River Valley School Board to Vote in Dec on joining TVC

[Heavy D]

It doesn't make sense to add just one team to the league. Your still not balanced as far as the Hocking and Ohio. If your bringing in Warren or Jackso then bring them. The TVC has made a mess of it's self with all this. Plus if you add Warren and Jackson it's over for Athens run in the TVC. Just when they thought they got away from the SEOAL they may be back.

What run is that? The middle of the pack run? Are you saying with those two added Athens would possibly fall below their mid pack status?

Middle of what pack? Football isn't the only high school sport played in the TVC and I think if you look at overall league titles since their arrival you would agree they are dominant. Athens won or shared a league title in all but one sport last season.

Oh my bad. For some crazy reason I thought football was the sport of topic here. Maybe the fact that we are on the football forum had me thinking that way? Guess I thought the discussion about basketball titles would be on the basketball forum, baseball on the baseball forum, etc...

[Heavy D]

Week 10 - River Valley & South Gallia

Wonder how all this will go over with the Gallia County Local School Board and their rule of neither of the county schools playing each other in any athletic event? SG and RV have scrimmaged in Football the past two years and it has went very well it seems. Sure would be one of the most heated rivalries in the TVC.

I look for SG to leave the TVC in a few short years. I think the travel expense, as well as kids getting home from Miller and other places in the TVC extremely late on school nights will motivate them to exit.

[NYBuckeye96]

I look for SG to leave the TVC in a few short years. I think the travel expense, as well as kids getting home from Miller and other places in the TVC extremely late on school nights will motivate them to exit.

I agree that the travel is tough for sure. However, South Gallia was already playing Miller and many other Hocking schools in most sports before joining the TVC anyways.

By the nature of the location of South Gallia, the Rebels belonging to any league is going to produce long drives to away games. Going independent again wouldn't shorten those drives either, as the closest schools of comparable size are the TVC Hocking schools and the SOC I schools, and the SOC drives would be just as long as the TVC drives.

Geography will always be a hindrance at South Gallia for away games, no matter what league the Rebels might be a part of.

[Mercerville Monster]

I agree that the travel is tough for sure. However, South Gallia was already playing Miller and many other Hocking schools in most sports before joining the TVC anyways.

By the nature of the location of South Gallia, the Rebels belonging to any league is going to produce long drives to away games. Going independent again wouldn't shorten those drives either, as the closest schools of comparable size are the TVC Hocking schools and the SOC I schools, and the SOC drives would be just as long as the TVC drives.

Geography will always be a hindrance at South Gallia for away games, no matter what league the Rebels might be a part of.

Very good post. SG played Miller every year in Football and Basketball up until '06. Last year Miller traveled down to SG for a Basketball scrimmage. Symmes Valley is the closest school from Mercerville and it is around a 45 minute bus ride. All other schools are well over an hour. River Valley would be along the same time frame as Symmes Valley. I don't see SG leaving the TVC for a long time because nobody wants to make the journeys to Clarksburg, Gauley Bridge, Man, Lincoln County, Westfall, Charleston etc. anymore. Compared to those drives, any drive in the TVC is a VERY short bus ride.

[Heavy D]

I look for SG to leave the TVC in a few short years. I think the travel expense, as well as kids getting home from Miller and other places in the TVC extremely late on school nights will motivate them to exit.

I agree that the travel is tough for sure. However, South Gallia was already playing Miller and many other Hocking schools in most sports before joining the TVC anyways.

By the nature of the location of South Gallia, the Rebels belonging to any league is going to produce long drives to away games. Going independent again wouldn't shorten those drives either, as the closest schools of comparable size are the TVC Hocking schools and the SOC I schools, and the SOC drives would be just as long as the TVC drives.

Geography will always be a hindrance at South Gallia for away games, no matter what league the Rebels might be a part of.

But they were not playing them in the lower levels. Being in the league requires them to play all sports, and at most of the levels.

[Mercerville Monster]

But they were not playing them in the lower levels. Being in the league requires them to play all sports, and at most of the

Good point. SG's schedule was mainly an all TVC schedule when they were independent. The lower levels played some TVC schools but mainly the closest ones like Eastern, Southern, and Wahama. I think it will work out because at the lower levels you usually play girls and boys games the same night.

[bullfrog93]

Has there even been any talk of this possibilty?

BIG DIVISION

Athens
Warren
Nelsonville-York
Vinton County
Alexander
Meigs


MEDIUM DIVISION
Fort Frye
River Valley
Wellston
Federal Hocking
Belpre
Trimble

SMALL DIVISION

Eastern
Miller
Southern
South Gallia
Waterford
Wahama


AND FOR ALL YOUR KNOWLEDGE, Athens was gonna play Hannan until we saw them play Wellston in basketball. It just made sense not to carry through after the way we totally destroyed Wahama for two years. WOOFWOOFWOOF!

