"Hypothetical" new D1/D2 league south of Columbus

[noreply66]

TV and Logan have been playing for 4 or 5 years now so that travel shouldn't be a problem. Hamilton is just around 40 minutes.

[GoBucks1047]

Maybe apart of this is just my strong optimism and not as much knowledge in the Columbus area, but what’s made Watkins Memorial, Licking Heights, and Whitehall-Yearling less desirable or less interested in this proposed league? I understand why Lancaster, Newark, and Reynoldsburg will likely be less interested if at all, and Zanesville essentially needed Newark for the league due to their distance and lack of size, but for Logan, wasn’t it them who started the meetings or got them together? Logan has a better program compared to Zanesville and is closer to Columbus than Zanesville. Logan also has potentially up to 4 Schools South of 270 that would be able to avoid the said rush hours and the 2 Licking County Schools don’t need to use the interstate to get to Logan. I understand Lancaster likely not joining impacts Logan’s chances some and distance isn’t the best, but I don’t think it’s enough for everyone to just right them off, especially since this potential league was their idea.

This is just my idea for a league, which probably won’t happen, but I think it’s a solid league.
Canal Winchester
Groveport-Madison
Hamilton Township
Licking Heights
Logan
New Albany
Teays Valley
Watkins Memorial
Whitehall-Yearling

It would be 1 trip to Logan once every 2 years in football and soccer (boys and girls), and then once a year for the rest of the sports. The rest of the games are in the Columbus area for the rest of the teams and the longest trip outside of any trip to Logan is 45 minutes. I’ll be honest, kinda steals the idea of of the TVC Hocking with 7 D2 schools, a D1 school, and a D3 school (not completely D2, but it’s something).

It isn’t perfect and not every team isn’t going to go for it. I could see a few scenarios from this setup:
W-Y doesn’t join to make it 8 Teams
W-Y and HT don’t join to make it 7 Teams
W-Y, HT, and Logan aren’t invited for 6 teams
New Albany, HT, and WT don’t join for 6 teams
I think Zanesville’s chances are low, but if 5 teams end up committed and a 6th team is needed and none of the other teams I listed are interested (let’s say TV, HT, NA, W-Y), I think that’s Zanesville’s only chance of getting in, but I’ve been wrong before.

[formerfcfan]

WM & LH would be good candidates that would have interest in a new, proposed league.

Whitehall would be a decent candidate that likely would not be interested in a new, proposed league. I doubt their interest because the league they currently play in has two schools they’ve always enjoyed playing for the past fifteen years (Bexley and C. Academy), as well as schools like WC (non-football), Ready (only football) London & the Buckeye Division crossovers for football. Additionally, Whitehall may fit from a numbers perspective, but they wouldn’t be able to “play up” as well as some suspect due to socioeconomics issues. (Whitehall-Yearling has played D7 Fisher Catholic, perennial loser, four times since 2010 in football. Even though they won all four games, they only won 2011 and 2015 due to the depth advantage (games won in the fourth quarter.) I don’t see them being too competitive with Groveport or Teays Valley in football.

[bsee12345]

According to information on MOAC posting board that Buckeye Valley school will take action on moving to Mid State League on Wednesday at their board meeting. Buckeye Valley moving to Mid State Ohio would stabilize the division and may take Whitehall out of the talk of moving out of the Mid State League. The MId State League Ohio Division would have Whitehall, Bexley, Columbus Academy, Worthington Christian, Grandview Hts and Buckeye Valley. This would also likely keep the Buckeye Division together thus possible keeping Teays Valley and Hamilton Twp in the Mid State League.

The Mid Ohio Athletic Conference has added teams Galion, Ontario and Clear Fork causing increase in travel. North Union is leaving the MOAC and the MOAC is about to add Shelby which is around Mansfield- like the other league additions. Marion Pleasant is south of Marion and would probably looking to better their situation in the future. If Buckeye Valley leaves MOAC and North Union leaving the MOAC will be made up of Marion River Valley, Marion Pleasant, Marion Harding, Galion, Ontario, Clear Fork and Shelby (when added).

