Logan and Chillicothe

[ironman02]

There is absolutely no way that Jackson keeps Logan on their schedule if the Chiefs leave the SEOAL

WHY NOT

I'm with moonshine. Why not? Logan leads the all-time series 45-41-4, according to my records. The two schools are #1 and #2 in all-time SEOAL championships. I would think this game will ALWAYS be played, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Loganchiefsnation]

There was an article in the LDN Friday that they attended a meeting regarding the MSL. So the wheels are in motion, its no secret.

[TRENCHFOOT]

There was an article in the LDN Friday that they attended a meeting regarding the MSL. So the wheels are in motion, its no secret.

yep i seen it. ole stirn and janey was at the meeting with bells on. yep the wheels are turning.

[noreply66]

With the other team leaving--- Logan and others have no idea where the SEOAL will go.

If Logan and Chillicothe leave--I hope the SEOAL can bring other teams in. Hate to see it go completely.

[FANOSPORTS]

With the other team leaving--- Logan and others have no idea where the SEOAL will go.

If Logan and Chillicothe leave--I hope the SEOAL can bring other teams in. Hate to see it go completely.

But who in SEO would fit in the SEOAL and be competitive with what they will have left along with being in reasonable travel distance etc. I think the TVC will be expanded eventually after Logan & Chilly move on and you'll have 3 divisions with most of the teams being most of the original SEOAL, SVAC, etc. teams from the past decades. The Ghosts will be resurrected and then the cycle will have come full circle from 50 years ago. When that happens you will again have teams not wanting to play the Gallipolis', Jackson's etc. but what can you do ? That's why a lot of teams went their separate ways years ago to other conferences.

[noreply66]

With the other team leaving--- Logan and others have no idea where the SEOAL will go.

If Logan and Chillicothe leave--I hope the SEOAL can bring other teams in. Hate to see it go completely.

But who in SEO would fit in the SEOAL and be competitive with what they will have left along with being in reasonable travel distance etc. I think the TVC will be expanded eventually after Logan & Chilly move on and you'll have 3 divisions with most of the teams being most of the original SEOAL, SVAC, etc. teams from the past decades. The Ghosts will be resurrected and then the cycle will have come full circle from 50 years ago. When that happens you will again have teams not wanting to play the Gallipolis', Jackson's etc. but what can you do ? That's why a lot of teams went their separate ways years ago to other conferences.

You are probably right. I would just like to see the league continue.
If Warren,Jackson and Gallipolis go to the TVC Warren will be on top of about everything right off the bat. Football is on the way up in Warren and in the TVC they will always have a better than .500 record. Jackson and Gallipolis will always be at the top in football. With the way things are going if you are not close to a large highway you will only continue to get smaller unless school starting going in together and that will not make them last.
Warren seems to keep getting larger and you might want to think about them and Belpre and one or two small ones in that area making one big one. In the long run if schools do not combine they will only be playing bigger schools or spending big money to travel and play schools their size. Might have a lot of schools drop football.
Think about what schools could go together in these areas [Warrren, Athens,Gallipolis, Ironton, Portsmouth] and who would play them on even terms.

[hsfbfan]

potential future TVC if SEOAL folds

OHIO divison-big school-6 members
Athens
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Meigs
Vinton County
Warren

Muskingum division-medium school-6 members
Alexander
Belpre
Crooksville
Nelsonville
River Valley
Wellston

Hocking division-small school-8 members
Eastern
Federal Hocking
Miller
Southern
South Gallia
Trimble
Wahama
Waterford

[hsfbfan]

potential future SEOAL if Chillicothe and Logan leave and are replaced

Athens
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Portsmouth
Vinton County or Waverly
Warren

[noreply66]

How about this if SEOAL calls out

Athens-N.....3
Gallipolis-S.....3
Jackson-S.....3
Meigs-S.....4
Nelsonville York-N.....5
Portsmouth-S.....4
Vinton Cty-N.....3
Waverly-S.....4
Warren -N.....2
Wellston-N.....4


Warren.....356
Athens.....297
Jackson.....295
Vinton Cty.....271
Gallipolis.....258
Waverly.....235
Meigs.....209
Wellston.....188
Portsmouth.....179
Nelson/York.....151

Average Boys---243
Avg. North---252
Avg. South---235

[NYBuckeye96]

Can someone who subscribes to the Logan Daily copy and paste the article on here so we can read it? I found the article online, but I can only read the first couple sentences.

