What's next for the SEOAL?

[Dundas]

With rumors about Portsmouth departing the league, what are the plans? Can the league continue with 4 schools? Will they look to add 1 or even 2? Could this ultimately be the end of the league? Personally I think the league will look to add a couple schools. Athens being at the top of the list. I can't see the league folding, but if no one takes them up on an offer, can they survive with 4 schools? Warren and Jackson have both looked elsewhere in the past but have been denied. What do you think?

[G.W.A.]

Portsmouth go ovc. Logan go mvl. Warren, jackson, gallia need go tvc. All problems solved

[fortdawg]

Is there one school in the TVC pushing to let those 3 schools in? I've never understood why the TVC should feel compelled to rescue the S.E.O.A.L. They can survive with 4 schools---just open up their league in sports other than football.

[M0TIVAT0R]

Apparently with the change in Admin at the top at River Valley they are trying squirm out of the TVC Ohio. Maybe they will join the SEOAL?

[loganlocos]

Portsmouth go ovc. Logan go mvl. Warren, jackson, gallia need go tvc. All problems solved

MVL already has enough teams. Don't think they're looking to add anyone.

[loganlocos]

Think the league is working on making some additions.

Portsmouth leaving could help on that front.

[warrior90]

If the SEOAL is to survive, I think they need to bring in Athens and Waverly. That would leave Waverly with one 2 hour trip to Vincent which I know is long, but it would be a step up for them in that they would be playing all similar sized or bigger schools. I know this is a stretch, but for the SEOAL to survive that is what I think is needed.

From a Warren parent perspective, I would love to be back in the TVC; much shorter trips than what we are use to now. I still want to play Logan, Jackson and Gallia though. Be nice to combine the leagues

[kvnchambers]

I think if portsmouth leaves and the league stays together it would try to search in the direction of a marietta, athens, meigs, vinton county, wellston, nelsonville york kind of area. i don't see it going back in a western direction unless 2 or more teams from soc 2 were interested.

[Dundas]

I think the best option is to pick up a couple schools from the "interior" area of the current SEOAL.. Athens would make the most sense, followed by Meigs, VC. Possibly Waverly if no one more central wanted in. I could see offers to NY or Wellston but it would be the last ditch effort. I think they are just too small and probably wouldn't take the offer anyways. I think the SEOAL will reach out to Athens and Marietta personally.

[ONE OF A KIND]

I think the best option is to pick up a couple schools from the "interior" area of the current SEOAL.. Athens would make the most sense, followed by Meigs, VC. Possibly Waverly if no one more central wanted in. I could see offers to NY or Wellston but it would be the last ditch effort. I think they are just too small and probably wouldn't take the offer anyways. I think the SEOAL will reach out to Athens and Marietta personally.

Save your offer, NY not interested. Gotta get back to dominating the TVC, that is the goal right now.

[warrior90]

Dundas you are right that Marietta and Athens would be the best choices. If Portsmouth is not in the picture, I think Marietta might be interested. I think the Portsmouth / Ironton trips is what led Marietta out in the first place. I think VC would be a great addition also.

[indianabuck]

What about the rumor that Gallia Academy may be invited to join the OVC? If that happens, what happens to the SEOAL then?

[LetsGoPSU]

how strong is the OVC-Portsmouth rumor?

[indianabuck]

how strong is the OVC-Portsmouth rumor?

Read the OVC post.

[chiefs]

Portsmouth go ovc. Logan go mvl. Warren, jackson, gallia need go tvc. All problems solved

The MVL would not take Logan. The MSL would.

[Dundas]

What about the rumor that Gallia Academy may be invited to join the OVC? If that happens, what happens to the SEOAL then?

If that happened I think unless Athens and Marietta were knocking on the SEOAL door, it would be the end. I highly doubt VC would make a move, but with no more long trips, I could see Athens and Marietta coming back.

[Dundas]

Options...
Logan- MVL/MSL/independent
Jackson- SOC/TVC/independent
Gallia- OVC/TVC/independent
Warren-TVC/ECOL/Independent

[Paladin]

I always chuckle when I see this topic. Many in SEO have run away from this league for one reason only -- they can't compete. That has been the legacy of this league for the last 50 years. Some like to cite travel, but that's usually a smoke screen except for a limited few. Much of the TVC is nothing more than SEOAL Jr. Four schools make a league. In fact, the old Steel Valley league ran for 10 years with just Warren Harding, Cardinal Mooney and Youngstown Ursuline because no one would compete with them. Heres my prediction -- much of SEO, because of the current state of financial problems will consolidate into compact leagues minimizing travel costs. But it will produce serious competition problems and with-in a 10 year period, as the obvious occurs, there will be splits with new leagues forming or leaving for other leagues that will produce travel to escape the great boogeyman of SEO -- COMPETITION. People will run from it. It has happened with the SEOAL before, many, many, many, many, many times. And it will again even in newly formed leagues or add-ons in leagues.

