodically as has been the case since 1972, I agree that all champions need to be recognized...

 

[gurnade_rivals481480]

HERE HERE!

 

[photo0001]

Only advantage I see is it allows the bye team coaching staff to go watch the game and two teams they may play the next week in person. All coaches can take different positions on the field and catch many views of posiable weakness of the thems they may play and also see it on video the next week. Any thoughts on that ?

 

[Wildcat10fan]

I agree both ways. I think it hurts a team that is on a roll and their team is healthy. But I also think like you quoted it gives coaches a chance to go scout their possible next opponent and also heal up injured players. So I see it both ways

 

[Gonzo9419]

With hudl this is irrelevant you can’t break down so many things with hudl this is non exsistent

 

[Dogs9]

I think the bye hurts the teams who lose a home playoff game financially because in a lot of cases these games are their biggest gates of the year.

 

[FarWestNorthCarolinaSports]

We dont really count our first title. Its not even on the scoreboard. Its not the same.
÷ them by 2.

 

[Griddie]

Go back the the 25% with four classes. Have the eight state champs but take the top 32.

 

[btango]

The Western North Carolina High School Activities Association ceased operation at the end of the 1976-77 school year.

"The Association" closed out with four conferences made up of 38 schools located in 13 counties.

Alexander (1 school in the county), Cabarrus (2 of 5 schools in the county), Caldwell (all 3), Cleveland (all four), Davidson (3 of 8), Davie (1), Gaston (5 of 7), Iredell (all 5), Randolph (2 of 5), Rowan (all 5), Rutherford (all 3), Stanly (2 of 4), Watauga (1), and Wilkes (1 of 4). Total number of schools in the counties may be off but I think I am correct.

For the three round playoff eight teams from six counties qualified.

Southwestern Conference: Shelby (Cleveland) and Chase (Rutherford).
South Point and those two teams ended in a three way tie.

Northwestern Conference: Hudson (Caldwell) and Alexander Central.

South Piedmont Conference: Lexington (Davidson) and Thomasville (Davidson).
Lexington closed out an undefeated regular season beating Thomasville but I think by some playoff fluke the first round playoff game was played at Thomasville.

North Piedmont Conference: South Rowan and North Davidson.

Shelby may have been the best team in NC for 3A size schools. I do not think there was very much cross scheduling of the top teams.

The NCHSAA had teams representing 93 of the counties. The state championship games for 1976 matched teams from eight counties that represented an east and west champion.

1A state champion Robbinsville over Princeton.
2A state champion Franklin over Erwin (Harnett County consolidated into Triton in 1985).
3A state champion Canton Pisgah over Clinton. Won at Havelock in 1975.
4A state champion HP Andrews over Richmond County (fifth year since consolidation).

At the time there were 98 3A schools in NC with 2A right at the same.
16 teams made the 2A and 3A four round playoff. All conference champions qualified. A few second place teams qualified each year based on a conference rotation.

4A had close to 70 schools (cannot remember exact number) and 1A just short of 40.
1A played a three round playoff like the Western NCHSAA.

 

[Sleehrat84]

Let's be honest....the problem is not the NCHSAA but the NCFCA. Every year in the winter meetings, the coaches (some, not all) moan and groan about the things that are wrong with hs football. The expanded playoffs originated with 1A football. There were some programs in the extreme East and deep in the mountains who were playing the best schedule they could afford for travel reasons and ending up with a hopeless won/loss record. Expansion was proposed for 1A only! It was designed to give the Columbia, Creswell, Jamesville sized schools a chance to make the playoffs once in a while. Imagine having a school with 110 students total...trying to have a football schedule....trying to fund all your sports programs and travel. Expansion was a great idea...until 4A said "well we have 2000 kid enrollments playing against 1200 kid enrollments." Valid...but the result with the expanded playoffs was a bunch of 2-8 programs making long bus rides. The only winner there was the Endowment fund in Chapel Hill.

