Week 4 Swain @ Starmount
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Starmount and Swain has played 4 times. Starmount won the first games in 1997 at Starmount ( I think it was 17-10). In 1999, Swain beat Starmount at Starmount 7-3 to stop the Rams' 27-game winning streak. In 2000, Swain beat Starmount 28-7 at Swain. Last year, Swain beat the Rams at Swain 49-14.
Gal,
We don't do anything different...we just a year older. We were junior-dominated last year, so a lot of our kids played last year.
Gal,
We don't do anything different...we just a year older. We were junior-dominated last year, so a lot of our kids played last year.
Well, thank God there's finally somebody bringing a little dose of REALITY to all us Swain airheads on here, who have been preaching the Devils' invincibility to all and sundry. I know I was telling everybody what a whuppin' we were going to lay on Whiteville all week....
I have to agree with the posters from Swain, its amazing that people thought Whiteville was going to run all over them lol! Now they are eating crow and Whiteville is playing basketball....Trust me, who ever comes out of the west is more than capable of beating WRH or JK because neither team is a "great' team-both have been beat and are beatable. Good luck to both teams and I am looking forward to a good state championship game in 2 weeks!
Well daggum....boy did I ever stir the pot on a simple sentence....Looks like somebody is jealous, because Swain and Starmount is playing another Friday night....Did your team lose?
A couple of interesting stats:
Combine overall records of conference teams: MVC 46-52. SMC 49-41
Booneville elevation 1099 ft. Bryson City elevation 1752 ft.
I do not think the fact that Starmount, Alleghany, Swain, and Robbinsville are still in the playoffs says a lot about the conference themselves. It says a lot about those four teams. Both conferences have really good teams at the top, and some not so good teams at the bottom. The SMC probably has an edge on the MVC at both ends. There are teams at the bottom of the MVC that can barely line up, but that being said, Starmount, Alleghany, and Ashe all had good seasons and beat some good teams.
The second stat is in response to the annual discussion about "mountain" teams. Both Starmount and Swain would really be considered foothills geographically. Both conferences play a style of football that is and has traditionally been characterized as Mountain Football. It has much to do with the fact that teams in the west tend to play hard-nosed football. They play to the death. It is a myth that "mountain" teams are slow. Swain is plenty fast, as I predicted last week, and as Whiteville is now well aware. Starmount will have plenty of speed as well. I think it is great and very fitting that the northern "mountains" meets the southwestern "mountains" in the western finals. It is as it should be. May the toughest team win.
Finally, no disrespect to any of the Swain posters, but please drop the "we're young and hurt" thing. It sounds weak, and you are never weak. Every 1A program plays young kids, and none of them have depth to replace injured players with sound experienced players. It happens to every small program in the state. You are Swain. Your kids have come through your program and have made it through almost an extra half-season by round 4. You are as experienced as anyone. It is beneath you to keep bringing up the youth and injured excuse, and the players that have filled in deserve to be recognized as legitimate starters by now, not inadequate backups.
Good luck to all 4 teams. You all fought to be here and deserve it. Finish strong and keep both championships in the West!
Combine overall records of conference teams: MVC 46-52. SMC 49-41
Booneville elevation 1099 ft. Bryson City elevation 1752 ft.
I do not think the fact that Starmount, Alleghany, Swain, and Robbinsville are still in the playoffs says a lot about the conference themselves. It says a lot about those four teams. Both conferences have really good teams at the top, and some not so good teams at the bottom. The SMC probably has an edge on the MVC at both ends. There are teams at the bottom of the MVC that can barely line up, but that being said, Starmount, Alleghany, and Ashe all had good seasons and beat some good teams.
The second stat is in response to the annual discussion about "mountain" teams. Both Starmount and Swain would really be considered foothills geographically. Both conferences play a style of football that is and has traditionally been characterized as Mountain Football. It has much to do with the fact that teams in the west tend to play hard-nosed football. They play to the death. It is a myth that "mountain" teams are slow. Swain is plenty fast, as I predicted last week, and as Whiteville is now well aware. Starmount will have plenty of speed as well. I think it is great and very fitting that the northern "mountains" meets the southwestern "mountains" in the western finals. It is as it should be. May the toughest team win.
