Ironton leaving the SEOAL

[Rhiannon]

The board meeting was just tonight.

Tell you guys what, take this thread down. When the article comes out then maybe you will believe it.

I wish it wasn't true.

[dazed&confused]

I fully believe it, just can't understand why. Who's next out the door? Does Portsmouth stay? Already there was talk of Warren and maybe Marietta looking to opt out. Army must be beside himslef now.

[ItownHosscat]

I hope your are just not taking your pills again
I hate this I like this league.
You want to take down posts/threads with no backbone try the political forum.

[85inside]

This could be a scheduling nightmare if they cant find a league willing to accept them. Sorry to say, it may very well be Ironton's basketball program right now that hampers them in finding a new league to join. I believe it will be easier to schedule 20 basketball games, non league than it will be football. Weeks 6-10 will be very hard to fill, if the Fighting Tigers are not in a league.

Hypothetically if Ironton can fit Burg, Gallia, Portsmouth, Russell and Ashland into weeks 1-5, who could they get to fill weeks 6-10? Maybe nelsonville (2 hours)stays on? How about belfry Ky?(2 hours) Could ironton persuade Lucasville valley, portsmouth West or Minford into some non league games?

I believe my first calls would be to Greenup County, Boyd county and Raceland in Kentucky and maybe Spring Valley, Wayne and Cabell Midland in West Virginia. If you contact those schools now, they may have openings in 2010. Close travel and maybe some bigger gates?

[biggdowgg]

This is a hypothetical going with this information since we dont know if its true or not, but what happens to Portsmouth? The rumor was that Portsmouth and Ironton are in together if Ironton leaves Portsmouth was following. So if its true where does it leave P-town?

no sure where you got this INFO, but I know for a fact, our A.D last year, said we was NOT, leaviong the league,,,even if Ironton did.


Portsmouth is happy to be in the SEOL, and I don't see them going anywhere anytime soon.

I have also heard from people in Ironton, that they would be leaving

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

The Fighting Tigers are D-4 and though they have done well in football(I really have not kept up on the other sports as much) I do not blame them for looking for a league where they can battle teams their on size more often than not.

[85inside]

actually, they are D4 and I dont see ANY league within 100 miles of ironton, inviting them in. ironton will be independent for a while.

Another possibility...Could ironton petition to join the SOC or OVC in sports like baseball, volleyball, softball, Track, golf, cross country?

[kantuckyII]

A year ago, this past August, I posted a thread suggesting that Ironton would be leaving the league. Man, did that draw some nasty comments my way! I think some thought me to be the devil or something...anyway..I said then that I thought poor gate receipts coupled with huge travel expenses would drive Ironton out of the SEOAL. Now, we have had 2 seasons pass and it's even worse than I thought it would be.

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!..

Now...look at the local teams in the Tri-state. Ashland hasn't beaten Ironton in 18 years but...as always, they fill their stands when the come to Ironton! Boyd County, before the quit Ironton brought big gate receipts and when Russell comes to Ironton, they will pack out the house! There will be standing room only for that game if Russell has it together any at all. You'll never get crowds from most SEOAL teams to that will compare to these. Ironton would do far better, in my opinion, of booking every single tri-state game they can get!

[biggdowgg]

I wouldnt want to be the AD at Ironton , trying to fill all the spots , and not be in a league.

[kantuckyII]

I wouldnt want to be the AD at Ironton , trying to fill all the spots , and not be in a league.

I think we'd all be happy here

[BuckeyeCAV]

Some on this site are full of themselves. You have the audacity to question someones integrity based on a post. It would be one thing if the two providing the info were known to spread rumors but that is certainly not the case here. It never ceases to amaze me how quick some are to pass judgement on others based on absolutely nothing but their own insecurities.

I second that FIDO

I am glad that you to recognize that there are a few resident experts on here concerning schools they don't even support, but have all the answers for them too! Geez.......

I wish Ironton only the best. I wonder who will leave the SEOAL next? That's what? Three schools that have left or will be leaving the SEOAL since the expansion to a ten-team format in 2006?

I wonder when the next team announces they also are seeking a possible alternative if the SEOAL looks like a mass exdous is about to begin, what those resident experts might say if other schools, like Portsmouth or Chillicothe look like they are leaving too?


