Oak Hill - SOC 1/2 Division

[js7_22]

If Oak Hill wins it's 6th SOC title in the last 7 years, does this finally force Oak Hill to move up and start playing in the SOC 2? If not, what does it take?

152 boys and Div 5 going up against most Div 7 schools with all but 1 other school with more than 100 boys.

Eastern joining the SOC 1 now makes it even more lopsided. AD's need to make this happen, Oak Hill is in SOC 2 in all other sports.

If Oak Hill goes 8-2, they have a good shot at not making the playoffs, all more to move up and play the tougher schedule in SOC 2.

[4thgoal]

One issue, what if Northwest goes on to win 4-5 SOC1 titles in a row. Maybe they can compete with the SOC1 schools, but I don't know if that means they are ready to come back to the SOC2. A mediocre SOC2 school (in most years) would be at or near the top of the SOC1. My suggestion would be to have 6 teams in each division and the alignment is evaluated by the group every 3-5 years to make adjustments as needed.

[js7_22]

I like the 6 team divisions, and I understand the result if NW should begin to run the table as well. Oak Hill has had a solid program for quite some time now, and it seems to only be growing. NW dropped down for a reason. Mediocre SOC 2 schools also have 150-200 boys in their school, essentially doubling the size of the largest SOC 1 school (minus Oak Hill and NW who both belong in SOC 2 just by size). So of course you would expect them to be better having been able to choose from 50-100 more boys.

It's the same story when everyone wanted Valley to move up. They didn't like the much large school basically beating up on the smaller schools, and Valley didn't enjoy going 8-2 and missing the playoffs, so it only made sense to them. Oak Hill tries to play larger schools (Minford, Burg), but then is stuck playing Div 7 teams and that doesn't prepare them for the playoffs in Division 5.

The SOC basically screws themselves each year by not looking at the big picture.

I will say this, Portsmouth would honestly be a good pick up for the SOC 2, the rivalry it would create and attendance by short driving distance would be much better for both schools rather than having to drive to South Point, Chesapeake, etc.

If Oak Hill insists on staying in the SOC 1 - adding Portsmouth would help balance out both conferences. But I do agree, a 6 and 6 division would be best in this situation. Helps with non conference scheduling.

SOC 1 Division
Green
Notre Dame
Symmes Valley
Eastern
Northwest
East
(Oak Hill* if you add Portsmouth to SOC 2)

SOC 2 Division
Valley
West
Minford
Burg
Waverly
(Portsmouth* if Oak Hill stays in SOC 1)

[courier]

Portsmouth is a dead issue joining the conference. I think it was stupid them being denied entry. OH needs to be moved up. Valley, West, Waverly and Minford have all taken their lumps in the conference. There will be good and bad years. OH can deal with it like the other teams. To have success in the playoffs you need to challenge your team throughout the year. If you aren't good enough to be competitive in your own conference then I'd argue you don't deserve to make the playoffs. JMO

[dreamweaver]

Portsmouth should be in the SOC

[sballchck]

They should do it like the Premier League. If a school wins Soc 1, the they move up to Soc2 the next season. If they finish last the. Move down

[4thgoal]

They should do it like the Premier League. If a school wins Soc 1, the they move up to Soc2 the next season. If they finish last the. Move down

I like this idea. As long as you knew you had 5 SOC games each year, scheduling wouldn't be a huge deal, but keeping teams at 5 home games a season could be tricky

[js7_22]

Portsmouth is a dead issue joining the conference. I think it was stupid them being denied entry. OH needs to be moved up. Valley, West, Waverly and Minford have all taken their lumps in the conference. There will be good and bad years. OH can deal with it like the other teams. To have success in the playoffs you need to challenge your team throughout the year. If you aren't good enough to be competitive in your own conference then I'd argue you don't deserve to make the playoffs. JMO

Well said, I believe all teams one time or another have faced their highs and their lows, but in the end the SOC needs to look out for its well being. Make the conferences equally competitive so that both divisions are competing at the same levels to help their chances to make the playoffs. Too many AD's are scared to death for a little competition. Yes, we all know, you want a gold ball, but does dropping down to SOC 1 with 100 more boys honestly feel good?

