Logan, Teays Valley invited to join OCC

[icanpickem]

[loganlocos]

As Dave Purpura of ThisWeekNews has now confirmed:

OCC-Buckeye beginning in 2024:

Canal Winchester
Groveport-Madison
Lancaster
Logan
Newark
Pickerington Central
Reynoldsburg
Teays Valley

[Ironmen98]

Logan will be lucky to win a game. Be the dumbest decision in Logan history to join the OCC

Will they still play Athens ?

[Chief02]

As Dave Purpura of ThisWeekNews has now confirmed:

OCC-Buckeye beginning in 2024:

Canal Winchester
Groveport-Madison
Lancaster
Logan
Newark
Pickerington Central
Reynoldsburg
Teays Valley

I was hoping to see a division that did not include Pickerington Central and Reynoldsburg.

[MrFirstTake]

[formerfcfan]

As Dave Purpura of ThisWeekNews has now confirmed:

OCC-Buckeye beginning in 2024:

Canal Winchester
Groveport-Madison
Lancaster
Logan
Newark
Pickerington Central
Reynoldsburg
Teays Valley

I was hoping to see a division that did not include Pickerington Central and Reynoldsburg.

Get ODOT to remove the lights at Pickerington Road and Sugar Grove Road, with 33 from the bypass to 180 going to 70 mph. More doors will open up that way down the line.

[Zunardo]

Have been resigned for years to the fact that Teays would be leaving. Have competed there so many times and have so many friends from there and who moved there from here, but this is their time. You know what they say - birds gotta fly, fish gotta fry.

I am surprised that Logan was invited, and more so that they would accept. Have had a lot of respect for them and wish them the best.

I would be a bit surprised if HT left for the OCC (or were even offered).

I would be VERY surprised. And the medics would probably have to use the AED on me.

1. Hamilton should work on consistently competing where they are, in my opinion ........ If City League and/or Southwest City Schools became available for a league, that might be different.

I think you're on the right track.

60-year Hamilton Twp resident here, over the years I've come to appreciate the uniqueness of our school district in relation to Columbus and Franklin County, and to our rural neighbors in Pickawy and Fairfield Counties. We were competitive back in the old Metro League with a smaller and more-rural Dublin and Olentangy in there, But with the surrounding growth in all areas outside of our district in the last 30 years, Hamilton Local has not - for now. There is one development about halfway filled, and plans for another one next to the high school. However, the vast majority of farmland sold is going to warehouse/business ventures. We're pretty much in no man's land here. (BTW, Google is building a new data center just south of our campus on the old Hartman Farms property, but they don't want you to know that. The signs around the construction site say "Project Cyprus". Shhh, it's a secret.)

However, there is something may further impact any decision HT might make, and even bring some significant growth a decade from now - Obetz now having city status this year. The school buildings and property were annexed into Obetz in the early 2000's because of new construction and water lines, and Obetz has been growing financially in leaps and bounds during that time. They've focused primarily on industrial development during that time. Housing adds haven't had much impact also, but I think the village - excuse me - city will looking to change that.

Interesting you should bring up the possibility of moving to Columbus City League. I've actually have been saying "what if" to myself this past year. I still can't believe I'm thinking that way, but it actually makes more sense than anything. Has anything like that happened to a similar large city, where a neighboring district asked to join their sports league? I'm sure Obetz's influence would play into this.

The fact is, even though our school buildings were surrounded by cornfields and cows for many years, we are definitely city-fied. Or as AC and FU fans would joke about on jjhuddle when heading our way, "we're going to the Big City". Shoot, we didn't start going outside Columbus for a wild night on the town until Grove City extended Stringtown Rd some 20 years ago and put in a Target and Roosters. And we have so many friends from Marion-Franklin HS we should have been playing them every year. We've competed frequently against West, South, East, Eastmoor, and Independence.

The Rangers moving to the MSL Ohio? Travel-wise, wouldn't be much different than what we have in the Buckeye. Whitehall and Bexley have been competitive opponents for us. Driving to Worthington of Delaware? Piece of cake. Believe me, coming from the South End we know how to maneuver through SR-315, 270 and I-71 in rush hour traffic!

However, I wouldn't look for us to partner with SW City Schools despite the adjacency - GC and CC are more than twice our size, and FH is 1.5 times bigger. Except for Westland, I don't see why they'd leave the OCC at this point.

[loganlocos]

Logan will be lucky to win a game. Be the dumbest decision in Logan history to join the OCC

Will they still play Athens ?

They're dumb for not joining a conference and dumb for joining one.

[loganlocos]

As Dave Purpura of ThisWeekNews has now confirmed:

OCC-Buckeye beginning in 2024:

Canal Winchester
Groveport-Madison
Lancaster
Logan
Newark
Pickerington Central
Reynoldsburg
Teays Valley

I was hoping to see a division that did not include Pickerington Central and Reynoldsburg.

