TVC says no to Jackson and Warren

[enigmaax]

Now the question is , can Logan, Jackson, and Warren convince another school to come in. Maybe a Marietta?

I don't have an inside source or anything, but all of the talk around the Warren community (including some coaches) makes the OVAC seem like a lock. The board already approved the move, but I am not sure whether that means the conference already accepted us. It appears Warren is moving on.

[cghs82]

Jackson in the T.V.C. would have made that conference better IMO. Again Southeastern Ohio good ole boys club in full effect. I mean lets think about it, you just had a team in the state championships, why not up the level of competition and get the T.V.C. product better? Getting better is not the status quo in these parts obviously. Good Luck Jackson! The KIDS and the fans deserve better. Now the question is , can Logan, Jackson, and Warren convince another school to come in. Maybe a Marietta?

Looking on Twitter at a conversation from Paul Boggs (Jackson County Newspaper Sports Editor) and Jackson Athletics Twitter Page, Paul was optimistic that Marietta was interested in leaving the ECOL and possibly joining the SEOAL and that keeping a 4-team league together could sway Gallia back to the SEOAL, potentially before they play in the OVC (I think you'd have to try to add Point Pleasant too to try to get Gallia to come back for a decent 6-team league). Jackson Athletics, on the other hand, looked like they'd giving up on the SEOAL and were ready to welcome being independent with open arms and wasn't too optimistic in Marreita joining or getting Gallia to come back. In an article I seen posted from the Jackson County Times, it said Jackson would formally apply to the OVC, SCOL, and SOC by the end of the week or early next week, but wasn't too optimistic on getting into the SOC.

[noreply66]

Jackson, Logan and Warren are far better off not joining the TVC. It is a league where the schools will get smaller unless some go together and if that happens the smallest one will leave Too many small schools for either of them to play.

Warren can go to another league and not worry about the southeastern part of Ohio. Jackson and Logan can go independent and can schedule teams in southeastern Ohio that are not scared to play bigger schools. Some times i think schools in southeastern Ohio want to shoot at the undefeated record first and the play offs second. Jackson's record in football over the last few years and what their under class has been doing to other teams is what scares southeastern teams off. Right off Ironton, Wheelersburg and at times Nelson/York seem like the only schools that want to butt hears with bigger schools or travel out of their area. In a couple of years Logan will not have to play anyone in southeastern Ohio. Jackson can do the same if they want to travel a little more.

[Super trooper]

If Jackson and warren were in the tvc 80% of the teams would have no chance in anything.

[Raider6309]

Jackson plays 9 teams smaller and Logan plays 7 teams smaller in football. i wouldn't say they play tough schedules

[G.W.A.]

I feel they should be in and three divisions made and the pay to park lifted (lol). Neither school is a powerhouse every year in any sport. They have runs of talent just like every southeast Oh school does. TVC has proved they are sissys in my opinion.

[doubleplay643]

Jackson plays 9 teams smaller and Logan plays 7 teams smaller in football. i wouldn't say they play tough schedules

Oh, news flash from Athens County. Smaller = Not Tough Schedule.

Last year's "smaller" team schedule included (2) regional finalist (Wheelersburg & West Jefferson) in 2014; and (1) regional finalist, (1) regional semi-finalist and a state final four team from 2013. Yes they were smaller schools, no they were not cupcakes.

You don't call this years's schedule of D3 Chillicothe, D5 West Jefferson (2013,2014 Regional Finalist), D3 Granville (2014 play-offs), D5 Wheelersburg (2013 Regional Semi's and 2014 Regional Finalist), D3 Talawanda (2014 play-offs) and D2 Logan a tough schedule?

Three (3) D3 schools and (1) D2 school = 4 schools the same size or larger than Jackson. That line-up is not 9 smaller schools RAIDER6309, may want to go take that honors math course again.

Your schedule look like that this year for 2015 RAIDER? Are the D4, D5 and D6 teams you schedule and play Regional Semi-Finalists and Finalists?

Glad you had your run, glad you orbited the earth for a couple years, but get ready to re-enter the atmosphere.

Back to the subject, local reporting indicates we have applied to the OVC and SCOL. There are some relationships or Jackson-ties among a couple of the schools in the SCOL, be interesting to see if those can lead to some interest in our application. Hopefully we will find a spot soon, independent is not a good option.