Finally, no disrespect to any of the Swain posters, but please drop the "we're young and hurt" thing. It sounds weak, and you are never weak. Every 1A program plays young kids, and none of them have depth to replace injured players with sound experienced players. It happens to every small program in the state. You are Swain. Your kids have come through your program and have made it through almost an extra half-season by round 4. You are as experienced as anyone. It is beneath you to keep bringing up the youth and injured excuse, and the players that have filled in deserve to be recognized as legitimate starters by now, not inadequate backups.
Good luck to all 4 teams. You all fought to be here and deserve it. Finish strong and keep both championships in the West!
First of, Swain is hurt and young by their standards of the past. That is no myth, but it doesn't mean they aren't good. Second, did you just say that Swain would be considered foothills, geographically? That is absurd! The only reason Bryson City sits below 2000 feet is because it's nestled along the Nantahala river which sits in a valley. Other than that, half the county lies within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is as mountainous as NC gets. Third, I think there is a hell of a lot to say about the SMC and their continued success year in and year out with Swain, Murphy and Robbinsville.
This post was edited on 11/29 9:42 PM by Thunder.Head
This post was edited on 11/29 9:42 PM by Thunder.Head
I understand what you are saying, but the Yadkin River valley is a similar situation, and yes it is a few hundred feet lower than Bryson City. The NC mountain towns are 3000 - 5000 ft. I will give you that Bryson City is not too far under 3000, but certainly not as high as some of the towns on top of the mountains. If you want to go that far, then West Montgomery sits in the oldest mountain range in the United States, the Uarie Mountains. I think Mountain Football refers more to a style played by schools in and at the base of the mountains. Swain exemplifies Mountain Football, so no disrespect to the folks from the Smokies. You are certainly close to the mountains.
TH, I don't really disagree with anything you are saying. All I am saying is that the young kids that are filling in for the fallen veterans are holding their own and have practiced and played in the system now to be considered veterans in their own right. There has been a lot of talk about the captain you lost a couple of weeks ago. I have seen a couple of videos posted online and I think the replacements on O and D deserve some credit for being good players on their own. Both seem to be doing a great job. Honor those from past years, and respect those who are sidelined now, but build up those you have now. You may have had to lay down a couple of aces, but you drew a couple of kings. Your hand is still pretty solid. You still have Swain grown players and they will do just fine. Good luck, and keep it going.
I know this is nitpicking and really has nothing to do with football, but what exactly is your definition of "foothills"?
The county is located in the western part of North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains and has a larger proportion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park than any other county in North Carolina or Tennessee. The highest point in the county is Clingmans Dome, elevation 6,643 feet, located on the NC/TN border.
The county is located in the western part of North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains and has a larger proportion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park than any other county in North Carolina or Tennessee. The highest point in the county is Clingmans Dome, elevation 6,643 feet, located on the NC/TN border.
Starmount is named for Star's Peak the highest point in Yadkin County. It's the little mountain there close to the campus. Those little mountains in western Yadkin are part of the Brushy Mountains that also go thru Wilkes, Alexander, and Caldwell counties.
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Posted from Rivals Mobile
I concede your argument about foothills. Swain County certainly has high mountains. I was simply referring to the location of the school. Caldwell County reaches to nearly 6000 ft. at the top of Grandfather Mountain, but all of the schools are around 1000 ft. and called foothills schools. And Swain certainly plays mountain football. Heck, you probably invented it. It is a stark contrast to eastern, flat land football that relies primarily on finesse and speed. The real pitfall for most eastern teams is the myth that the mountain teams are slow. Swain, Murphy, Robbinsville, etc... are plenty quick, especially on defense. I think their quick reflexes more than make up for any misperceived speed differential. I also think Alleghany and Starmount play more of a mountain style of football than finesse. My prediction is that both put up a good fight, but it appears that Alleghany may have a tougher row to hoe. Again, congratulations to all 4 western teams, and good luck as you continue.