Me too

[formerfcfan]

1. Hamilton should work on consistently competing where they are, in my opinion. They have been mostly a middle-bottom of the pack in most sports for 30 years. No knock on them, just reality. If City League and/or Southwest City Schools became available for a league, that might be different.
2. Actually, the Mid State League split into divisions in 1984-85 (I know, I was in elementary school at the time), the same year Teays and Licking Heights joined. The original alignment was: Buckeye: TV, FU, LE, CW, BC, HT. Cardinal: AC, LU, LH, FC, Millersport, BU. There were mandatory crossover games as well (I believe two). In 1990, Circleville joined the Buckeye, New Albany the Cardinal. In 1991 A-C moved to the Buckeye, Granville and Heath joined the Cardinal. A big reason for A-Cs move was size/disparity in football, as A-C dominated the Cardinal in both 1989 and 1990, with the latter going 10-0 and missing the playoffs with what some old-timers will still argue was their best team aside from the two state champions.

Man, you're right. I got schooled. Well done. The '84-'85 expansion I have difficult memory and chronicle of. What I have seen is official mentions of the Cardinal in '90 when New Albany came over. Before that, everything I had seen just describes it as "the" Mid-State League.

The trophies from that era (pre-1990) are weird, too. They have the map of all the schools within the MSL purview and their locations (with the county lines) inscribed into them. I may be mistaken, but they just say "Mid-State League" with no mention of divisions. [Not disputing the claim that, indeed, Buckeye/Cardinal comes around in 'Spring 84. Just making note of weird chronicling.] Thanks for the lesson -- learn something new everyday.

3. I can certainly see a possibility for adding FC/BU, but do they want to play a Buckeye football schedule? One of our (A-Cs) biggest rivals was our neighbors to the east, even after we moved to the Buckeye. The series ended because BU couldn't complete anymore. Granted A-C is not what it was, but judging from the beatdown BU took this weekend, I have to question a move, and since FC lost decidedly to them I have to think the same. They already can schedule Buckeye schools in other sports easily as they like and do so. Even with the state of several football programs at present, do they choose to add two likely bottom feeders (again, no offense to those schools) 2-3 divisions smaller? I was curious and quickly looked at Joe Eitel. Unless I missed something, even Liberty Union, which is closest in size and has the most history with BU/FC has stopped playing them in football (BU last in 2014, FC last in 2012 when still in the Cardinal division).

It might just be crossovers between the Buckeye and Ohio Divisions filling the voids in football. Buckeye and Ohio did crossovers one or two years, and they worked great. Liberty Union also played their football in the Ohio Division while a member of the Buckeye for 3-4 years.

This would be a rare case where football isn't the straw that stirs the drink in conference realignment talks. I personally apply the same level of credibility/consideration on BU/FC to the Buckeye as I do on the "Kansas and Iowa State to the Big 10?" talks of earlier this year, and the "Missouri {not Nebraska} to the Big 10" of 10-12 years ago... things that 'could' happen as they are logical but imperfect.

5. Agreed LU (and probably FU) would not care for the Fayette schools, but they aren't the whole league, and L U is still the new kid in the division. Still, I doubt MT/WCH are viable unless no other options emerge. Even then, they might not be interested anyway.

I also just do not see BC springing for the Fayette County idea, either, especially since that's a district whose lines are indented by four large public schools who are coming together in '24 to play in the new OCC-Buckeye (Pickerington Central, Lancaster, Canal and Teays Valley.) Driving to WCH and adjacencies will be a PITA and also a kick in the balls for their families in light of backyard brawls coming together with TV-CW, CW-Lancaster, CW-PC.

For what its worth, I think LU has marginally more muscle in the Buckeye than CV and LE do when it comes to "future" planning. Feel free to ask why!

It is fun to speculate.

Oh, JJHuddle, how I miss thee...

[The Exile]

Zunardo,

Thanks for your input! I have always liked HT in the league. They "fit" in a weird way I guess, even though they are "big town adjacent" And I really didn't mean to demean HT's athletic programs (believe me, look at A-C's history in boys basketball and baseball, it is underwhelming to say the least). When I mentioned SW City schools, I actually just meant Franklin Heights and Westland, if they were ever allowed by the district to depart the OCC (and wanted to do so), might be viable for some new configuration. The cache in central Ohio of being in the OCC ("the big boys") is probably too great a pull for many/any schools to leave now, even if they can't compete in a lot of sports. One of my relatives who was an admin. at TV was anxious to get into the "big boy conference" fifteen years ago, so as you say this has been coming for a long time. I just have little expectation of them being very competitive for some years.