[NYBuckeye96]

Think I found it another way....

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/inde ... 4df64bbca6

LHS attends discussion meeting with Mid-State League officials
June 24, 2011, 4:10 a.m. EDT
Logan Daily News
Thursday afternoon, Logan-Hocking Local Schools administrators Steve Stirn and Ron Janey attended a Mid-State League meeting at Bexley High School.

A couple weeks ago, Logan High School received an invitation to attend the meeting and discuss future plans as the MSL faces the pending departure of at least six schools.

Current MSL members Granville, Heath, Lakewood, Licking Valley, Newark Catholic and Licking Heights will be leaving after the 2012-13 season to help re-organize the Licking County League beginning in 2013-14.

Inviting Logan to attend Thursday’s meeting was the first contact LHS had received in more than a year from the MSL, which originally contacted Janey in May of 2010.

Nothing is set in stone — the MSL is considering its options after it loses the aforementioned schools and league membership drops from 24 schools to 18 — and there’s no need to blow things out of proportion at this point.

Logan has been a member of the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League since it was formed way back in 1925. Along with Gallia Academy and Jackson, Logan has been a continuous member.

However, prep leagues all over Ohio are re-shaping and re-forming in an effort to cut down on travel, something that’s had a profound effect on the SEOAL since it expanded to 10 schools prior to the 2006-07 season.

Starting this fall, the SEOAL is back to six members as the result of departures by Athens, Zanesville, Ironton and Marietta following the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, respectively.

All six current members (Logan, Chillicothe, Gallipolis, Jackson, Portsmouth and Warren) are considering their options. Both Logan and Chillicothe, which contacted the MSL back in May, were in attendance at Thursday’s meeting.

Should the MSL decide to expand, Logan and Chillicothe could be slotted into a division with Canal Winchester, Teays Valley and Hamilton Township, and possibly Logan Elm and Circleville, all of whom are currently in the Buckeye Division, if all those schools remain in the MSL. All of Logan’s prospective MSL foes would be less than an hour and less than 50 miles away.

The nearby Ohio Capital Conference is also considering expansion and replacing at least one school (Watkins Memorial) that will also join the LCL. A couple MSL schools (as well as Chillicothe) have made inquiries with the OCC.

Janey noted Thursday’s discussion went well and, if the MSL decides to expand, it would be in three stages (along the lines of three readings) and a final vote/decision could be made as early as December. At least 14 of the remaining 18 schools would have to approve.

But, again, keep in mind it’s all in the discussion stages. It might happen, and it might not, but with the upheaval in high school sports leagues, Logan needs to keep its options open… and the MSL would be a very good option.

[NYBuckeye96]

A couple MSL schools (as well as Chillicothe) have made inquiries with the OCC.

According to that article, Chillicothe is also in discussions with the OCC about a possible return to the OCC, in addition to the talks about joining the MSL.

[ironmen1987]

I would rather see Jackson in some sort of revamped SOC but that's just my opinion.....

[Daniel Larusso]

If the MSL does steal Logan and Chillicothe I see two possible scenarios for the remaining SEOAL teams.