Over the last 12 years all we hear is "Power Ratings." Ratings do not fix the issue when a team like Trask with 8 wins doesn't get in and teams in a split league get in with 2 or 3 wins. The solution? Let the 1A principals and AD's have a meeting and fix their concerns. Let the 4A coaches who always plead for Spring Practice and a Spring Game fix their own problems. (In 1A, the players and coaches are involved in other sports and there aren't enough of either to benefit from Spring Games, etc. Let each class fix their own issues.)

One last option I offered 15 years ago... Let everyone play in the conference they choose regardless of class. If a small school wants to join a larger league and the other programs agree...let them join. GET RID OF SPLIT CONFERENCES. The regular season savings by having natural rivals will generate better gates in all sports. At the end of the season, rank EVERY school by size based on WINNING the conference first, then getting in with a winning record only. At that point, divide the playoffs into 6 categories based on size ...have a 4 round playoff system and 6 state champs. No winning program will be left out. Oh well...Just another idea from the peanut gallery.

Footnote... Jamesville HS won the state title in baseball (1984), football (1984), and then baseball again (1985) with a total enrollment of 114 kids. Sometimes those small schools get the right mix of athletes coming through at the same time...and deserve a chance to prove their worth.

 

[OldMaroonDevil]

Let's be honest....the problem is not the NCHSAA but the NCFCA. Every year in the winter meetings, the coaches (some, not all) moan and groan about the things that are wrong with hs football. The expanded playoffs originated with 1A football. There were some programs in the extreme East and deep in the mountains who were playing the best schedule they could afford for travel reasons and ending up with a hopeless won/loss record. Expansion was proposed for 1A only! It was designed to give the Columbia, Creswell, Jamesville sized schools a chance to make the playoffs once in a while. Imagine having a school with 110 students total...trying to have a football schedule....trying to fund all your sports programs and travel. Expansion was a great idea...until 4A said "well we have 2000 kid enrollments playing against 1200 kid enrollments." Valid...but the result with the expanded playoffs was a bunch of 2-8 programs making long bus rides. The only winner there was the Endowment fund in Chapel Hill.

Over the last 12 years all we hear is "Power Ratings." Ratings do not fix the issue when a team like Trask with 8 wins doesn't get in and teams in a split league get in with 2 or 3 wins. The solution? Let the 1A principals and AD's have a meeting and fix their concerns. Let the 4A coaches who always plead for Spring Practice and a Spring Game fix their own problems. (In 1A, the players and coaches are involved in other sports and there aren't enough of either to benefit from Spring Games, etc. Let each class fix their own issues.)

One last option I offered 15 years ago... Let everyone play in the conference they choose regardless of class. If a small school wants to join a larger league and the other programs agree...let them join. GET RID OF SPLIT CONFERENMCES. The regular season savings by having natural rivals will generate better gates in all sports. At the end of the season, rank EVERY school by size based on WINNING the conference first, then getting in with a winning record only. At that point, divide the playoffs into 6 categories based on size ...have a 4 round playoff system and 6 state champs. No winning program will be left out. Oh well...Just another idea from the peanut gallery.

Footnote... Jamesville HS won the state title in baseball (1984), football (1984), and then baseball again (1985) with a total enrollment of 114 kids. Sometimes those small schools get the right mix of athletes coming through at the same time...and deserve a chance to prove their worth.

Best single plan I think I've ever heard. Under this, Franklin and SM could rejoin the SMC (and maybe Tuscola and Pisgah or maybe even Brevard) and the conference might have a shot at three titles in one year every now and then!

 

[btango]

Let's be honest....the problem is not the NCHSAA but the NCFCA. Every year in the winter meetings, the coaches (some, not all) moan and groan about the things that are wrong with hs football. The expanded playoffs originated with 1A football. There were some programs in the extreme East and deep in the mountains who were playing the best schedule they could afford for travel reasons and ending up with a hopeless won/loss record. Expansion was proposed for 1A only! It was designed to give the Columbia, Creswell, Jamesville sized schools a chance to make the playoffs once in a while. Imagine having a school with 110 students total...trying to have a football schedule....trying to fund all your sports programs and travel. Expansion was a great idea...until 4A said "well we have 2000 kid enrollments playing against 1200 kid enrollments." Valid...but the result with the expanded playoffs was a bunch of 2-8 programs making long bus rides. The only winner there was the Endowment fund in Chapel Hill.

