Licking County League expansion

teach1coach2
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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by teach1coach2 »

It is binding. BUT, what is $20,000 in a school budget of 10, 20, or 30 million? I just do not think the money would keep a school from leaving.

I see it as more of a pledge to not allow expansion to result in league implosion shortly down the road.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by Orange and Brown »

teach1coach2 wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:21 pm It is binding. BUT, what is $20,000 in a school budget of 10, 20, or 30 million? I just do not think the money would keep a school from leaving.

I see it as more of a pledge to not allow expansion to result in league implosion shortly down the road.
That money would have to come from the athletic budget and their is no way that's a small drop in the bucket.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by teach1coach2 »

Why would it need to come from the athletic budget? If the BOE votes to pay it, it could come from the General Fund.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by teach1coach2 »

A little satire on the many league searches that Zanesville has had over the recent years.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/musking ... 13484.html


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Re: Licking County League expansion

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teach1coach2 wrote: Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:15 pm A little satire on the many league searches that Zanesville has had over the recent years.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/musking ... 13484.html
Hahaha that's great


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by teach1coach2 »

Newark Advocate has an article on the LCL's next steps, but I cannot get it to open online.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

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teach1coach2 wrote: Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:37 am Newark Advocate has an article on the LCL's next steps, but I cannot get it to open online.
NEWARK - The Licking County League made history last week, and its leadership is being aggressive in hopes of adding to it.

The addition of Zanesville is just the first step in what is an ambitious plan for expansion, according to commissioner Ron Bowman. Zanesville will begin competing in the LCL in 2020-21, and Bowman hopes more schools will soon follow.

"Our goal is to try to have at least an eight-team Buckeye Division," Bowman said. "Our ultimate goal and it's probably going to be a long way down the road most likely would be to have two eight-team divisions."


The Panthers beat Watkins Memorial 29-7 Friday at Licking Valley High School.
Michael Lehmkuhle/The Advocate
An eight-team Buckeye Division would mean at least 14 teams. Zanesville will join that Buckeye Division, replacing Lakewood, which will move to the Cardinal Division.

Because most schools have a two-year commitment to their current league, the LCL anticipates operating with 11 schools for one year. The LCL hopes to have at least one more if not three more committed by June of this year to begin play in 2021-22.

"We are in a unique spot with our divisions from Division II (in football) to Division VI and possibly Division VII, and looking at it with the way the schedule plays out, it's tough for everybody. It's not what the LCL was back in the day," said Newark Catholic athletic director Tom Pickering, whose school will continue competing in the Cardinal Division with Utica, Northridge, Johnstown and Heath while waiting for Lakewood to make six.

Zanesville will join Licking Heights, Watkins Memorial, Granville and Licking Valley in the Buckeye Division. With the LCL eyeing Division I schools and Zanesville having taken the final step, attention naturally turns to Newark, the only public school in Licking County not part of the LCL.

The LCL invited Newark, Zanesville, Logan, Tri-Valley, Mount Vernon and Big Walnut to join the LCL during the 2015-16 school year, but when only Zanesville and Logan accepted invitations, the LCL decided against expansion.

"They were trying to get one great big package deal at one time and solve all of the issues in one stroke of the pen," said Heath athletic director Ellis Booth, the LCL president. "Now, we have taken the approach that when we see good quality schools that are good fits and are available, we are going to see if we can add them. We may have a couple years of growing pains to go through, but I think the ultimate goal is to add."

Newark has been a member of the Ohio Capital Conference for two decades but did listen to a pitch from Logan about the possibility of a new league last year. Newark later re-affirmed its position in the OCC after the conference announced yet another realignment.

"Next year when we start competing in that new division, you are looking at some schools with great athletes and great sports traditions," Newark superintendent Doug Ute said. "That's what is important to us as a district. It's comes down to what's best for our students and the community, and from a community standpoint, you look at travel and the outerbelt becomes a big challenge."

Newark has competed in the Capital Division with Groveport and significantly smaller schools New Albany, Canal Winchester, Big Walnut and Franklin Heights the past three years. In 2020-21, Newark will begin play in an OCC division with Groveport, Central Crossing and former Ohio Division foes Pickerington Central, Lancaster and Reynoldsburg.

When Newark joined the Capital Division, the hope was it might help more of the school's athletic programs compete for league titles. While boys cross country and wrestling have won OCC-Capital titles, the move has not significantly changed the win-loss record for the most of the programs, leaving boys and girls basketball as the standard bearers.