[Raider6309]

Doubleplay643, Jackson played 6 D5, 2 D4,1 D6, and D2 Logan. I'm responding to noreply66 pretty much talking down Athens even though 10-0 Jackson had 269 and 10-0 Athens had 261 points. I wouldn't call 8 points the difference between a cupcake schdule and a tough schdule

[jimbobhampton]

Jackson doesn't belong in the TVC, period!

The SCOL is clearly a better fit for Jackson than the OVC. The overall competition is stronger which would better prepare them for the post season and the travel is better because of safer roads. Anyone living in deep SE Ohio knows how much of a nightmare it is to travel State Route 93 from Jackson to Peake, CG, RH, Ironton, etc. A conference doesn't exist that can or will offer Jackson short travel, similar size schools, and stellar competition.

Being an independent may be inevitable for Jackson. It wouldn't be ideal but it wouldn't be the end of the world either. The downside of it would be that the kids at Jackson wouldn't get to compete for league honors and the AD would certainly have to earn his money. However, it is done every year by dozens of schools across the state. How long was Ironton an independent? Thirty years?

[doubleplay643]

Have a moderator lock this thread lol, the third and final request was a resounding no.

Start a "Will the SCOL say yes to Jackson" thread.

Time to move on from this dead horse.

[goUK]

So does Jackson go to an independent schedule, or can they try to get in the MSL?

The problem with independent in football (besides the travel) is the difficulty in scheduling your freshman and JV games. You may scratch and claw and get 10 varsity games when you open your travel radius up, but now you got to go find freshman and JV as well. I think at some point it impacts your program very negatively. Being independent in Columbus or Cincinnati is one thing, being independent in SE Ohio is an entirely different story.

I don't think the SOC II is a viable option due to our school size versus their members and based on what you "hear", so that leaves the OVC and SCOL I suppose. Although we clearly are a travel issue in the SCOL, but far on the outskirts of their current membership. Confident that Plan B (or C lol) is being worked on by our administration.

OVC schools are the same size or smaller than SOC. Gallia Academy would be the only exception.

[NYBuckeye96]

Regarding Warren, the OVAC isn't really a "Conference" is it? I thought OVAC schools also belonged to regular conferences in addition to the OVAC affiliation? Or did this change?

[enigmaax]

Regarding Warren, the OVAC isn't really a "Conference" is it? I thought OVAC schools also belonged to regular conferences in addition to the OVAC affiliation? Or did this change?

There isn't a round robin or balanced schedule, but there are league championships based on points earned. Beating other OVAC teams results in more points. There are year end tournaments in sports where it is feasible (not football, of course). For example, basketball teams save two open dates on their schedule at the end of the year and the top 4 seeds in each division (there are 5 divisions) play a mini-tournament for the league title. Then the teams that don't make the tourney are matched up in consolations. It is non-traditional, but a cool setup.

Many schools do play in other conferences in addition to the OVAC.

[greyhoundsbob]

The best thing for Logan, Jackson, and Warren to do at this point would be to try and maybe convince Marietta and the two Parkersburg schools to join the SEOAL. I doubt Gallia is coming back. Their enrollment has dropped dramatically the last few years, and that trend is expected to continue. They will probably be around the same size as Fairland and South Point in the next 3-5 years. Times have changed down on the river for small towns like Gallipolis, Ironton, and Portsmouth.

SEOAL
Logan
Jackson
Warren
Marietta
Parkersburg
Parkersburg South

I think this could be a pretty good 6 team league. There should be a push to try and make it happen. REALISTICALLY, Athens should be playing in a league like this as well.

[Raider6309]

^Same with Athens, Athens used to be 250 kids a class in the 70's. Now Athens has 180-190 per class. Athens will be very close to D4 next year. If hocking would close someday, A D5 Athens would probably happen since a lot of the hocking employees also send their children to Athens. Athens in the past 15 years lost TS Trim and Mcbee's

[cghs82]

The best thing for Logan, Jackson, and Warren to do at this point would be to try and maybe convince Marietta and the two Parkersburg schools to join the SEOAL. I doubt Gallia is coming back. Their enrollment has dropped dramatically the last few years, and that trend is expected to continue. They will probably be around the same size as Fairland and South Point in the next 3-5 years. Times have changed down on the river for small towns like Gallipolis, Ironton, and Portsmouth.