Over the last 12 years all we hear is "Power Ratings." Ratings do not fix the issue when a team like Trask with 8 wins doesn't get in and teams in a split league get in with 2 or 3 wins. The solution? Let the 1A principals and AD's have a meeting and fix their concerns. Let the 4A coaches who always plead for Spring Practice and a Spring Game fix their own problems. (In 1A, the players and coaches are involved in other sports and there aren't enough of either to benefit from Spring Games, etc. Let each class fix their own issues.)

It is nice when someone knows the reason we have subdivided playoffs instead of shouting about it is done so the NCHSAA can make more money.

One issue is when one classification feels they are not being treated the same as the others. A few years ago the NCHSAA asked the 1A schools if they would accept a four round 32 team playoff subdivided with four rounds. Their championship would be the week before 2A-4A played their title games. It would allow for more flexibility on facilities and give the 1A schools the day all to themselves where the spotlight would be on them. It would also allow their winter sports to start full practice a week earlier which was a hot topic with those coaches at the time. The 1A schools were very much against the reduction in playoff qualifiers (64 of 76) and felt it was not right that 1A schools would be treated different than the other three classes. This from the classification that pushed for subdividing and the pod system.

Issue with the power rankings this year was that common sense has not been included to some degree. If this were 32 teams qualifying total I would not have a problem with Trask sitting at home but when going to 48 / 64 and allowing in teams with only a few wins Trask should have been in but I think they would lose to some of these teams with only four wins.

South Caldwell is the biggest black eye on this system but SC and McDowell have been getting in for awhile with terrible records and not winning their overall conference but only their classification section. McDowell actually opted out one year.

 

[btango]

Let's be honest....the problem is not the NCHSAA but the NCFCA. Every year in the winter meetings, the coaches (some, not all) moan and groan about the things that are wrong with hs football. The expanded playoffs originated with 1A football. There were some programs in the extreme East and deep in the mountains who were playing the best schedule they could afford for travel reasons and ending up with a hopeless won/loss record. Expansion was proposed for 1A only! It was designed to give the Columbia, Creswell, Jamesville sized schools a chance to make the playoffs once in a while. Imagine having a school with 110 students total...trying to have a football schedule....trying to fund all your sports programs and travel.

Really should study an 8 man format for the smaller schools. Think that would get more schools to field a team and there would not be teams folding during the season. Work it in association with the privates and home schools. Then have an NC public school playoff for them.

 

[Tigertown_a_Rick]

It is nice when someone knows the reason we have subdivided playoffs instead of shouting about it is done so the NCHSAA can make more money.

One issue is when one classification feels they are not being treated the same as the others. A few years ago the NCHSAA asked the 1A schools if they would accept a four round 32 team playoff subdivided with four rounds. Their championship would be the week before 2A-4A played their title games. It would allow for more flexibility on facilities and give the 1A schools the day all to themselves where the spotlight would be on them. It would also allow their winter sports to start full practice a week earlier which was a hot topic with those coaches at the time. The 1A schools were very much against the reduction in playoff qualifiers (64 of 76) and felt it was not right that 1A schools would be treated different than the other three classes. This from the classification that pushed for subdividing and the pod system.

Issue with the power rankings this year was that common sense has not been included to some degree. If this were 32 teams qualifying total I would not have a problem with Trask sitting at home but when going to 48 / 64 and allowing in teams with only a few wins Trask should have been in but I think they would lose to some of these teams with only four wins.

South Caldwell is the biggest black eye on this system but SC and McDowell have been getting in for awhile with terrible records and not winning their overall conference but only their classification section. McDowell actually opted out one year.