"We have some programs in our school that others want to be like, so that's their game of the year no matter if you are playing someone with 1,200 students or 2,400 students," Ute said. "We want to shoot that all of our programs have that same standard."

When many of the leagues around central Ohio were in upheaval in 2015, the LCL sat in a position of power with the ability to dictate its future. With concerns increasing across the county about the impact crossover football games are having on the Cardinal Division schools, it appears expansion became necessary.

Expanding the LCL to the east and possibly in every other direction in the not-too-distant future is a break from tradition. It, however, could be the only way to ensure the traditional 10 schools stay together.

"Nobody has made any indication or shown any desire to leave, but any time you have schools you can help out by doing something, and this case by expanding, we look to do that," Bowman said. "The Licking County League is a name. Are we going to change it? We don't know yet. We haven't gotten that far."

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by teach1coach2 »

I have a hard time imagining that Granville would want Newark in the league with them.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

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Nope


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by Nigel Tufnel »

I know the current rumors are that they are seeking Div. 1 schools (can't imagine they will get many/any), but I wonder if the LCL has contacted the eastern Franklin county schools (specifically, Bexley, Whitehall, and Columbus Academy). These are the three schools that were left behind in the MSL-Ohio when the Licking County schools left to reform the LCL. I'm not sure they would have any interest or if they might harbor ill feelings about the withdraw of the Licking County teams from the MSL, but the geography and size would make sense, and they have a history with many of the schools in the LCL. Whitehall and Bexley would slot into the bigger division, while Academy could complete in many sports in the big school but would fit size-wise in the small school division. All three schools are good in several sports (especially Academy) as well.

I wondered back when they reformed the LCL why they didn't just fold the MSL-Ohio as a whole with the other LCL schools and have two full divisions from the get-go. Some people I know in Licking County said that they wanted a true county league, but everyone had to understand that Utica and Northridge would never compete regularly with Watkins Memorial and Licking Heights, for example.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

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Nigel Tufnel wrote: Mon Jan 21, 2019 4:26 pm I know the current rumors are that they are seeking Div. 1 schools (can't imagine they will get many/any), but I wonder if the LCL has contacted the eastern Franklin county schools (specifically, Bexley, Whitehall, and Columbus Academy). These are the three schools that were left behind in the MSL-Ohio when the Licking County schools left to reform the LCL. I'm not sure they would have any interest or if they might harbor ill feelings about the withdraw of the Licking County teams from the MSL, but the geography and size would make sense, and they have a history with many of the schools in the LCL. Whitehall and Bexley would slot into the bigger division, while Academy could complete in many sports in the big school but would fit size-wise in the small school division. All three schools are good in several sports (especially Academy) as well.

I wondered back when they reformed the LCL why they didn't just fold the MSL-Ohio as a whole with the other LCL schools and have two full divisions from the get-go. Some people I know in Licking County said that they wanted a true county league, but everyone had to understand that Utica and Northridge would never compete regularly with Watkins Memorial and Licking Heights, for example.
I think Whitehall would be the only one of those three that you mention who would both be willing to leave and be welcomed into the LCL. I think Bexley and Academy would both be reluctant to do the LCL small unless they were guaranteed to play Granville every year; additionally, I think it’d be unlikely to see Northridge and Utica spring for that idea. Maybe Licking Valley, too.

Keep your eyes on what’s happening in the MSL-Ohio and MSL-Cardinal, though. I think the MSL has found themselves in a very weird position with that Ohio Division; not only is Buckeye Valley clear all the way north of Delaware joining, but there is the very real threat that the top two football programs (or two of the top three finishers next year) will be schools that don’t otherwise participate in the MSL-Ohio in Bishop Ready and Harvest Prep. Both the Columbus School for Girls and the Wellington School are also supposed to be transitioning over to the Ohio Division, and the latter is a school where the athletics set-up is more “country club/high end” than it is basic (no football, no volleyball and barely any JV teams.)
The Cardinal division, in addition to losing the Wellington School is at risk of seeing Zanesville Rosecrans defect.