Close to the mountains? Are you insane. I can tell you have never been Swain county. First off, Google what the Blue Ridge Mountains are. 2nd, the lowest point in Swain County is still higher than the highest in Yadkin County. I think you are confused on what foothills are and what valley's are. Rolling hills outside of the mountains, are called foothills. Lowpoints within the mountains, are called valleys. The problem here is that you are trying to base all of Swain County, just on the elevation of Bryson City. Swain County has peaks over 6300 feet in elevation. Hell, I would bet Bryson City changes nearly 500 feet just within the city limits.
This is a terrain map of Swain County, note Bryson City sitting in lowest valley in the county:
This is a terrain map of Yadkin County:
I'm not sure what you're thinking, but it isn't even close!
Let's put it this way: yes, Bryson City is in a valley. Downtown the elevation is 1736 feet at the benchmark on the building my Dad's business was in, near the depot. But the high school is a little north of town, a hundred feet or so higher, and is a little more than 8 miles from the peak of Clingmans Dome. If you could build a straight road from the stadium to the summit, that road would have a continuous 10% grade. It would be something like 45,000 feet long and would gain about 4500-4600 feet in altitude. If Bryson City isn't in the mountains, North Carolina doesn't have mountains.
Actually Bryson City sits on the banks of the Tuckasegee River. Tuckasegee is a Cherokee term for "turtle place". Maybe that's why our sports teams are so slow.
Nantahala is a Cherokee term for "land of the noonday sun". Anyone who drives along the Nantahala towards Topton will soon figure out that term. The difference in elevation from the river to the top of the Nantahala Gorge in places exceeds over 500 feet . At times, especially during the winter months, you literally cannot see the sun until it is directly overhead. Thus the name "Nantahala". The river runs along the gorge near Topton in Graham County and empties into Fontana Lake very near the convergence of the Little Tennessee River. The Nantahala River has become a mecca for outdoor entusiasts, especially kayakers, canoers, and rafters. Some of my fondest memories as a youngster were fishing along the Nantahala.
Oconaluftee is a Cherokee term literally meaning "by the river" referring to an old Cherokee village called Egwanuti. The Oconaluftee flows through the Qualla Boundary and the town of Cherokee before converging with the Tuckasegee near the small town Ela, NC.
The Little Tennessee River flows from Franklin in Macon County into Fontana Lake at the southwestern side of Swain County. I don't think there is a Cherokee term for for the river but legend has it that at one time there were more moonshiners along the river than you could shake a stick at.
The largest body of water in the county of course is Fontana Lake which was formed when the Fontana Dam was built by the TVA in the early 1940s. To this day the Dam is a sore spot for most of the county residents because hundreds of people were forced to evacuate before it could be built. Many people including my ancestors were forced to sell their land for pennies on the dollar.
As a result of the Fontana Dam and the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, only about 40 percent of Swain County is populated.
Someone mentioned that Bryson City was in the foothills. It makes me wonder if this person has ever even been to the mountains of Western North Carolina. I think this person may want to reconsider that comment. "Foothills" is only one step away from "Flat Lander" and that just won't do!!
I really didn't mean to go on but I love my little hometown and the people of Bryson City and if God is willing I will someday
return there to live.
Maroon Machine, Maroon Machine, Maroon Machine!!!!!
In the 3rd grade we learned that N.C. has 3 sections the mountains, the foothills, and the coastal plains. If you look at a map it is not hard to tell which section of the state a place is in. This ain't that hard guys....lol
This post was edited on 11/30 10:25 AM by prlyles
This post was edited on 11/30 10:25 AM by prlyles
I enjoy reading the comments and the recent geographical discussions. S-pecialy good to finally learn the origins of the name "Starmount". I always wondered why the HS was called Starmount instead of Boonville high.