Maybe the 1A & 4A Coaches will revisit this new format after the season, and do as you suggested above, and reduce to 32 teams, but I highly doubt it because it does provide somewhat of a job security if a Coach can say that his team made the playoffs, even if, that team didn't deserve it....Don't know that Coaches are going to like this system with BYES if it dramatically affects the bottom line, which one would think that it will....As many have suggested, 1A schools in particular need every dime they can muster, and it doesn't seem like much of a reward for a great season if you are making less money from potential gate receipts that were missed due to a BYE...

 

[Thunder_struck8712]

Many times though 1st round playoff games for higher seeds don't bring big gate money. I remember seeing many playoff games with teams that have traveled 4 or 5 hours only to bring a handful of fans. You almost lose money on nights like that.

 

[Tigertown_a_Rick]

Many times though 1st round playoff games for higher seeds don't bring big gate money. I remember seeing many playoff games with teams that have traveled 4 or 5 hours only to bring a handful of fans. You almost lose money on nights like that.

That's true, and is a good point....I guess it depends on where the teams are coming from, but a little money is better than nothing at all....

 

[Dogs9]

But if the home team has had a good enough season to host a first round game in most cases the home crowd is big enough whether the visitors bring anyone or not. A big home crowd will bring in more money than not having a game at all.

 

[recycled2_anon]

Many times though 1st round playoff games for higher seeds don't bring big gate money. I remember seeing many playoff games with teams that have traveled 4 or 5 hours only to bring a handful of fans. You almost lose money on nights like that.

Exactly! One year at Hobbton, the home team had more gate works, press box workers and chain crew than they did fans!

 

[recycled2_anon]

Best single plan I think I've ever heard. Under this, Franklin and SM could rejoin the SMC (and maybe Tuscola and Pisgah or maybe even Brevard) and the conference might have a shot at three titles in one year every now and then!

The problem is that the conferences are not just for football. What if the little smoky teams want back in?
you could wind up with a 15 team conference. How do you schedule that on a 23 or 24 game season? In baseball many years the SMC is a 10 team conference. Add 4 more? Won’t work.

 

[OldMaroonDevil]

The problem is that the conferences are not just for football. What if the little smoky teams want back in?
you could wind up with a 15 team conference. How do you schedule that on a 23 or 24 game season? In baseball many years the SMC is a 10 team conference. Add 4 more? Won’t work.

How did they do the Big MAC and the Little MAC back in the day? I'm sure something can be worked out. Maybe for other sports where several more schools compete you subdivide geographically, to reduce travel.

 

[recycled2_anon]

How did they do the Big MAC and the Little MAC back in the day? I'm sure something can be worked out. Maybe for other sports where several more schools compete you subdivide geographically, to reduce travel.

When the SMC tried this years ago (we had added Polk and Hendersonville) we went east-west and it was a real disaster. Only sport it worked for was Football.

 

[72 State Champion]