I’d be curious if Whitehall, Bexley and Academy both defect. That would cause a very interesting domino effect. I can’t help but think if that happens, then you’re going to see Buckeye Valley leave shortly after joining (I think this is inevitable anyways; it is a PAIN to get from Delaware to where the MSL-Ohio schools would be) and the Ohio (with Grandview, CSG, Wellington and Worthington Christian) would add Grove City Christian, Fisher Cath, maybe Harvest Prep and maybe Berne Union. I think Millersport and FCA would either get ditched in realignment (maybe deservedly so?) or choose to see themselves out the door and become independents (which would probably be best for their respective programs.)


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by Mr Wildcat »

I really think getting Newark is their #1 goal. If you get Newark, you get Mt Vernon, if you get Mt Vernon, you Get Big Walnut and so on. I already mentioned in this thread that this league almost happened a few years ago, but Newark was granted its wish to move to the OCC Capital division. That most likely put this off for a few years. Now, with Newark being thrown back into the OCC Ohio gauntlet after only 4 years, it might be time for Newark to look elsewhere. The OCC has just become too big. Too much shuffling of teams from one division to another. No rivalries formed or honored. Newark, Mt Vernon, Big Walnut and Tri Valley should be their main additions. I also believe that adding a small school like Sheridan would be a great addition. Sheridan already has some good rivalries in the LCL and their addition would be great for the small school division.


Newark
Big Walnut
Granville
Licking Heights
Mt Vernon
Tri Valley
Watkins Memorial
Zanesville


Heath
Johnstown
Lakewood
Licking Valley
Newark Catholic
Northridge
Sheridan
Utica

The Small school division would essentially be your "traditional" LCL plus Sheridan. The big school division would keep great rivalries like Newark/Zanesville...Licking Heights/Watkins...Mt Vernon/Big Walnut. I think this would be a great league for Central Ohio which is in desperate need for another "big" school league. Will be curious to see if Newark finally does whats best for ALL of its student athletes...which isn't staying in the OCC.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by ravensfan09 »

Mr Wildcat wrote: Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:15 pm I really think getting Newark is their #1 goal. If you get Newark, you get Mt Vernon, if you get Mt Vernon, you Get Big Walnut and so on. I already mentioned in this thread that this league almost happened a few years ago, but Newark was granted its wish to move to the OCC Capital division. That most likely put this off for a few years. Now, with Newark being thrown back into the OCC Ohio gauntlet after only 4 years, it might be time for Newark to look elsewhere. The OCC has just become too big. Too much shuffling of teams from one division to another. No rivalries formed or honored. Newark, Mt Vernon, Big Walnut and Tri Valley should be their main additions. I also believe that adding a small school like Sheridan would be a great addition. Sheridan already has some good rivalries in the LCL and their addition would be great for the small school division.


Newark
Big Walnut
Granville
Licking Heights
Mt Vernon
Tri Valley
Watkins Memorial
Zanesville


Heath
Johnstown
Lakewood
Licking Valley
Newark Catholic
Northridge
Sheridan
Utica

The Small school division would essentially be your "traditional" LCL plus Sheridan. The big school division would keep great rivalries like Newark/Zanesville...Licking Heights/Watkins...Mt Vernon/Big Walnut. I think this would be a great league for Central Ohio which is in desperate need for another "big" school league. Will be curious to see if Newark finally does whats best for ALL of its student athletes...which isn't staying in the OCC.
That would be a very nice league in both small and big school divisions.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by formerfcfan »

Was told today that the LCL is pursuing both Liberty Union and Fisher Catholic, and both are listening.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by LICKING COUNTY FAN »

I like both but never thought of either.
Fisher would be a nice fit as would Liberty Union.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by gils »

Would be great additions to the Cardinal Division. I noticed Liberty Union was playing many LCL schools in various sports. I was thinking that they were looking to join at some point. Better travel for them just outside the county. Longest trips for them will be to Northridge and Utica.


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by formerfcfan »

LICKING COUNTY FAN wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 5:37 pm I like both but never thought of either.
Fisher would be a nice fit as would Liberty Union.
LU and Centerburg would’ve made a lot more sense, but Fisher Catholic is a very valuable conference aliegant in the LCL’s own right.

Awesome facilities, generally competitive programs across all boards, this just made sense. I am unsure if FC would accept, but, both parties deserve credit!


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Re: Licking County League expansion

Post by LICKING COUNTY FAN »

The Centerburg never has had that appeal to me, when it comes to them in the LCL.
Fisher is a rival, somewhat with Newark Catholic and could match up well, with most of the smaller schools in the league.


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