I will throw in here that "mountain football" is not well defined, some would imply that it is a style encompassed in the education centers located high elevation topography, but that is really not the case. I would point out here that some of NC's highest elevation schools opt for the "west coast" style, (ex. Ashe county, Watauga, Avery at times) which most do not consider as classic Mountain football.
I agree with the poster imploring Swain posters to halt the "young and injured" discussion. It may be true, it may be applicable, but it does not reconcile well with the character of the Maroon Devils tradition . The poster makes some good points.
Ten or so years ago, I despised Starmount. They were symbolic of that ongoing population growth-development trend that continues to push larger and larger schools downward into the 1A division. They were bullies in their old 2A conference and I found it easy to dislike them as newcomers in the 1A ranks. Years have passed and I have taken in many a Starmount game, and it's true, they have a style reminiscent of the old SMC Mountain football that I grew up with. I have come around over the years, and have developed a slight fondness for the Starmount Rams, due to their style, attitude, intensity, and supportive fan base.
They are just another friendly competitive adversary now.
I will throw in here that "mountain football" is not well defined, some would imply that it is a style encompassed in the education centers located high elevation topography, but that is really not the case. I would point out here that some of NC's highest elevation schools opt for the "west coast" style, (ex. Ashe county, Watauga, Avery at times) which most do not consider as classic Mountain football.
I agree with the poster imploring Swain posters to halt the "young and injured" discussion. It may be true, it may be applicable, but it does not reconcile well with the character of the Maroon Devils tradition . The poster makes some good points.
Ten or so years ago, I despised Starmount. They were symbolic of that ongoing population growth-development trend that continues to push larger and larger schools downward into the 1A division. They were bullies in their old 2A conference and I found it easy to dislike them as newcomers in the 1A ranks. Years have passed and I have taken in many a Starmount game, and it's true, they have a style reminiscent of the old SMC Mountain football that I grew up with. I have come around over the years, and have developed a slight fondness for the Starmount Rams, due to their style, attitude, intensity, and supportive fan base.
They are just another friendly competitive adversary now.
Go Swain ...beat starmount .... I have no love for them at all ...
This post was edited on 11/30 10:59 AM by tarheels0015
This post was edited on 11/30 10:59 AM by tarheels0015
Some more history from Starmount:
Starmount High School is comprised from 3 communities in western Yadkin County...Boonville, Jonesville, and Hamptonville. All these communities had high schools and in 1967 (Starmount opened) became elementary schools.
Notable football alumni:
Jackie Brown was the first African-American to be given an athletic scholarship at the University of South Carolina where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He played for Baltimore Colts.
Carlos King is all-time leading rusher at Starmount. He played at NC State and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Starmount High School is comprised from 3 communities in western Yadkin County...Boonville, Jonesville, and Hamptonville. All these communities had high schools and in 1967 (Starmount opened) became elementary schools.
Notable football alumni:
Jackie Brown was the first African-American to be given an athletic scholarship at the University of South Carolina where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He played for Baltimore Colts.
Carlos King is all-time leading rusher at Starmount. He played at NC State and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I don't think mountain football is really defined by the style of play but rather the toughness they play it with, and those schools you mentioned are very tough despite mountain teams always having a distinct disadvantage in the athlete department. However, the Smoky Mountain region both culturally and geographically, are a lot different than the high country. The high country although generally a higher elevation, is more like a plateau and a lot less rugged than it's Smoky Mountain/Balsam counterparts. If you notice, the high country has a lot of farms whereas the Southwest Mountains just aren't suitable for it. That, over the course of time, has bred a different type of people and culture than those of Avery, Ashe and Watauga. I think one of the best articles I have read on the topic of mountain football, was by Rod White when he was at Swain in 2004:
http://blogs2.citizen-times.com/hshuddle/2012/11/23/youre-mountain/
This post was edited on 11/30 1:19 PM by Thunder.Head
Are we playing a game this week or is it a geography test?