After giving this thread a few days for responses, we will now address some of your questions.
This topic has absolutely nothing to do with the current 2A battles between Shelby and Belmont South Point. In fact, the matter goes back over 100 years to when governing bodies of NC public high school football were being formed. Since then, playoff formats have changed and evolved as numbers of schools changed, sizes changed, rival associations emerged as did classifications, segregation existed, then integration, subclasses were determined, and now byes and outside rankings are introduced. And at all times, Championships were earned.
This letter is an appeal to the current, fully representative NCHSAA to fairly and correctly communicate ALL championship history that occurred during this constant change and evolution. This year for the first time, byes are introduced, but only for 1A and 4A, both with less total teams involved than 2A and 3A. Will that constitute a historic asterisk for those titles as more easily earned than previous years? Why not? They are. Less teams. Less playoff rounds. Wasn't that the weak excuse at one time for "regionalizing" the WNCHSAA titles?
It is past time to reference ALL STATE TITLES THE SAME.
We have written several times to the current NCHSAA. Their one and only written response failed to address the core issue. They then invited us to arrange a telephone discussion, of which they have not cooperated or responded to have dispite multiple attempts by us. Thus we are on here. And all boards as teams from all classes are former Champions. As you have seen, we do have the support of others, including Belmont South Point.
Comically, the open letter (part 2) was hilarious. We have a good time laughing at ourselves so kudos to GoNtheDistance for keeping life fun and funny.
With that said, this topic of how titles are represented is probably only serious to those of us that actually were part of winning titles as part of the WNCHSAA. For 46 years, there were other NC public high school programs winning association championships other than the ones governed by the one named NCHSAA. The NCHSAA was NOT a superior governing body to the others. It was larger geographically and in number of programs, but it had a very large hole in it smack in the middle of the state of as many as 42 3A schools. The gap only involved 3A level programs. Despite btango's attempt to cloud the issue (for reasons only known to him), none of 1A, 2A, or 4A, at the time were involved, however some WNCHSAA former members have gone on to perform in all 4 classifications since the merger. That is another reason why it is important to be represented fairly and accurately. The western located NCHSAA teams often had to drive past some of the WNCHSAA schools to play their games. As mentioned, some counties had schools from both associations. There was some interplay, but no playoff meetings. How can one be deemed supreme over the other? And time has proven the quality of play in the WNCHSAA was certainly equal, if not better.
46 years, and those Championship teams need to be designated "State Champions".
It is especially important in the media hype days that we live in, that all pertinent history related to a program's performance be fairly represented. When the media goes to the current unified NCHSAA for information on any program, including those fortunate enough to make the current championship games, that is not happening.
The current merged NCHSAA consistently only recognizes pre-merger (1977) "state" championships from THEIR Association (or what was known as NCHSAA) dating back to it's origin. In other words, any other Association championships are not stated or provided as part of that program's resume. That is wrong because the current unified NCHSAA is the sole provider of that information today. The fact is that they either misrepresent the WNCHSAA championships as somehow not as valid, or move to hide or ignore them in some way, or just not give all the information. Why would they not just state "in the history of this program, they have won X "state championships". By including pre-merger NCHSAA titles in their summaries while excluding pre-merger WNCHSAA titles, an inaccurate arrogant superiority is implied, whether it is intended or not.
If the NCHSAA wants to live up to its stated Core Values and Beliefs of Sportsmanship, Integrity, Fair Play, Honesty, Respect, Equity, and Fair Competition, this needs to be correctly represented. There WERE TWO SEPARATE 3A "State Champions" in NC from 1930 to 1976.
And what is puzzling is that this is a win win. Why oppose it?
Who gets hurt?
Make the change.

 

[FarWestNorthCarolinaSports]

Wnchssa isnt the same but if u cry enough like a liberal im sure the state will do it. State title are between the best western team and best eastern team. Thats why our 65 isnt on the score board. All that other stuff u spit out doesnt matter. Our 65 is a state title but not equal to our others.
So we have 13 and a half. Wnchsaa should count for a 1/4 not 1/2.

 

[72 State Champion]

Having a bad day BK?
Why the hate?
And you do not tell the whole story.
Many of your fellow 1A posters showed kind support.
How can the state title be between the best 3A west and the best 3A east when the best 3A CENTRAL NC team is left out. 42 teams is a lot to ignore.
In 1972, the states AP sports writers voted the WNCHSAA CHAMPION Shelby as the final #1 3A team in the state. Over both of the NCHSAA 3A finalists. If what you say is true, how did that happen?
Your reference to the 1965 1A playoffs failed to state it was a four(4) region playoff format, each region crowning a champ. That is like subdividing again today's already subdivided classes.
We find that similar to the 1947 Shelby team that went 10-0 yet had no WNCHSAA playoffs. We pursue recognition for that "title" about like you pursue your 1965 one.
In fairness to both teams, they went as far as they could. We strongly feel those teams SHOULD be recognized similarly as today's teams that go as far as they can. That fact has not changed with playoff evolution.
Besides, who gets hurt? Why not celebrate your 65 team? You may dislike it, but we bet some on that team would appreciate it.
Might help you feel better, too.