SEOAL
Logan
Jackson
Warren
Marietta
Parkersburg
Parkersburg South

I think this could be a pretty good 6 team league. There should be a push to try and make it happen. REALISTICALLY, Athens should be playing in a league like this as well.

Agreed, though if Athens would decide to come join the SEOAL, I think Point Pleasant, WV (D-III in Ohio) would make a good 8th team, but if not Athens, Ripley WV ought to be given a good look too since they're looking for a conference and similar in size as Logan (well 110 less overall, but still way less than the two Parkersburg schools). Logan's longest drive would be an hour, 20 minutes to Ripley (same as driving to Gallia). Jackson's longest would be an hour, 35 minutes to Marrieta. Warren's longest drive would be to Jackson around an hour, 20 minutes. It would be really nice for Logan, Jackson, and Warren to think of how to keep their conference alive and not giving up on it. I also took a look at Gallia's enrollment, going back as far as 2007 in OHSAA's enrollment page, it was actually lower for their boys in 2007 (247 boys) than in 2013 (253 boys) and peaked at 268 in 2009. Their girl's enrollment, on the other hand, has dropped by 39 girls during the 6-year span. Don't think I would use dramatically to describe the decline in their enrollment, but overall, it is on a decline.

[Jason Vorhees]

The SEOAL is dead. People need to start to realizing that. Athens isn't rejoining the conference and neither is Marietta. For Athens, why would they leave a conference they have had success in for a conference they struggled in the previous decade? Wouldn't make any sense. As far as Marietta, I would see no reason why they would want back in a conference that is officially dead. The SEOAL may have been a staple in Southern Ohio since 1923; however, it is gone after 90 years, and it is a true shame that the oldest non "big-city" conference is not around here anymore. Times change, and so does the economy. Whomever thought that a conference, at one point in time, had Zanesville, Ironton, Chillicothe, Marietta and Portsmouth in it is just plain crazy. Basketball games in the winter from Ironton to Zanesville would have been probably a three hour drive. The reason I chose those 5 particular schools is because they basically cover the geography of SE Ohio. Athens didn't kill the SEOAL. Marietta didn't kill the SEOAL. The economy and loss of school population killed the SEOAL. Any school that has to play a conference game 2.5 to 3 hours away will lose money, and fast. The day the SEOAL died was when the conference decided to allow Zanesville in. With Chillicothe, the conference could have sustained hard economic times. The league started slowing starting falling a part around 2008/9 when other schools realized economically, they couldn't sustain soccer trips and even baseball trips for 3 hours. It probably drained nearly every school, and I am sure that almost every school was looking for a way out between 2008 and now.

[cghs82]

The SEOAL is dead. People need to start to realizing that. Athens isn't rejoining the conference and neither is Marietta. For Athens, why would they leave a conference they have had success in for a conference they struggled in the previous decade? Wouldn't make any sense. As far as Marietta, I would see no reason why they would want back in a conference that is officially dead. The SEOAL may have been a staple in Southern Ohio since 1923; however, it is gone after 90 years, and it is a true shame that the oldest non "big-city" conference is not around here anymore. Times change, and so does the economy. Whomever thought that a conference, at one point in time, had Zanesville, Ironton, Chillicothe, Marietta and Portsmouth in it is just plain crazy. Basketball games in the winter from Ironton to Zanesville would have been probably a three hour drive. The reason I chose those 5 particular schools is because they basically cover the geography of SE Ohio. Athens didn't kill the SEOAL. Marietta didn't kill the SEOAL. The economy and loss of school population killed the SEOAL. Any school that has to play a conference game 2.5 to 3 hours away will lose money, and fast. The day the SEOAL died was when the conference decided to allow Zanesville in. With Chillicothe, the conference could have sustained hard economic times. The league started slowing starting falling a part around 2008/9 when other schools realized economically, they couldn't sustain soccer trips and even baseball trips for 3 hours. It probably drained nearly every school, and I am sure that almost every school was looking for a way out between 2008 and now.

