Ironton leaving the SEOAL

[kantuckyII]

No...but..you are in the Tiger's shadow though Dave (man, Dave is goin' tackle me the next time I see him)

hey..I'm just glad that Portsmouth is getting that nice new playoff stadium for Ironton ready

[madpolecat]

Is Ironton's enrollment still trending downward?

[fighting_falcon]

People can say what they want but the truth of the matter is, the SEOAL travels terrible! Very few schools bring anyone to Ironton..even teams that are doing well (Chillicothe for instance this year) have many empty seats at their own stadiums on Friday night!..

The SEOAL travels terrible and Ironton is at the top of that list. Heck last year Warren had more fans at the Ironton/Warren basketball game and it was at Ironton. My bad, Ironton only has one sport and I didn't see big following with their road games.

[biggdowgg]

Someone mentioned a scheduling nightmare if we leave the league. Ok if we leave its in 2010. As it stands right now we are DIV with 216 boys. The cut off for DV is 187. Thats 29 boys. If things continue like they are in Ironton its realistic to think we could be DV by the time this takes affect. So I think that might make scheduling a little easier especially with all the DV teams around here. You got Minford, Burg, West, Grove, and many others or it could make it harder cause none of the bigger teams want to beat up on a DV team.

I still don't understand why the SOC II won't step up and offer Ironton and Portsmouth a slot.

If my understanding is right, it is not just up to the SOC II school to vote them in...all SOC schools have to vote on it even the ones without football I believe.

However if Biggdowgg is right with Portsmouth going to stay in the SEOAL no matter what if Ironton leaves then I think it would be a good chance the Ironton could get into the SOC in every sport. If that would be the case for football it would put Ironton, Burg, West, Minford, Valley, Northwest,and Waverly in the SOC II for football...but would the SOC then also try to invite someone smaller into the league for the SOC I to try and even things out

you can't be serious?

they wouldn't let Portsmouth in, and you think Ironton has any chance at all?


I like the SOC,and no doubt they can compete , but I just think they have a good league as it is, with out Portsmout or Ironton

[NYBuckeye96]

I think every school must do what is in their own best interests. Good luck to Ironton.

I would like to see the Ironton vs. Nelsonville-York series continue. As the TVC OHIO schedule stands now, NY will always have a Week 9 nonleague game spot to fill on its schedule. This will prove hard to do in future years. I think NY vs. Ironton in Week 9 would be an ideal game for both schools in the future, as it would provide playoff calliber competition for each school in most seasons, just two weeks before the playoffs begin.

[kantuckyII]

People can say what they want but the truth of the matter is, the SEOAL travels terrible! Very few schools bring anyone to Ironton..even teams that are doing well (Chillicothe for instance this year) have many empty seats at their own stadiums on Friday night!..

The SEOAL travels terrible and Ironton is at the top of that list. Heck last year Warren had more fans at the Ironton/Warren basketball game and it was at Ironton. My bad, Ironton only has one sport and I didn't see big following with their road games.

Either way...football STILL pays the bills for almost every other sport. Ironton has enjoyed some nice revenue from the basketball program for the last 7 or so years as well though and I expect that to prove even more so as prospects are very good for Ironton's bb team this year.

In BB it really makes no sense to me to be in this league. You can get a lot larger crowds with local games and once the new president is sworn in..and all those promises are tossed back out the door..gas prices are going to start climbing back up there again. Many familes just can't afford to drive that far to see a game. Ironton has tons of money in their coffers in the past..they are starting to dwindle from what I understand.

[91blue14]

greed kills son

[kantuckyII]

Tell that to a starving man

[BuckeyeCAV]

I can understand Ironton's reasons. Especially the gate draw and travel. What confuses me is, who was the group down on the river that talked Ironton City Schools to come back in the SEOAL for a third time? And what brought that decision to become a reality vote by their BOE in 2004 to vote yes to re-enter the league in 2006?

I am still amazed a school so far away like Zanesville even thought serious of joining the SEOAL, especially with no ties to the teams in the league, except Marietta, and Chillicothe in their former C.O.L. playing days and Logan in a series here and there in football and basketball in prior non-league play.