Logan , if they are smart when and if the SEOAL starts to shrink, will look north where their future is anyway. Smaller division schools than Logan will continue to shrink in size and though schools will match up size wise, they will be plagued by the competitive factor -- the lack thereof.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Would it be best for all involved for Portsmouth to go? ....probably. Is the SEOAL strong enough to survive if it does happen? Yes. My thought are this, we've heard this "rumor" and many similar to this one numerous times in the past so until there is something official I'm going to file this away as wishful thinking on the part of many fans and for many reasons.

[hawkeyepierce]

I must apologize upfront. I know that what I am about to type is going to cheese a lot of people off, maybe even individuals that I consider friends. However, as it is with this site, it is a forum that allows us to espouse our opinions and you are free to disagree. Like it or not, you are about to read some hard and bitter truth.

First, I find it laughable and incredibility sad, that the once almighty and powerful SEOAL is terminal, waiting for someone to pull the final plug. The SEOAL was perfectly fine when it was Athens, Gallia Academy, Jackson, Logan, Marrietta, and Warren. A very fine league indeed, and even us TVC'er like me, who don't or won't admit it, were envious. Those of us who follow high school sports knew exactly how strong the SEOAL was and its reputation for solid competition. And on any given night, those schools outside the SEOAL dreaded playing a SEOAL school, chances are, you could lose. But, as it is with most successful entities the problem were its people. Which segues into my next rant.

For years, school administrators, coaches, fans, and communities of the SEOAL were not afraid to pound their chest and scream out their own perceived greatness. Up until last year, evidence of this arrogance ran roughshod over this website. There were several somewhat famous incidences that I was involved in with SEOAL posters since I joined in February of 2005; "Wellston and Jackson football game" or "Vinton County basketball plays a weak schedule" or my personal favorite, "...the gaudy flagpole at Alumni Stadium." To the casual observer, one who also may have an Appalachian mindset, you could see where this perception has not allowed the SEOAL to curry favor with those outside the league.

Furthermore, look at the actions of the SEOAL. Warren leaves the TVC, not quietly, but a resounding "...you guys are terrible. We need better competition." attitude and so on. Guys, coaches, dads, and moms from my "generational" involvement from SEOAL communities that were involved in youth sports were never afraid to run it up on lesser talented schools; elementary or middle school teams, or even "club" or "all-star" teams. Coaches from Warren, coaches from Athens, and my friends Tim Dill, Tim Dobbins, and John Ondera from Jackson handed our kids serious butt-whippings during grade school basketball or baseball. We were yearly thrashed by Jackson Pee-Wee football. Now, I am not one to make excuses, however, I think some of these individuals lost sight of the bigger picture. For example, I can't tell you how many games we won or lost, but I can remember the way we and our kids were treated and how we felt after leaving those humiliating defeats.

Then grows this super conference ideal, which I believe to be the brain child of a Vinton County graduate and at the time Jackson AD, Jason Snider. I understood his premise, and like most things, it looks good on paper. However, this poster and many others on this forum said it was a terrible idea, why? First and foremost, fuel prices. A school bus, averaging 8 miles a gallon, from Zanesville to Portsmouth, the cost of the driver, has to cost a significant amount of money. Secondly, that same distance for weeknight games, when would there ever be time for studying? Next, the loss of some SEOAL natural rivalries. It had more cons than pros, especially, if the only pro was affirmation of one's ego.

So the super conference goes to the vote, do not remember exactly what it was, but I believe Athens voted in the affirmative. Then they "joked" you. The first malignant tumor on the SEOAL. Athens votes "yes" and then turns around and petition the TVC for admittance. I literally rolled out of my computer chair when I read this, incredible. The TVC accepts Athens's application and it was set in motion, the demise of the SEOAL. That gave all of the other schools on the geographical periphery permission to find better situations; Zanesville gone, Marietta gone, Ironton gone, Chillicothe gone, and now Portsmouth. All in less than ten years.

What is next? That is anybody's guess. Warren has asked to come back to the TVC, ah, but some of those bridges are still smoldering. Jackson has put out feelers for entrance into the TVC, but, they have always been condescending to the TVC for the past 30 plus years. Now, they want in? Unbelievable. Besides, Nelsonville-York will never vote for them. Heck, Nelsonville is struggling now with being supplanted in their football dominance with Athens already in the TVC. I am not sure Vinton County will either, probably going back to those pee-wee and little league games.

The ones I feel sorry for are Gallia Academy and Logan. They did not asked for any of this and it was kind of force onto them. So here they are, not sure where they can go or if they stay, anybody stays with them. Obviously, I think they could make it work if the four stay and maybe add Athens, Meigs and Vinton County or two of the three. However, I just can't see it. Why would Athens go back? Vinton County is a charter member of the TVC, I can't believe they would give that power up?

The only thing for certain, other leagues from around the state and especially the SVC locally, have seen this debacle play out, those leagues will think long and hard before adding to or leaving from their league. The Scioto Valley Conference has been intact for the last 50 years, I will expect it will stay intact for another 50 years.