SEOAL or TVC
Athens
Warren
Vinton County
Jackson
Gallia Academy
Portsmouth

I'd prefer it under the SEOAL banner, but so be it if they must go to the TVC.

or

SOC 3
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Portsmouth
Portsmouth West
Wheelersburg
Ironton or Waverly

I agree with ironmen1987, and would prefer to see Gallia Academy, Jackson, and Portsmouth end up in a revamped SOC with remaining member Warren heading to the TVC. That is only if the SEOAL is no longer an option.

[NYBuckeye96]

Here is an article from the Chillicothe side........

http://www.wbex.com/pages/sportsnews.ht ... le=8559856

Chillicothe Expresses MSL Inquiry


Citing travel time and fuel costs, school officials offer a 'feeler' to the Mid State League.


The Chillicothe Cavaliers are officially interested in moving to the 24 member Mid State League from the Southeast Ohio Athletic League. Principal Jeff Fisher and Athletic Director Mike McCorkle made thier pitch Tuesday expressing an official inquiry to apply for membership into the MSL.

Fisher cited a recent Columbus Dispatch article which alleges six schools are part of a mass exodus from the MSL to form a Licking County League.

What's Chillicothe's interest? Since joining the SEOAL in 2006 Chillicothe and its members have seen a strong 10 team league dwindle to just six schools. It began as early as 2007 with charter member Athens, followed by Zanesville, Ironton and most recently Marietta.

The SEOAL heads into the 2011-12 seasons with Chillicothe, Gallia Academy, Jackson, Logan, Portsmouth and Warren.

The rise in gas prices is a leading factor as to why the Cavs are looking to switch leagues.

Fisher told WBEX Wednesday, "We feel Chillicothe and the community will be a welcome addition to any league... we offer strong student athletes, both academically and athletically, strong coaches, families and fan support." Fisher added "We're want to give our students the best opportunities to showcase their talents as well as give them a good competition level. The SEOAL has provided that to us, but you're talking about lengthy drives."

Transportation costs are a big concern for McCorkle's athletic budget. A trip to Marietta on a football Friday can "cost more than $1,000". While Marietta will no longer be a regular trip for the Cavaliers after this season, Warren (also in Washington County) is nearly as far. Add in bus trips for other sports and the expenses start to add up. "It makes sense to keep your options open (in the current budget climate facing the school system) and the fact the Mid State League will be losing some teams and will be facing realignment, it's an option we have to explore. We have to do what's best for our students, our district and community."

Not only the cost, but McCorkle says it's a time factor. "We have kids getting home around midnight on a school night and are expected in class the next morning."

Obviously as Cavs fans learned in 2004 Chillicothe would be leaving the Ohio Capital Conference it's not an overnight process.

"It's a 'feeler' process." said Fisher. "The Mid State League could be losing these schools, it's not official yet... but if they do (leave) there's potential there for us."

The Dispatch article mentions Granville, Heath, Newark Catholic, Licking Valley, Lakewood, Licking Heights and Millersport as suitors for a possible re-birth of the Licking County League.

The MSL consists of three divisions; Ohio (Granville, Licking Valley, Bexley, Newark Catholic, Columbus Academy, Lakewood, Whitehall and Heath) Buckeye (Teays Valley, Logan Elm, Bloom Carroll, Fairfield Union, Amanda Clearcreek, Circleville, Canal Winchester and Hamilton Township) and the Cardinal (Harvest Prep, West Jefferson, Liberty Union, Grandview, Berne Union, Fisher Catholic, Licking Heights and Millersport).


(The following article appeared in the Jackson Times-Journal, submitted for use by Clear Channel Chillicothe by Paul Boggs and Craig Dunn)

Travel, financial concerns not just limited to SEOAL
By CRAIG DUNN
For Times-Journal

LOGAN — It’s no secret the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League, made up primarily of the Southeast District’s larger schools too big for other conferences, is one of the most spread-out leagues in the state.

Travel is obviously a huge financial concern.

However, travel and athletic department financial issues are in no way limited to just the SEOAL.

