Would Ironton be a better fit in the SOC?

[Paulcrew]

With the new bypass Ironton can be in waverly in under 60 minutes, Minford and Valley can be reached in under 40 minutes. Almost all schools reached by all interstate.
It would give football 4 non conference games.

I believe it brings another good gate to all current SOC schools.

Thoughts? Would the SOC consider any expansion?

[bbjunky81]

Proximity wise it seems fine. But, no, I don't necessarily see it being a better fit.

Burg has a solid football team year in and year out --- but Ironton already faces them anyway. Waverly is solid this year but they're not exactly a perennial juggernaut. Minford/Valley have been down other than Minford making the playoffs this year for the first time in quite some time.



The football conference that needs to happen would include Ironton, Portsmouth, Burg, Jackson, Chillicothe etc... but that's not something I ever see occurring.

[wobycat]

I don't understand this post. Ironton is going to win the OVC trophy in football most years. But all other sports is a toss up. Ironton's enrollment isn't going up, it's going to continue to trend down or maintain where it's at.

[BuckeyeBlood]

Proximity wise it seems fine. But, no, I don't necessarily see it being a better fit.

Burg has a solid football team year in and year out --- but Ironton already faces them anyway. Waverly is solid this year but they're not exactly a perennial juggernaut. Minford/Valley have been down other than Minford making the playoffs this year for the first time in quite some time.



The football conference that needs to happen would include Ironton, Portsmouth, Burg, Jackson, Chillicothe etc... but that's not something I ever see occurring.

Portsmouth has no business being in a conference with schools the size of Jackson and Chillicothe. If that were a conference, the Trojans would likely go 0-4 every season in conference.

[Beergogglebluez]

Is every other post about teams joining a conference or let’s change conference, what if these teams went to this conference. Theres3 new ones everyday. But ironton is fine in the ovc.

[Beergogglebluez]

Proximity wise it seems fine. But, no, I don't necessarily see it being a better fit.

Burg has a solid football team year in and year out --- but Ironton already faces them anyway. Waverly is solid this year but they're not exactly a perennial juggernaut. Minford/Valley have been down other than Minford making the playoffs this year for the first time in quite some time.



The football conference that needs to happen would include Ironton, Portsmouth, Burg, Jackson, Chillicothe etc... but that's not something I ever see occurring.

Portsmouth has no business being in a conference with schools the size of Jackson and Chillicothe. If that were a conference, the Trojans would likely go 0-4 every season in conference.

Good point. Portsmouth is on the verge of being d6 with there numbers. They get smaller every year it seems. There fine in the ovc.

[MrFirstTake]

Proximity wise it seems fine. But, no, I don't necessarily see it being a better fit.

Burg has a solid football team year in and year out --- but Ironton already faces them anyway. Waverly is solid this year but they're not exactly a perennial juggernaut. Minford/Valley have been down other than Minford making the playoffs this year for the first time in quite some time.



The football conference that needs to happen would include Ironton, Portsmouth, Burg, Jackson, Chillicothe etc... but that's not something I ever see occurring.

Portsmouth has no business being in a conference with schools the size of Jackson and Chillicothe. If that were a conference, the Trojans would likely go 0-4 every season in conference.

Good point. Portsmouth is on the verge of being d6 with there numbers. They get smaller every year it seems. There fine in the ovc.

Same with ironton they were Low d5 numbers and there kinda going up now but won’t jump to d4 probably

[portsmouth_98]

Ironton would never get voted into the SOC for the same reason Portsmouth could never get in.

[14U]

I don't understand this post. Ironton is going to win the OVC trophy in football most years. But all other sports is a toss up. Ironton's enrollment isn't going up, it's going to continue to trend down or maintain where it's at.

Yes, I agree with you. Football isn’t everything and only sport in OVC. The other sports are competitive and a great fit for all other sports, traveling etc. if Ironton isn’t happy with their competitors on the football field then they just need to go independent in football only and keep their rivals Portsmouth, burg and Ashland and pick up 7 other games which there are plenty of teams around a 50 mile radius that can fill their schedule up. But is Ironton going to be that good year in and year out in football to do this? Only time will tell. This year is a great team like they were in lutz era but can they keep this up for 30 years like lutz did? I hope so, as I liked watching the Tigers play in those years when they played anybody any division and won or lost close. Good Luck going forward Fighting Tigers.

[14U]

Ironton would never get voted into the SOC for the same reason Portsmouth could never get in.

Portsmouth and Ironton will never get in because when SOC wanted them in when both were much bigger and wouldn’t help them play in the 60’s-2000 but now both schools would be in the middle of the pack in SOC in enrollment. Those years would be like this year Fighting Tiger team blowouts and wouldn’t be a game except burg. Also the old heads remembered when they didn’t want in then and still remembers that and votes them out. Now it makes since putting those two in for great games, more gate money with split the pot and concessions, close and cheap to travel, all school are same size in enrollment and have 3 divisions in league and have 3 or more playoff teams that would be tough playing competition each week. The league could be split into 2 SOC East and SOC West so many teams could play their rivals or pick up other games outside the SOC. You don’t want to have the powers in league playing northwest, oak hill only play top teams in league. Just a thought!
PS I heard Burg voted yes every year with other SOC II school it was the smaller school voted No, but wouldn’t play the bigger teams just didn’t want a team dropping into SOCI but it happen anyways with northwest and Oak Hill.