 

[recycled2_anon]

Just to play devils advocate, what happens when little Johnny goes up to grandpa and asks”grandpa, we won a western region championship just like you. Are we state champions too?”

Really does it matter how they are counted? I have several state rings and don’t really know where they all are. To me it is not about the rings or banners or any other recognition. I will remember the games played, the work to get there, the friendships developed, the satisfaction of knowing that on that day we were the best.

 

[FarWestNorthCarolinaSports]

65 was nothing like today in 1a.
Now we have 8 classes but during the regular season we use 4 to keep down on split conferences. 8 titles. East best vs west best. Thats it.

 

[72 State Champion]

BK. Come on now.
From 1930 to 1976 that is not what EXISTED in 3A size public high schools in NC.
What is your hangup in celebrating them all?
Do you dismiss this current subclassification set up?
As long as east meets west, why not have 16 champs? Where does it stop, since you are in charge now?

 

[photo0001]

Mind not made up on the bye yet but I kinda like this years set up with MaxPrep. I will know more at seasons end.

 

[OldMaroonDevil]

I don't think it's really possible to recognize all the potential champions during that era. And you can't make state champions out of regional champions. They didn't play the games, so we'll likely never know.

For what it's worth, Swain's 1936 (or maybe it was '37) team went 8-0 and was unscored-on. But I'm not even sure they belonged to a conference, much less a statewide association. The past is going to have to stand on its own.

 

[72 State Champion]

Yes it is possible to honor them all.
The information exists.
If a regional title was all a team could possibly attain, then that title in no way should be seen as less than one where further play was allowed.
It wasn't the team's fault.
Give them full credit.
They EARNED IT !
You got byes this year.
How is that fair to last year.
We can't control the changes.
We do control winning all our playoff games.
Why oppose? Who is getting hurt?

 

[recycled2_anon]

Several years ago, the Little Smoky Mountain Conference fielded group of men’s volleyball teams. It was actually very entertaining. They had a post season tournament. Was their champion the state champion? They went as far as they could go.

 

[72 State Champion]

recycled2-
If the shoe was on the other foot, you would not be such the comedian.
Nor a hypocrite, perhaps.
Many of your fellow 1A posters support us.
We thank them.

 

[The Lake Man]

The WNCHSAA was never a state association. Only a certain area had the chance to play in that association.

In your epiphany letter why don’t you just state that you want to rewrite Shelby’s history some more?

 

[ocdavis31]

The WNCHSAA was never a state association. Only a certain area had the chance to play in that association.

In your epiphany letter why don’t you just state that you want to rewrite Shelby’s history some more?

Thomasville will continue to list its1964 championship in our record book and on the scoreboard, along with the other seven state championships. The NCHSAA doesn’t list a lot of Thomasville’s records, including the accomplishments of Coach Allen Brown. Don’t assume this is only about Shelby. And obviously, just because the NCHSAA doesn’t recognize it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Their whole record book has a big asterisk beside it.
Coach Brown still has his 331 wins at Thomasville no matter what.

 

[72 State Champion]

Thanks OC.
Lexington posts their WNCHSAA titles up on their school wall with their NCHSAA titles....and makes no distinction.
South Point posts ALL theirs on their field house.
Albemarle, Hickory, Salisbury. All multiple champs in the WNCHSAA.
Who knows who was the better 3A champ any of those years?
That is why they need the same recognition from the ONLY governing body of public high schools in NC today. That is part of their job.

 

[OldMaroonDevil]

There should be nothing wrong with calling a championship an "NCHSAA championship" or a "WNCHSAA championship," but certainly before 1972 or maybe 1977, especially in 2A/3A, true state championships (in the sense of involving all eligible teams) didn't exist. People can call them anything they want, but the fact remains that championship games were not played that involved everybody who might have a legitimate claim to play. Calling anybody else a "state champion" is playing word games. Sad, in a way... it'd really be nice to know who really was the best team from every year of that era. But we'll likely never know this side of Heaven, if we all get there.