When Marietta High School leaves the league at the end of next month (Marietta joins the East Central Ohio League next fall), the SEOAL borders will roughly be Logan (north), Chillicothe (west), Portsmouth (southwest), Gallipolis (south) and Warren (east), with Jackson the most centrally-located of the six schools.

Once Marietta departs, the shortest SEOAL trips will be 35 miles (Chillicothe-Jackson and Gallipolis-Jackson) and 45 to 50 miles (Chillicothe-Logan, Jackson-Logan, Chillicothe-Portsmouth and Jackson-Portsmouth).

The closest trips for Warren are roughly 55 miles to Logan and 60 miles to Gallipolis; the Warriors and Lady Warriors will also face the two longest trips (95 miles to Chillicothe and 110 miles to Portsmouth) after Marietta leaves.

Schools everywhere — not only in the SEOAL — are once again facing rising travel costs, and some pay-to-participate fees go toward that transportation.

Four of the current seven SEOAL schools currently charge some kind of participation fee for athletics (Jackson, Logan and Portsmouth don’t, but they’re all watching their dollars and are having to cut back their budgets):

• Chillicothe: $40 per year/per athlete
(According to Mike McCorkle, Chillicothe athletic director, the Chillicothe Board of Education is considering a proposal to raise its fee to $50 per person per sport beginning next year. Students who qualify for a free lunch and who are involved in marching band would pay $25, with a family cap of $200. Chillicothe is also looking at eliminating at least six paid assistant coaches).

• Gallia Academy: $90 fee per sport/per athlete. All travel costs come directly out of the athletic budget.

• Marietta: $30 per high school sport/per athlete and $20 per junior high sport/per athlete, with a $75 family cap per sport. Categorized as a “transportation fee.”

• Warren: $50 per year/per student; fee will jump to $100 per sport/per student with no cap if an operating levy fails on Tuesday. Categorized as an “athletics/transportation fee.”

While most schools in the southern part of the state do not yet have some form of pay-to-participate (none in Scioto County, for example), six of the 10 schools that will comprise the East Central Ohio Athletic League next fall do.

• Here are just a few examples of non-SEOAL schools which do have some sort of pay-to-participate fee:

• Athens: $25 travel fee per athlete per sport

• Canal Winchester: $140 per sport, which would raise to $600 per sport if a renewal levy does not pass on Tuesday

• Circleville: $25 fee per year

• Logan Elm: $100 per sport per athlete with a $200 cap

• Zane Trace: $75 per sport, capped at $150.

Many schools that do not currently have a pay-to-participate policy are mandating their athletic departments make varying degrees of budget cuts — anywhere from 10-to-50-percent.

If Tuesday’s levy issue fails at Warren, for example, WHS plans to cut 14 coaching positions at all levels to save more than $40,000… and that’s just cuts the school would make to the athletic department.

Warren principal Dan Leffingwell recently outlined how much revenue could be generated to offset athletics-related costs to the district.

Varying levels of pay-to-participate fees could generate between $31,000 and $190,000.

Leffingwell also notes numbers from an Ohio High School Athletic Association survey, to which 549 of 828 schools responded last August.

Of those 549 schools which responded, 229 (42-percent) have some sort of “pay-to-participate” requirement.

Of the 39 Southeast District schools (out of 70 total) which responded, only eight had a “pay-to-participate” requirement.

Statewide, participation fees range from $10 per player per sport to as much as $800 per player per sport, with the average being $141.75 per player per sport.

Funding for high school and junior high school athletics is a problem that isn’t going away soon.

But it’s obvious the mindset in approaching these financial problems is going to have to change.

Jackson High School athletic director Bob Kight offers a great example.
JHS often receives undue criticism for charging for parking at its campus, one of the best in Southeast Ohio, which opened a few years before Logan’s Shaw-Davidson campus.

However, the $2 per vehicle fee that Jackson charges for athletic events adds up — and plays a huge role in keeping Jackson from having to implement participation fees.