Portsmouth was once the largest school around and would compete with the large schools in Ohio for titles, but we must look at it as a whole now. They have lost a lot, student enrollment can't be half of what it was 30 years ago. But they have burned bridges, and that still leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

[bilco 2]

oak hill couldn't compete in the ovc when they were in it, and I don't think they could in the SOC2

[courier]

They already play Minford and the Burg. Adding West, Waverly and Valley to the schedule is not that great of a leap.

[Badboy]

They already play Minford and the Burg. Adding West, Waverly and Valley to the schedule is not that great of a leap.

It is when you look at how many of those games they will win year in and year out when you add those teams to your schedule. Its one thing to throw in Minford or Burg here and there between the other games that are much easier to win. Its much tougher when you play those schools back to back to back.

Right now Oak HIll can go 8-2 and have a good shot at the playoffs. They are content having a solid winning record and making the playoffs but its hard to have playoff success when your playing East, ND, Northwest, etc and then all of a sudden you are playing a very good D5 school who has played a tough schedule in the first round of the playoffs. Which leads to a totally different topic of "do they really deserve to be there".

Take the 7-8 wins a year and stay where they are at. Its probably best for them in the long run since they seem content with wins over playoffs.

I think Rusty Webb and crew at Symmes Valley will reload and win SOC I titles very soon.......

[Westfan]

So OH has no problem playing the other schools in all the other sports because they win, especially basketball. They have no problem beating schools in which several aren't basketball schools. But since they can't have the same level of success in football, they choose to beat up on teams that couldn't beat some school's JV's handily. Pretty cowardly really.

[Hitops2.0]

first of all Northwest should have not been allowed to go to SOC I period, everyone takes there lumps and if its for yrs then so be it ..you don't see Green crying do you? those kids keep on keeping on and I commend the entire bunch every year. Now with that said and they let NW go then Oak Hill absolutely should have replaced NW no questions and no arguments from them and I have no idea how that didn't happen ... now its so lop-sided you have to look 3 hrs away 4yrs ahead to fill schedules ...stupid .... but all I have to do is make it 180 days and none of this will be of my concern anymore ..lol

[js7_22]

By Adding Oak Hill to the SOC 2, you then fill the void of Week 9 for Valley by allowing Valley to have less non-conference games to worry about on the schedule.

I agree with Westfan, success is never given, but earned. For example, Valley beat up on SOC 1 schools for quite some time, but did take some beatings here and there. They scheduled Minford, West, Burg, Waverly throughout the years, but in the end played SOC 1 schools who killed them in points and often failed to make the playoffs due to that. But they finally did the right thing and moved up, and have since made an impression.

But I'm also hearing rumors that Eastern Pike is wanting out and wants in the SVC, but not sure how they feel about it now that they added football. They def couldn't compete right now in the SVC Football league in my opinion

If Oak Hill doesn't move up to SOC 2 next year, someone should really get their hand examined who votes them down. Not sure how it's brought up in AD meetings though?

[Jolly P(irate)]

I here the local Pop Warner league is looking to fill a void. Seems like a good fit.

[Raiderball]

Isn't Northwest a bigger school than Oak Hill? Move their ass back up if you want to balance the two divisions.

[js7_22]

Northwest 157 boys, Oak Hill 152.

Why not move Oak Hill up? They have had more success and continue to grow.

I like what someone had mentioned before about moving up to SOC 2 if you win, and moving down if you finish last in SOC 2.

[goUK]

Northwest 157 boys, Oak Hill 152.

Why not move Oak Hill up? They have had more success and continue to grow.

I like what someone had mentioned before about moving up to SOC 2 if you win, and moving down if you finish last in SOC 2.

The bad thing about that would be if you have a down year in soc 2 and drop. The next year you return everyone and dominate the soc 1. The third year you just lost a big senior class so you are young again in the soc 2 and get last. Teams would potentially switch every year. Now if you did a realignment every 5 years that might work.