The Ideal SEOAL

[Charles Farquar]

TVC or SEOAL three divisions

Division I
Athens
Warren Local
Gallia Academy
Jackson
Vinton County
Meigs

Division II
Nelsonville York
Wellston
Alexander
Federal Hocking
Belpre
Trimble

Division III
Waterford
Eastern
Southern
Add South Gallia
Hemlock Miller

[1987chieftains]

So here is a thought - when the SEOAL is down to six schools - other than Chillicothe - the five other SEOAL schools are surrounded by TVC schools. Maybe when the SEOAL expanded, it went about expansion the wrong way. Instead of spreading out over the entire southeastern quadrant of Ohio, maybe a more logical move would have been to keep the same geographic lines of the SEOAL, but expand by merging with the TVC. The fact of the matter is except for Chillicothe, the SEOAL schools are surrounded by the TVC schools. Create three or four divisions - depending on how many schools you wanted in a division - and there you have it.

For size differences, no school in one division would have to play a school in another division unless they wanted to (like the TVC OHIO and HOCKING are now). However, a cooperation for non-league games could exist between schools if they so chose to do this in order to fill schedules or for potentially large gates. (ex. NY vs. Jackson as a non-league game). In sports with a one day tournament to determine a champion - such as wrestling - you could either have separate division champions OR you could have one grand champion - whatever the majority of the schools wanted.

For division breakdown - you could go strictly on size of school OR you could have some politics involved and try to have natural rivals in the same division - whichever the majority of schools wanted. (ex. should NY football be in the big school division for stronger competition or should NY be in a division with similar sized schools).

The TVC has 13 schools and the SEOAL would seem to be on its way to 6 (at most). If the two merged into one mega conference, that would be 19 schools all within a reasonable driving distance and divisions could be formed based on the best interests of each member school.

You would also have a rare opportunity to have a league that represented every size school possible in this part of the state - even if they were in different divisions and didn't play each other. The league would be strong based both on size AND geographic proximity to other member schools.

For those who argue that 4 TVC schools left the SEOAL because they couldn't compete.........remember - there would be seperate divisions within this new league and teams in one division would not have to play teams in another division unless they wanted to. (Athens vs. Logan wouldn't happen unless both schools wanted it, for example - and it would be a non-league game). Or, Logan would never have to play any of the smaller schools if it didnt want to - and could schedule larger schools in the Columbus area as non-league games.

I think if the SEOAL is to ever expand again, this is the only way to do it. Spreading out over hundreds of miles did not work. The only thing that would work is to add local teams and the only way to get everyone on board is to have divisions that would keep all schools as competitive as possible in their own respective division within the league and not forcing schools in one division to play schools in another division if they chose not to play them.

All great points

I too would like to see somethng like that.But wouldn't you have the problem with the size of Logan.

Travel cost is getting out of hand and it would be wise to cut the travel time down.
Some SEOAL teams would probably want to go to the TVC, but would any of the TVC want to come to the SEOAL.

So with that you idea does sound good

i gotta hand it to ya buckeye 96. i like the idea. but, noreplay has a good point..... who out of the tvc would want to play or come to the seoal and play logan, chilli, or marietta etc..... outside of nelsonville i don't think many of the other tvc schools would be to fond of it. again though, it would make more sense to do something like that.

[NYBuckeye96]

i gotta hand it to ya buckeye 96. i like the idea. but, noreplay has a good point..... who out of the tvc would want to play or come to the seoal and play logan, chilli, or marietta etc..... outside of nelsonville i don't think many of the other tvc schools would be to fond of it. again though, it would make more sense to do something like that.

That was a point I was trying to make. No one in the TVC would HAVE to play Logan. Logan could play their own division (namely the current SEOAL schools) and then play larger Fairfield and Franklin County area schools as non-league games. This protects every schools best interests. The current TVC schools would not have to face losses in most years to the much larger Logan, and Logan would not be forced to play smaller schools and would have the opportunity to play D I and II non-league games. To me, that protects the interests of everyone involved. If a league like this were to work, everyone's best interests would have to be protected.

[hsfbfan]

I have a question for all the NY people. Will the buckeyes be willing to let the Ironmen in the TVC or will they vote no because of the obvious threat to their championship dominace that Jackson brings to the table?

[noreply66]

Right now Jackson is down in a few sports but it won't stay that way. If they go to the TVC it will be a battle between Athens and Jackson after a few years. If you look at total sports in the TVC now it is Athens and when they get back on their feet in football some teams will want Athens out. Then if they bring Jackson in, their league will start to thin out.

[NYBuckeye96]

Right now Jackson is down in a few sports but it won't stay that way. If they go to the TVC it will be a battle between Athens and Jackson after a few years. If you look at total sports in the TVC now it is Athens and when they get back on their feet in football some teams will want Athens out. Then if they bring Jackson in, their league will start to thin out.

If Jackson comes in, the TVC will most likely be 3 divisions, and NY would be in the middle division if its based solely on school size. But, there might be politics involved as to who would be in what division IF there were three divisions. That would make an attractive option for Warren too I would think.