Jackson, like Logan, also hosts football playoff games as well as basketball, soccer and volleyball tournament contests… but the school’s location on top of a hill makes charging to park much easier than it is at LHS.

Kight notes that a fan attending a district basketball tournament contest at JHS once complained to him about the $2 parking fee.

“If you win, where will you play your regional game?” Kight asked the woman, knowing the answer was the Ohio University Convocation Center in Athens, which charges fans $5 per vehicle for parking.

“Yes, but that’s okay,” she responded. “That’s a college — this is a high school.”

* * *
Thanks to SEOAL athletic directors Joe Albrecht (Portsmouth), Rick Guimond (Marietta), Ron Janey (Logan), Bob Kight (Jackson), Mike McCorkle (Chillicothe), Fred Ruth (Warren) and Craig Wright (Gallia Academy), as well as Athens High School athletic director Chuck Robinson and Warren High School principal Dan Leffingwell, for their assistance in providing information for this story.

[bigbluedad]

If the MSL does steal Logan and Chillicothe I see two possible scenarios for the remaining SEOAL teams.

SEOAL or TVC
Athens
Warren
Vinton County
Jackson
Gallia Academy
Portsmouth

I'd prefer it under the SEOAL banner, but so be it if they must go to the TVC.

Warren should go back to the TVC because they should have never left in the first place, the move to the SEOAL was IMO not the best thing to have done at the end of the 86' season. If Logan and Chilly leave I see us trying to get back and have a large school division in the TVC.

or

SOC 3
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Portsmouth
Portsmouth West
Wheelersburg
Ironton or Waverly

I agree with ironmen1987, and would prefer to see Gallia Academy, Jackson, and Portsmouth end up in a revamped SOC with remaining member Warren heading to the TVC. That is only if the SEOAL is no longer an option.

[NYBuckeye96]

Nebraska and Kansas played each other for 105 years straight.....until this season. And they won't play each other for the foreseeable future.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/40148869/ ... _football/

Times change. Programs have to do what is best for the long term viability of the programs. Money makes the world go around, and at the local high school level, there isn't much money to go around to begin with. Bottom line: You have to put butts in the seats --- including the visiting side of the stadium --- to generate enough revenue to keep the programs afloat.

[mister b]

I have been told that the SOC is not interested in Jackson and GAHS, and of course they wont take Portsmouth in my lifetime.

Why should they have to go all the way to Gallipolis? The SOC as it stands is primarily a one county league with a few Pike County schools.

The thing that gets me the most in all this nomadic crap is the potential for losing rivalries that have endured nearly 90 years. If indeed their travel excuse is the reason they are leaving, I cant see how long they would continue to play us as non league. That seems hypocrtical.

When the four schools we invited into the league left before the thing even got off the ground, GAHS non renewed contracts with Zanesville and I believe this is the last year for Marietta. Ive heard rumors about Ironton as well, and wonder if Chillicothe leaves if we would continue to schedule them. I mean....the travel is just too far!

All conferences are basically setup thinking about football, which is wrong. The travel (and expenses) doesn't really matter for a varsity or JV football game as that is "the cost of doing business.".

The travel concerns (and expenses) come into play when factoring in all the other sports, varsity and below, boys and girls, especially the junior high sports. Most conferences want you to play a conference schedule even for junior high sports. So figure how many times a year Warren makes a trip to Portsmouth for a game. Make sure you include all sports, boys and girls, varsity thru junior high. It adds up in time, money and lost study time on the busses.

[ironmen1987]

Actually Jackson (as far as I know) hasn't played Marietta or Warren in jr high sports the last 2 years with the exceptions being league meets (track/xc) and I believe we had a tri meet @ Logan with Marietta.

[javagt]

I would hate to see the SEOAL fold.. If Logan feels they must leave, as a LHS grad, I'll support that decision..
But I would hope in football they still can play Jackson and GAHS...