People will realize when it is dead when it really is dies. The SEOAL isn't dead yet! Right now, the SEOAL is on life support and Logan, Jackson, and Warren are watching it deciding with 1 year left on it's life whether to perserve/recreate it or let it die. The SEOAL as the potential to make a great 8 team league with Athens and Gallia Academy in my opinion. Imagine:

SEOAL
Athens
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Logan
Marietta
Point Pleasant, WV (similar size as Jackson and Athens)
Ripley, WV (similar size as Marietta)
Warren

The longest trip in that scenario is Jackson-Marrieta at an hour, 35 minutes, which is a lot less than the 2 hours, 50 minute drive for Ironton-Zanesville. Athens is still the center of that region, and there would bring stability to the SEOAL. I don't blame Athens for doing this to the SEOAL and I'm glad they've had success in the TVC, but I think Athens shouldn't be in the TVC in my opinion. City school in a non-city league in most cases leads to city dominance in the conference and that's what Athens has done. Athens is a big fish in a little pond as most people refer to it. Sure a case could be made for Logan in the SEOAL, but they don't dominate it like Athens does the TVC. Yes, Athens would be driving a little bit longer with the longest trip an hour, 5 minutes, but it would not be like before since Athens wouldn't be making drives to Portsmouth, Ironton, Chillicothe, and Zanesville. Traveling to other schools would mainly use 4-lane highways like I-77, US-33, US-35, US-50, OH-32. The question now would be "would Athens and even Gallia want to come back to a league like this?" I don't think Athens would though they probably should. Gallia might come back it this, but if not, a 6-team league like this would do decent without Athens and Gallia, and Parkersburg and Parkersburg South could be considered as 7th and 8th teams, but I think they would be too big in my opinion. Just my thinkings that'll probably never come true, but would be nice to see happen

[Jason Vorhees]

Wishful thinking; this will not happen. Why would Athens leave a league they are having success in? I highly doubt Gallia Academy would leave a league where their longest trip is to Portsmouth, which is probably an hour away, maybe a little more. Marietta will not leave their current league due to travel and it being cost-effective. Point Pleasant is not leaving their schedule or conference any time soon. They are having huge success with scheduling and post-season appearances. Ripley has no desire to join a conference in Ohio. So, that still leaves Jackson, Logan and Warren. Speaking of Warren, they are leaving the league, too. That leaves Jackson and Logan searching for a league. No league size-wise fits them, although there is leagues around them. There is too huge of a size difference for Jackson to fit into the SOC2. They may fit into the TVC; however, nobody wants Jackson in there, as evident by voting. For years, the blow hards of one particular school in the SEOAL proved their verbal arrogance and dominance, and now it is costing them, that being Logan. I am not saying there is not great people in Logan, there really is a lot of good people there. However, a few individuals and their arrogance has now cost them. They have no conference to go in to. Jackson would have probably made it in to a conference without so many extra-curricular athletics (tennis, soccer, etc.). Schools in this area are lucky to support four sports for males (football, basketball, baseball and track) and females (basketball, softball, track and cross-country) financially. Other schools, when looking at other sports outside of those four main sports, struggle to support them, even if they are successful in them due to attendance and lack of interest. Logan and Jackson are hybrid schools; too big to be in another conference in this area and not successful enough in more than three sports for a central Ohio conference to support or vote them in. Jackson's three being (at least consistently as of recent) Football (always successful), Softball and Baseball. Logan being Football, Boy's and Girl's Basketball and Track.

[greyhoundsbob]

I agree that Gallia is gone for good. They would be the smallest school in any new proposed SEOAL, and Gallia isn't exactly producing the kind of teams and athletes they used to in the past. The OVC might be good for them with old rivals Ironton and Portsmouth. As well as a new budding rivalry with Fairland. I do expect the Gallia/Jackson series to continue regardless of what happens to the Ironmen in the future.

Marietta could possibly be receptive to coming back to the SEOAL if it involves one or both of the Parkersburg schools. The drives to Vincent and Parkersburg would easily trump the trips in the ECOL. I still say a 6 team league with Logan, Jackson, Warren, Marietta, Parkersburg, and Parkersburg South could work.

As for Athens, I can see their relationship with the TVC going sour in the near future if something doesn't change. You can't have one school winning everything, every year. It's just not good for the overall health of a league. Even with the graduation of the OU kids this year, I still think Athens will have enough left over to take the TVC football crown again next season, and that is not even taking into account all the other sports that they will either win or be near the top in. Something's gotta give sooner or later.