Jackson
Athens
Warren
Vinton County
Meigs

Alexander
Wellston
NY
Belpre
Federal Hocking

Trimble
Miller
Eastern
Southern
Waterford

That would be three divisions if it was based solely on school size. I'm not sure Jackson would have enough yes votes if Jackson were to simply be the 8th school in the TVC Ohio. However, I would be surprized if NY was a no vote. I think NY would be in favor of it, but I dont know if enough of the other schools would say yes. Whatever happened would have to be in the best interests of all schools involved.

[1987chieftains]

i gotta hand it to ya buckeye 96. i like the idea. but, noreplay has a good point..... who out of the tvc would want to play or come to the seoal and play logan, chilli, or marietta etc..... outside of nelsonville i don't think many of the other tvc schools would be to fond of it. again though, it would make more sense to do something like that.

That was a point I was trying to make. No one in the TVC would HAVE to play Logan. Logan could play their own division (namely the current SEOAL schools) and then play larger Fairfield and Franklin County area schools as non-league games. This protects every schools best interests. The current TVC schools would not have to face losses in most years to the much larger Logan, and Logan would not be forced to play smaller schools and would have the opportunity to play D I and II non-league games. To me, that protects the interests of everyone involved. If a league like this were to work, everyone's best interests would have to be protected.

I GOT YA.. I LIKE IT. BUT, DOUBTFUL IT WOULD EVER HAPPEN. IT COULD RENEW SOME OLD, OLD RIVALS.

[wrestler87]

I like the idea of allowing the small schools to depart, while adding larger schools for a new division in the S.E.O.A.L. The TVC already has the market cornered on the small schools along SR 33 and the surrounding area.
The largest prob. is that the larger schools are probably happiest where they are now. (?) Keep the current SEOAL and add Newark, Lancaster, Canal Winchester, Reynoldsburg, Either or both Pickeringtons, Keep Zanesville with those schools in the league. Even Hamilton TWP is D-2, and Groveport or Whitehall are options.
Just a thought!

[Philos_Finest]

As far as football goes & not being concerned about travel..

Sheridan
New Lex
Westfall
Ironton
Logan
Jackson
Gallipolis
Lancaster
Marietta
Tri-Valley

[1987chieftains]

As far as football goes & not being concerned about travel..

Sheridan
New Lex
Westfall
Ironton
Logan
Jackson
Gallipolis
Lancaster
Marietta
Tri-Valley

OH YEAH, W/O CONCERNING TRAVEL, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT LEAGUE. THE LEAGUE CROWN WOULD BE A CRAP SHOOT ALMOST EVERY YEAR! MOST TEAMS ARE PLAYOFF TEAMS, MOST ARE WITHIN AN HOUR AND MOST ARE THE SAME SIZE OTHER THEM MAYBE I-TOWN.

[bluetraveler]

Jackson
Vinton CO
Gallia
Warren
Marietta
Athens
New Lex

Logan to big for this league,Ironton,Porthmouth,Zanesville to far to travel for Marietta,New Lex and Warren.
This would give 6 SEOL games in Football and 12 in basketball.

[Auburntgrfan]

How about this combine the TVC and SEOAL something like the OVAC. Call it the SOVC (Southeast Ohio Valley Conference) combining the two league names or the TVAL (Tri Valley Athletic League), I'm sure a league name could be come up with. Make three divisions with the biggest schools in one division, medium size schools and smallest schools. Smallest could play up to middle, but not biggest schools, middle could play up to largest or down to smallest (long time rivaleries may play a part here). Largest could never play below middle. This would allow flexibility in scheduling with four non-conference games. Tams like Logan, Gallia, Jackson, Nelsonville that make the playoffs more regularily could schedule to get the best non-conference schedule that would give them the best chance for playoff points.

Big Division: Logan, Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Chilli, Marietta

Middle Division: Warren, Meigs, Wellston, Ironton, Vinton Co., Portsmouth

Small Division: Southern, Eastern, Waterford, Trimble, Belpre, Nelsonville

I know I'm leaving somebody out. Just guessing on size of schools, Meigs and Warren are now about the same size, maybe Gallia or Jackson also need to be moved. The teams could be moved to make the best size fit. Just a thought anyway. What do ya think? Its fun to try anyway. I guess this is something l like NYbuckeye96's post. Braindamage I guess. But the league names are cool.....

[oldmo31]

buckeye96,I agree with you on most of what you say,but I THINK it,s more about travel time than it is about being able to compete.When you have a sporting event and the only one traveling from the visiting team are parents and grandparents,it doesn,t create much atmosphere.As for the TVC,I don,t know why the Hocking just doesn,t become the hocking valley league or whatever.They are two seperate leagues anyway.They shedule teams from each others divisions for nonconference games now anyway.I feel for most of the larger schools in southern and southeastern Ohio for the lack of schools their size and the travel and cost of travel to support their local highschools.