As far as anyone mentioning injuries or youth it isn't a woe is me scenario. In fact is too the contrary. It is a testament to the boys and the coaches for working hard and building back quick. Say everyone get their panties out of a bunch, study your geography notes, and get ready for this test, I mean game on Friday.
As far as anyone mentioning injuries or youth it isn't a woe is me scenario. In fact is too the contrary. It is a testament to the boys and the coaches for working hard and building back quick. Say everyone get their panties out of a bunch, study your geography notes, and get ready for this test, I mean game on Friday.
LOL!!! Let's throw in some more HISTORY!!! LOL!!
This will be the 5th meeting between the two schools in the playoffs. Swain leads the series 3-1.
1997 - 3rd Round @ SHS - Starmount 17 - Swain 10
1999 - 2nd Round @ SHS - Swain 7 - Starmount - 3 - stopped Starmount's 27-game winning streak (Rams won 1998 1A State Championship at 15-1 and enter that game 12-0)
2000 - 1st Round @ Swain - Swain 27 - Starmount 7
2013 - 3rd Round @ Swain - Swain 49 - Starmount 14
This will be the 5th meeting between the two schools in the playoffs. Swain leads the series 3-1.
1997 - 3rd Round @ SHS - Starmount 17 - Swain 10
1999 - 2nd Round @ SHS - Swain 7 - Starmount - 3 - stopped Starmount's 27-game winning streak (Rams won 1998 1A State Championship at 15-1 and enter that game 12-0)
2000 - 1st Round @ Swain - Swain 27 - Starmount 7
2013 - 3rd Round @ Swain - Swain 49 - Starmount 14
Lol, I don't think it was supposed to turn to such, but when someone says that Bryson City is a lot like Booneville in that they are both 'foothills', I think we should all feel compelled to educate the poor soul. Haha.
While we're at it, let's throw a little literature in there too: Bryson City is the Rivendell of the Smokies... down in the valley. 
But yeah, back to football... if Swain plays the way they did against Whiteville, which was by far their best performance of the year and what this team looked capable of if they found a handle on the ball and avoided mental mistakes like motion penalties, I like their chances even without McCoy. But they will have to play their best against a team as mature and capable as Starmount looks to be after their comeback against WM.
Deanna, now that's more like it. Good ol fashion football history. 97 was a heartbreaker to a very good Swain team and I know 99 had to be just as tough on y'all. What's the discussion around town there with the devils coming back to town?
Thunder I agree with you 100%.
Maroon devil, you are a renaissance man.
Don't forget to bring your #2 pencils on Friday.
Thunder I agree with you 100%.
Maroon devil, you are a renaissance man.
Don't forget to bring your #2 pencils on Friday.
You guys are great. You are 100% correct. Swain County is definitely a mountain county and the county as a whole is not considered part of the North Carolina foothills region. Yadkin County is. Please take the following in fun. I had to share this with you, because I thought it was funny in light of our geography discussion. I found this in a motel add from Bryson City, "Tucked away in the foothills, our pet-friendly Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham Bryson City hotel is near the Great Smokey Mountains..." Again, I agree Swain County is not in the foothills, just thought you might get a kick out of the fact that a Bryson City Motel advertises itself as located in the foothills. Anyway, back to football. What is the prognosis on no. 22? Does he have a future in football after high school? I hear he is a great athlete. Also, what is the status on no. 14? Any chance he plays this week?
I think 22 has a better chance of going to college for wrestling than football. he is good at both but better on the mat.
I don't know that much about Starmount but I have see Swain play. Swain is well coached and the coaches are tremendous motivators. They are able to get way more out of their kids than almost any coaching staff I have seen. Swain is down this year but I can guarantee you that they will be ready for anybody. I am not a Swain fan during the regular season but I will be pulling for them in the playoffs. I hope Swain brings another trophy back to the SMC.