As for Athens leaving the SEOAL, that was a big shocker to me, but looking at their football and basketball records of late, I understand. They struggled this season in their new Conference in the TVC-Ohio in football.

I think Ironton will do O.K., but I can't see the SOC II offering them a slot if they won't give Portsmouth one. They will revert back to playing Kentucky and West Virginia Teams again, as well as their old standbys Portsmouth and Wheelersburg, plus trying to get an OVC team or two on the schedule, along with Portsmouth West in a series and maybe a Jackson or Gallipolis, concluding with a Columbus team to round it out. As for basketball they will have no problem scheduling OVC, SOC II, Kentucky / West Virginia Teams along with Portsmouth, Jackson and maybe Gallipolis. I think the SEOAL is in for some more changes to come.

2010 as it stands now will have:

Chillicothe
Portsmouth
Jackson
Gallipolis
Logan
Warren?
Marietta?

I could see a 5 or 6 team league before the 2012 season if the trend continues.

Maybe Logan will move on to a league that they will garnish more points for the playoffs and the SEOAL will stay in tact with these teams:

Chillicothe
Portsmouth
Jackson
Gallipolis
Warren
Marietta

Who knows?

I wish the best for Ironton.

[pmow3]

I quit posting on here last year, but I just can't resist this one. Here is my ultimate reallignment. I have wished for many years the SOC would "wake up" and do this. Ironton and Portsmouth have needed a closer conference forever. So here is what I wish they would do:
SOC 1 would have Ironton, Burg, Waverly, West, and Portsmouth
SOC 2 would have Valley, Minford, Northwest, Oak Hill, and Piketon
SOC 3 would be Notre Dame, Green, East, S. Gallia, and Symmes Valley

This would give all the teams the flexability to play whoever they wanted out of conference and still be able to compete in conference. You can still have Minford play the teams they want in Div. 1 and Valley as well. Northwest can "Schedule down" and play the lower division if they like. Some of the better teams in D.3 could schedule up and play teams in D.2. Plus it would still give Ironton Portsmouth and all the teams an oppurtunity to go out of conference and keep the traditional rivalries that they have now (such as Gallia or Ashland or even Chili and Logan). All you need is a Piketon or (somebody like that) to jump. It would be awesome. Every year would be so competitive. Any team could win those conference championships year in and year out. I couldn't resist coming out for that topic. It makes me mad that some can't think outside the box on this one. It would also make basketball and all the other sports better. Less travel across the board.

[I smell bad]

I posted several weeks ago that teams in the SEOAL should start looking for a new league. I got lambasted for that. But as I predicted, the trend of teams leaving this league has and will continue. I will say it again to the teams left that they better start looking for a league to join if they want to play in one. I can see a few years down the road a league with Gallia and Jackson the only teams left. I look for Warren to be in the TVC. Logan will move to Central Ohio. Marietta in the OVAC.

[BuckeyeCAV]

I quit posting on here last year, but I just can't resist this one. Here is my ultimate reallignment. I have wished for many years the SOC would "wake up" and do this. Ironton and Portsmouth have needed a closer conference forever. So here is what I wish they would do:
SOC 1 would have Ironton, Burg, Waverly, West, and Portsmouth
SOC 2 would have Valley, Minford, Northwest, Oak Hill, and Piketon
SOC 3 would be Notre Dame, Green, East, S. Gallia, and Symmes Valley

This would give all the teams the flexability to play whoever they wanted out of conference and still be able to compete in conference. You can still have Minford play the teams they want in Div. 1 and Valley as well. Northwest can "Schedule down" and play the lower division if they like. Some of the better teams in D.3 could schedule up and play teams in D.2. Plus it would still give Ironton Portsmouth and all the teams an oppurtunity to go out of conference and keep the traditional rivalries that they have now (such as Gallia or Ashland or even Chili and Logan). All you need is a Piketon or (somebody like that) to jump. It would be awesome. Every year would be so competitive. Any team could win those conference championships year in and year out. I couldn't resist coming out for that topic. It makes me mad that some can't think outside the box on this one. It would also make basketball and all the other sports better. Less travel across the board.

Sounds good! What about this format?