[loganlocos]

Until the next meeting from the others..which could be Groveport, Teays Valley, Logan, Zanesville, Canal.. Could this bring in New Albany and others now that Lancaster and Newark are off the table.

I don't think people should assume that Lancaster, Newark, and Reynoldsburg voting "yes" means they are off the table.

[loganlocos]

The OCC realignment had nothing to do with schools threatening to leave - the OCC HAD to realign as Olentangy Berlin opens in the fall.

With that said, some of the moves MAY have been an attempt to "pacify" those threatening to leave. Regardless of how schools voted, will it actually help?

I would guess that Lancaster will be happy to see Gahanna and Pick North out of their division and Newark back in. That division MIGHT be enough to keep Lancaster and Newark in the fold, BUT, the OCC could realign again in 4 years and they might not be together.


Additionally, I know the two Pickerington schools wanted to be seperated.

[loganlocos]

I would now say Lancaster is probably OUT:

https://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/s ... 351650002/

Would also guess Newark will be a package deal with Lancaster.

[CruiserChief95]

I would agree with Locos after reading the article. I still maintain that Lancaster would be too big for this new league anyway. Compared to the other potential members, they are still at that next tier athletically to where they can compete with the big boys. It's telling that GM and Canal were two of the "no" votes. Clearly voting as a block to try and stay in the same division and maintain a rivalry. When Canal comes up and paints obscenities on our senior rocks, it kind of loses it's luster when no league standings are involved. Anyway, I don't think this in any way spells the end of a possible new league. Rather, it's just a couple names to cross off the list and work with the schools that remain and build a very solid league.

[formerfcfan]

Buckeye Valley is joining the MSL-Ohio, in case anyone was curious about the MSL’s reshuffling.

[loganlocos]

Buckeye Valley is joining the MSL-Ohio, in case anyone was curious about the MSL’s reshuffling.

I don't know what the longterm growth is for BV - other than anyone in Delaware County is probably trending up - but unless they really grow to the point where they could join Big Walnut and possibly the Olengangy's and Delaware I would guess this is a great move.

[Chief02]

Do we know when the interested schools were planning to reconvene?

[Pa Trojan]

this has been very interesting to watch from way over here, thanks for keeping the updates coming

[loganlocos]

Do we know when the interested schools were planning to reconvene?

Yes.

[teach1coach2]

Word in the Zanesville area is that Newark and Lancaster are staying put in the OCC and this new league idea is falling apart.

[noreply66]

The new league can get done without them.

[Chief02]

The new proposed league does not “need” Lancaster or Newark. There is still a solid core of schools that remain from the interested group. I think Lancaster and Newark may reconsider the next time the OCC realigns again in about 4-5 years. To me, the lynchpins of this new league are Canal Winchester and Groveport. If they backout, it may fall apart.

[noreply66]

I mostly agree. A lot depends on Teays Valley and Zanesville with the travel time. Don't think they can get both of these on board.

[1987chieftains]

Teays Valley IMO would be the ones that would not be into it. When Logan didn't get voted into the MSL it was TV that voted NO. Bc they didn't want that massive drive time of 43 mins to the Ohio river to play Logan.

[Chief02]

Teays Valley IMO would be the ones that would not be into it. When Logan didn't get voted into the MSL it was TV that voted NO. Bc they didn't want that massive drive time of 43 mins to the Ohio river to play Logan.

I guess that begs the question of why have they gone along for the ride all the way to this point? Remember, it was Logan who started this ball rolling. If they didn’t want to, then why have they entertained everything up to this point?

[Chief02]

I mostly agree. A lot depends on Teays Valley and Zanesville with the travel time. Don't think they can get both of these on board.

I agree. Honestly, I think Zanesville is an odd duck in this equation. I still have a sour taste from when they joined the SEOAL and the dominos that started falling afterwards.