[mister b]

I agree with 99% of NYBuckeye96's first 4 posts.

The only exception would be crossover games between the Hocking vs Ohio. Outside of NY vs Trimble, I doubt any of the other schools have much interest in playing each other. The size difference being the key factor and from what I can gather, crossover games aren't going to be the answer to each division having an odd number of teams so that won't be a consideration.

Also, no school in the Hocking is interested in moving up to the Ohio so that won't be a consideration either.

Like it or not, when a conference is formed, football is #1 on everybody's minds. Other sports take a back seat. I personally don't agree with this because when winter comes and we get into the basketball schedules, there will be late nights on bad roads for busses to travel on.

Just because you are in a conference doesn't necessarily mean you have to play a conference schedule in your sports below the JV level. Sometimes travel is just too much for junior high sports when staying within the TVC. I would look for many of the TVC schools, especially the Hocking schools, to schedule games at the JR High level that are out of conference and much closer.

Folks don't look as travel being an issue for 2 reasons, football is played on friday so who cares when the bus gets back because there is no school tomorrow and half of the boys basketball games are on friday or saturday nights so again who cares when the bus gets home.

Almost all of your girls games and 100% of your JR High games are during the week and travel becomes a HUGE issue for administrators and most parents. You just can't have kids getting home from away games on a routine basis at 10 or 11 pm on school nights.

Now factor in your costs for transporting the teams on long drives; ADs are already under intense pressure to keep costs down and with large budget cuts coming from the state next year, well now we know why schools are looking to change leagues.

The one thing the TVC has done wrong in my opinion is to expand for the sake of expansion. No thought has gone into how long of a drive it is from Wahama to Miller. Maybe you can justify it for varsity football, but make that trip 2 times for boys and girls basketball and then throw in your spring sports and then JR High sports, that is a lot of travel.

The TVC needs to step back and look at this with a wide lens and consider 1 more expansion to get them to 18 teams so there can be 3 divisions of 6 teams each. This ends them having to find nonleague games late in the football season. Crossover games (if teams want to play them but not count in conference play) between divisions would be more competitive as the smallest division could play the next division up and the middle vs the largest and then there wouldn't be the 200 student difference between teams that the TVC has now in the Ohio.

The time has come for the TVC and some of it's members to bury the hatchet and bring Jackson and Warren in the TVC since they have already expressed interest in doing so. Get to 18 teams so there will be 3 divisions and base it on school size.

Big school
Athens
Warren
Jackson
VC
Meigs
Alexander

Mid school
River Valley
NY
Belpre
FH
Wellston
Trimble or Wahama (whoever is largest)

Small

Wahama or Trimble (whoever is largest
Eastern
Southern
Miller
SG
Waterford

Enrollments are much closer, travel is better. I understand not everybody gets what they want but for the vast majority of schools (boys and girls - JR High thru varsity) things are vastly improved in terms of better competition, reduced travel, less time on the bus for the kids and reduced cost with better gate receipts.

JMHO and I know I am beating a dead horse with the TVC but the answer to their problems is as plan as the nose on their face.

[madpolecat]

The only geographically friendly conference for SG would have been the OVC, but all those schools are much bigger than SG.

[A-Town Big Dog]

Warren is kinda out in left field all by themselves in the upcoming SEOAL and I think they would be a great fit if the TVC powers that be think a 3 division league is the way to go. If Warren is added then another mid to large size school would be needed.

I think the alignment would look something like this.

1. Athens 363

2. Warren 362

3. Vinton Co. 296

4. Meigs 223

5. Alexander 206

6. Point Pleasant, Jackson, etc. ??


1. River Valley 190

2. Wellston 181

3. Nelsonville-York 161

4. Belpre 140

5. Federal Hocking 138

6. Trimble 112 (not sure who is larger Trimble or Wahama but from a travel standpoint this would make the most sense)



1. Wahama ??

2. So. Gallia 100

3. Miller 97

4. Eastern 95

5. Southern 91

6. Waterford 90

[A-Town Big Dog]

I know N-Y people are gonna complain about being in the middle division but I'm sure games would continue with Athens and Alex in weeks 1-5 and you could still play Logan or Wellston etc. and still be able to add two schools like Ready or Newark Catholic and your schedule wouldn't be that different from the way it is now.

[NYBuckeye96]

I'd rather see NY in the big school division. That's where they will be after the state consolidates Trimble with NY anyways.