[14U]

Proximity wise it seems fine. But, no, I don't necessarily see it being a better fit.

Burg has a solid football team year in and year out --- but Ironton already faces them anyway. Waverly is solid this year but they're not exactly a perennial juggernaut. Minford/Valley have been down other than Minford making the playoffs this year for the first time in quite some time.



The football conference that needs to happen would include Ironton, Portsmouth, Burg, Jackson, Chillicothe etc... but that's not something I ever see occurring.

Portsmouth has no business being in a conference with schools the size of Jackson and Chillicothe. If that were a conference, the Trojans would likely go 0-4 every season in conference.

Good point. Portsmouth is on the verge of being d6 with there numbers. They get smaller every year it seems. There fine in the ovc.

If your right about Portsmouth drooping to D-VI it’s going to be a great fit all the way around for Portsmouth and big computer points. They can compete great in D-VI until the region final and up!!

[farmer]

All the talk and talk this year sure wasn't there 2 years. Always remember just because the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. It just may not be when you actual get there. Maybe it is the type of fertilizer used to make it look good.

[Beergogglebluez]

Portsmouth has no business being in a conference with schools the size of Jackson and Chillicothe. If that were a conference, the Trojans would likely go 0-4 every season in conference.

Good point. Portsmouth is on the verge of being d6 with there numbers. They get smaller every year it seems. There fine in the ovc.

If your right about Portsmouth drooping to D-VI it’s going to be a great fit all the way around for Portsmouth and big computer points. They can compete great in D-VI until the region final and up!!

I don’t know if they will ever be d6. I was just saying it seems each year the number is less and less. I think they were under 40 on the team or right at that number

[14U]

Good point. Portsmouth is on the verge of being d6 with there numbers. They get smaller every year it seems. There fine in the ovc.

If your right about Portsmouth drooping to D-VI it’s going to be a great fit all the way around for Portsmouth and big computer points. They can compete great in D-VI until the region final and up!!

I don’t know if they will ever be d6. I was just saying it seems each year the number is less and less. I think they were under 40 on the team or right at that number

How close are they? I haven’t see the numbers lately.

[MrFirstTake]

If your right about Portsmouth drooping to D-VI it’s going to be a great fit all the way around for Portsmouth and big computer points. They can compete great in D-VI until the region final and up!!

I don’t know if they will ever be d6. I was just saying it seems each year the number is less and less. I think they were under 40 on the team or right at that number

How close are they? I haven’t see the numbers lately.

Ironton as of October 2018 160 portsmouth 161

[Proud_Pirate63]

DVI starts at 157.

Ironton 160 + 19CB = 179

Portsmouth 161 + 6CB = 167

[14U]

I don’t know if they will ever be d6. I was just saying it seems each year the number is less and less. I think they were under 40 on the team or right at that number

How close are they? I haven’t see the numbers lately.

Ironton as of October 2018 160 portsmouth 161

Wow! One student, never thought in my days I would see the student body down this low. What is the D-VI cut off?

[MrFirstTake]

Here ya go

[MrFirstTake]

I’m pretty sure ironton has like 180 something boys now but there still d5

[portsmouth_98]

Ironton would never get voted into the SOC for the same reason Portsmouth could never get in.

Portsmouth and Ironton will never get in because when SOC wanted them in when both were much bigger and wouldn’t help them play in the 60’s-2000 but now both schools would be in the middle of the pack in SOC in enrollment. Those years would be like this year Fighting Tiger team blowouts and wouldn’t be a game except burg. Also the old heads remembered when they didn’t want in then and still remembers that and votes them out. Now it makes since putting those two in for great games, more gate money with split the pot and concessions, close and cheap to travel, all school are same size in enrollment and have 3 divisions in league and have 3 or more playoff teams that would be tough playing competition each week. The league could be split into 2 SOC East and SOC West so many teams could play their rivals or pick up other games outside the SOC. You don’t want to have the powers in league playing northwest, oak hill only play top teams in league. Just a thought!
PS I heard Burg voted yes every year with other SOC II school it was the smaller school voted No, but wouldn’t play the bigger teams just didn’t want a team dropping into SOCI but it happen anyways with northwest and Oak Hill.

I've heard that tired old story too. I've never bought it at all. Why would the SOC want Portsmouth so bad that getting turned down by them would have hurt their feelings so bad that they would still be mad 50 years later. There were no Harbin Points so there was no benefit to beating a bigger school. They would have won basketball 95% of the time and probably baseball over 1/2 the time. I don't think you have to do a lot digging to figure out why rural folks in Appalachian Ohio were leery about being affiliated with the closest thing to an inner city school within 90 miles, especially in the 60's and 70's.