FCFan,

Yes, they were most definitely in a division format starting the fall of 1984. If you can track down a copy of Marlo Mills' History of the MSL (it was privately printed, but I think some local libraries had copies. I used to have a photocopy, but cannot find it) it details league membership, champions, and all-MSL teams up through 2009 I believe (updated version). I cannot find a full PDF online, but here is a cross-country focused version which includes the division champions and all-MSL teams, which as you can see are broken down by division beginning in 84-85: https://sportdocbox.com/Pro_Basketball/ ... story.html

[Chief02]

First off, I think it’s great that Logan will be in a league finally. However, I am deeply concerned about the structure of the new division including Reynoldsburg and Pickerington Central. I believe these two schools, namely Pickerington Central, will be the constant kings of this division. There will be no real competition we can provide them. I honestly see a level of competitive imbalance over 5-8 years that would have Logan, and others in this division, exploring fracturing from the OCC to create their own league.

[The Exile]

I'm also surprised Pick. Central is fine with the upcoming configuration. Other than Reynoldsburg, Lancaster (sometimes), and maybe Canal in the near future, this seems like a lot of blowouts for them.

[bman]

Logan will be lucky to win a game. Be the dumbest decision in Logan history to join the OCC

At least Logan is challenging itself to get better. Athens ran from the SEOAL to join a Division IV-VI conference.

[DCCXL]

It’s going to get very interesting soon.

[Ironmen98]

Logan will be lucky to win a game. Be the dumbest decision in Logan history to join the OCC

At least Logan is challenging itself to get better. Athens ran from the SEOAL to join a Division IV-VI conference.

Well if they play Athens they’ll win a game .

[Raider6309]

At least Logan is challenging itself to get better. Athens ran from the SEOAL to join a Division IV-VI conference.

You still mad Logan Elm dropped Athens

[formerfcfan]

Zunardo,

Thanks for your input! I have always liked HT in the league. They "fit" in a weird way I guess, even though they are "big town adjacent" And I really didn't mean to demean HT's athletic programs (believe me, look at A-C's history in boys basketball and baseball, it is underwhelming to say the least). When I mentioned SW City schools, I actually just meant Franklin Heights and Westland, if they were ever allowed by the district to depart the OCC (and wanted to do so), might be viable for some new configuration. The cache in central Ohio of being in the OCC ("the big boys") is probably too great a pull for many/any schools to leave now, even if they can't compete in a lot of sports. One of my relatives who was an admin. at TV was anxious to get into the "big boy conference" fifteen years ago, so as you say this has been coming for a long time. I just have little expectation of them being very competitive for some years.

FCFan,

Yes, they were most definitely in a division format starting the fall of 1984. If you can track down a copy of Marlo Mills' History of the MSL (it was privately printed, but I think some local libraries had copies. I used to have a photocopy, but cannot find it) it details league membership, champions, and all-MSL teams up through 2009 I believe (updated version). I cannot find a full PDF online, but here is a cross-country focused version which includes the division champions and all-MSL teams, which as you can see are broken down by division beginning in 84-85: https://sportdocbox.com/Pro_Basketball/ ... story.html

I have a copy of Marlo's work compiling '99-00 through '18-19. I can email you it if you would like. By the way, Rest in Peace Marlo. A true man of the MSL.

[loganlocos]

Zunardo,

Thanks for your input! I have always liked HT in the league. They "fit" in a weird way I guess, even though they are "big town adjacent" And I really didn't mean to demean HT's athletic programs (believe me, look at A-C's history in boys basketball and baseball, it is underwhelming to say the least). When I mentioned SW City schools, I actually just meant Franklin Heights and Westland, if they were ever allowed by the district to depart the OCC (and wanted to do so), might be viable for some new configuration. The cache in central Ohio of being in the OCC ("the big boys") is probably too great a pull for many/any schools to leave now, even if they can't compete in a lot of sports. One of my relatives who was an admin. at TV was anxious to get into the "big boy conference" fifteen years ago, so as you say this has been coming for a long time. I just have little expectation of them being very competitive for some years.

FCFan,

Yes, they were most definitely in a division format starting the fall of 1984. If you can track down a copy of Marlo Mills' History of the MSL (it was privately printed, but I think some local libraries had copies. I used to have a photocopy, but cannot find it) it details league membership, champions, and all-MSL teams up through 2009 I believe (updated version). I cannot find a full PDF online, but here is a cross-country focused version which includes the division champions and all-MSL teams, which as you can see are broken down by division beginning in 84-85: https://sportdocbox.com/Pro_Basketball/ ... story.html

I have a copy of Marlo's work compiling '99-00 through '18-19. I can email you it if you would like. By the way, Rest in Peace Marlo. A true man of the MSL.

I have a hard copy of an MSL history book. Honestly not sure who compiled it. It's in a tub in my basement.

[TRENCHFOOT]

Logan will be lucky to win a game. Be the dumbest decision in Logan history to join the OCC

It's easy to count your cookies now Raider. The Chiefs won't be way down in the gutter forever. It's a heavy hefty league, but the Chiefs will compete sooner or later. Bank on it. It's a good decision IMO. Get in there with the big boys like a big school should!