[NYBuckeye96]

I would be shocked if the 3 divisions were based soley on school size (although that will play a big part in it). If you try to force schools to be in a division that they don't want to be in, you will find that their won't be enough votes to add a third division. If one school says no, that school will probably have enough allies to vote no too to defeat the whole thing.

The third division will happen through politics and wheeling and dealing.

When the TVC Hocking was created, Alexander was originally placed in the Hocking division, even though Alex at the time had more students than NY and Belpre. And I believe Fed Hock also had more students than NY and Belpre at that time. There was wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes back then and there will be once again if the third division does become reality.

[NYBuckeye96]

It's not a forgone conclusion that Warren or Jackson would be admitted to the TVC. Remember, they both have tried in the past and were voted down, although Warren was voted down by the narrowist of margins. I think they were only 1 more yes vote away from being voted in. Jackson was soundly turned down.

[Orange and Brown]

I know N-Y people are gonna complain about being in the middle division but I'm sure games would continue with Athens and Alex in weeks 1-5 and you could still play Logan or Wellston etc. and still be able to add two schools like Ready or Newark Catholic and your schedule wouldn't be that different from the way it is now.

Not do sure NY will be in the middle division. Alex or Meigs may not want to be in the large school division.

[A-Town Big Dog]

It's not a forgone conclusion that Warren or Jackson would be admitted to the TVC. Remember, they both have tried in the past and were voted down, although Warren was voted down by the narrowist of margins. I think they were only 1 more yes vote away from being voted in. Jackson was soundly turned down.

If three divisions are what the TVC is striving for as most believe then Warren is almost certainly a lock but I still think Jackson would be on the outside looking in.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I know N-Y people are gonna complain about being in the middle division but I'm sure games would continue with Athens and Alex in weeks 1-5 and you could still play Logan or Wellston etc. and still be able to add two schools like Ready or Newark Catholic and your schedule wouldn't be that different from the way it is now.

Not do sure NY will be in the middle division. Alex or Meigs may not want to be in the large school division.

Why would Meigs care? They are playing all of those schools anyway. I don't think Alex would run from the chance either.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I would be shocked if the 3 divisions were based soley on school size (although that will play a big part in it). If you try to force schools to be in a division that they don't want to be in, you will find that their won't be enough votes to add a third division. If one school says no, that school will probably have enough allies to vote no too to defeat the whole thing.

The third division will happen through politics and wheeling and dealing.

When the TVC Hocking was created, Alexander was originally placed in the Hocking division, even though Alex at the time had more students than NY and Belpre. And I believe Fed Hock also had more students than NY and Belpre at that time. There was wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes back then and there will be once again if the third division does become reality.

School size would be the determining factor due to the fact that schools are up and down in talent level every year across the board in sports and remember again this wouldn't be just about football.

[mister b]

I would be shocked if the 3 divisions were based soley on school size (although that will play a big part in it). If you try to force schools to be in a division that they don't want to be in, you will find that their won't be enough votes to add a third division. If one school says no, that school will probably have enough allies to vote no too to defeat the whole thing.

The third division will happen through politics and wheeling and dealing.

When the TVC Hocking was created, Alexander was originally placed in the Hocking division, even though Alex at the time had more students than NY and Belpre. And I believe Fed Hock also had more students than NY and Belpre at that time. There was wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes back then and there will be once again if the third division does become reality.

School size would be the determining factor due to the fact that schools are up and down in talent level every year across the board in sports and remember again this wouldn't be just about football.

I agree, but as I stated earlier, any conference centers itself around football and the other sports are an after thought.

[mister b]

I would be shocked if the 3 divisions were based soley on school size (although that will play a big part in it). If you try to force schools to be in a division that they don't want to be in, you will find that their won't be enough votes to add a third division. If one school says no, that school will probably have enough allies to vote no too to defeat the whole thing.

The third division will happen through politics and wheeling and dealing.

When the TVC Hocking was created, Alexander was originally placed in the Hocking division, even though Alex at the time had more students than NY and Belpre. And I believe Fed Hock also had more students than NY and Belpre at that time. There was wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes back then and there will be once again if the third division does become reality.

I agree 100%.

When the next round of consolidation hits SE Ohio, not if; it will hit here first before it does the rest of Ohio. Consolidated schools can be realigned when the consolidation occurs.

But remember, in this century consolidation doesn't necessarily mean one school absorbs the other. Consolidation could very well be a merging of 2 or more districts into 1 and keeping some HS open simply because of travel concerns.

It will be very interesting to see what comes out of Columbus when the new legislature meets and I think SE Ohio will feel the impact first and the hardest. I hope I am wrong.