Your SOC 1 would have:

Gallipolis-Add
Ironton
Wheelersburg
Jackson-Add
Chillicothe-Add
Waverly
Portsmouth West
Portsmouth

Did you forget the basketball schools?

Your SOC 2 would have:

South Webster
Lucasville Valley
Minford
Northwest
Oak Hill
Piketon-Add
Wellston-Add
River Valley-Add

Your SOC 3 would have 9 teams in it for all other sports though?

Latham Western Pike
Beaver Eastern Pike
Portsmouth Notre Dame
Portsmouth Clay
New Boston
Green
Sciotoville East
South Gallia
Symmes Valley
What about adding Ironton St. Joe and split the SOC 3 into two divisions with a DOC game?

North Division
Latham Western Pike
Beaver Eastern Pike
Portsmouth Notre Dame
Portsmouth Clay
New Boston

South Division
Sciotoville East
Green
Symmes Valley
Ironton St. Joe Central-Add
South Gallia-Add

[osu 77]

I think it will be a tough sale to get Ironton into the SOC. Many of the schools in that league don't care much for Ironton period. Like I always say it never hurts to ask.

[BuckeyeCAV]

I think it will be a tough sale to get Ironton into the SOC. Many of the schools in that league don't care much for Ironton period. Like I always say it never hurts to ask.

OSU 77,

I am afraid you are probably right. But asking never hurts.

Has the OVC every really thought what an Ironton could do for their conference by being part of it? Add Gallipolis to the conference and in time the other OVC teams would be competing against the added competition. Only making the OVC a conference not to be taken lightly.

If Ironton and Gallipolis would be accepted into that Conference, that would give the OVC....6 DIV teams and 2 DV teams.

River Valley DIV
Gallipolis DIV
Fairland DIV
Chesapeake DV
South Point DIV
Coal Grove DV
Ironton DIV
Rock Hill DIV

[art_vandelay]

It's time for the SOC II to invite Ironton and Portsmouth in. I think it'd be great for the league and its fans in general. Move Northwest to SOC I in football and South Webster to SOC I in basketball.

For football:

SOC II: PORTSMOUTH, IRONTON, Burg, West, Waverly, Minford, Valley

SOC I: NORTHWEST, Oak Hill, Notre Dame, East, Green, Symmes Valley

For basketball:

SOC I: SOUTH WEBSTER, Western Latham, Green, Symmes Valley, New Boston, Clay, Eastern, Notre Dame, East

SOC II: IRONTON, PORTSMOUTH, Burg, West, Waverly, Minford, Northwest, Valley, Oak Hill.

This makes too much sense though so it'll never happen. What are the SOC AD's afraid of by briniging them in now? Increased competition? I can't see either of those schools coming in and dominating the league anymore than Burg has in basketball and football over the years.*

[BuckeyeCAV]

I believe Chillicothe may play a series vs. ironton. However, I suspect they are dancing a jig at Jackson right now. The Ironton Jackson football series will end in 2009. However, I still believe ironton and jackson should play in all sports.

I would have to agree with you concerning Jackson

[ironman02]

I believe Chillicothe may play a series vs. ironton. However, I suspect they are dancing a jig at Jackson right now. The Ironton Jackson football series will end in 2009. However, I still believe ironton and jackson should play in all sports.

I would have to agree with you concerning Jackson

Imagine that. You agreeing with someone making fun of Jackson.

85inside,

I doubt if Jackson is dancing a jig. They're probably looking at all the league members and saying "We told you this would happen". I'm with you, though. I hope that Jackson and Ironton continue to play each other in all sports.

[BuckeyeCAV]

I wonder if jackson will try to keep Ironton on their schedule

[drrabbit]

The only problem with your senario is that the SOC has always been divided by size. Wheelersburg will not be in the top tier group then. Northwest would be there in their place. Wheelersburg would be in SOC 2. Even Minford would be in SOC 1 before Wheelersburg. Don't forget those things in your realignment. Then see if you really like what you are proposing.

And remember that Ironton and Portsmouth would be 'encouraged' to start/restart soccer. Not that I mind that!

[Army]

Yeah, I wonder if the football series and other sports would continue too.

Lets see, Jackson is a DII school and Ironton is a DIV school.

I wonder how many others will leave the SEOAL