FIDO, Should be interesting.

I do agree about Logan looking for a larger league in the future as mentioned by dazed&confused above. They are ready for such a move. I believe they could compete and win in such a league as mentioned above.

I don't see Chillicothe going North again, especiallly to play the likes of Newark, Lancaster, Groveport, Grove City and Pickerington Central on a regular basis. We wouldn't mind Logan, Zanesville, Teays Valley and Hamilton TWP but the other OCC teams, no way. We have been down that road before...the C.O.L. and OCC.....remember?

I believe we are here to stay in the SEOAL, until it crumbles, then we might see about forming something together down here with a few teams if that takes place, or try to get into the SCOL or, if all else fails, go independent. Who knows what the future brings for the SEOAL? If enrollment continues to slip in Chillicothe City Schools, with Chillicothe families sending their kids to the county schools with open enrollment, who have new school buildings, Chillicothe High School could go from a DIII school to a DIV school within a few short years from now. Just like Portsmouth did. Remember, they were a DIII school not to long ago. Now Portsmouth is a small DIV School. When our CAVS entered the SEOAL in 2006, they were a DII School in football, remember? Just a few years before enterining the SEOAL in 2006, our CAVS were a DI School in football within the OCC. Now, the CAVS are a DIII School in football. I predict in a few years, Chillicothe will become a DIV School if the trend continues in the slip in enrollment.

I fully believe it, just can't understand why. Who's next out the door? Does Portsmouth stay? Already there was talk of Warren and maybe Marietta looking to opt out. Army must be beside himslef now.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I bet he is too

I talked to a few Ironton Posters at the Chillicothe-Ironton game this year and they stated the same thing Kantucky II said above. Travel and gate draw.

Well, now looks like we are down to a 7 team SEOAL, who might be next? Could it be Marietta and Warren leaving as predicted earlier?

[Tigercannon71]

I heard Warren wants out, but they are trying to find a new league to get into before they leave the SEOAL.

[Tigercannon71]

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.

[osu 77]

I guess this is no surprise to anyone in Ironton.

Then you need ask the question what is the plan moving forward? At the next Board meeting there should be a plan made public to the voters in Ironton on how this will be accomplished. Over the year’s decision about the school etc are made without any plans. I feel before the Board voted to get out of the league there should have been a plan made public to the voters.

[BuckeyeCAV]

I heard Warren wants out, but they are trying to find a new league to get into before they leave the SEOAL.

tigercannon71,

They tried to get back in the TVC with N-Y, Wellston, Vinton County, Meigs, Alexander, Belpre, Athens etc, etc, but was turned down. The MVL has no spot for them either.....so I don't know where they go, unless they turn to the independent route, like Ironton is going back to.

I wonder if Marietta is still thinking of leaving too?

If those two school(s) depart, that would leave the SEOAL with a 5 team league, with less travel, but one would have to wonder if that truly happens, will the SEOAL go on with a 5 team league? Especially, if Logan is looking for a larger league to get into in the future for playoff points. I sure hope Chillicothe is ready, and on alert status now, speaking of looking for possible alternatives. Like talking to certain SEOAL Schools that could possibly leave the league, but stay together in another format, or look at the possibility of the SCOL route. If we have to go independent, that would be a nightmare for our AD to schedule in football. Like said before, everyone still sees Chillicothe as a DI school down here. Our CAVS are a DIII in football and headed for DIV status if we continue to drop in enrollment.

Good luck Ironton.

[BuckeyeCAV]

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.

[BuckeyeCAV]

This could be a scheduling nightmare if they cant find a league willing to accept them. Sorry to say, it may very well be Ironton's basketball program right now that hampers them in finding a new league to join. I believe it will be easier to schedule 20 basketball games, non league than it will be football. Weeks 6-10 will be very hard to fill, if the Fighting Tigers are not in a league.

Hypothetically if Ironton can fit Burg, Gallia, Portsmouth, Russell and Ashland into weeks 1-5, who could they get to fill weeks 6-10? Maybe nelsonville (2 hours)stays on? How about belfry Ky?(2 hours) Could ironton persuade Lucasville valley, portsmouth West or Minford into some non league games?

I believe my first calls would be to Greenup County, Boyd county and Raceland in Kentucky and maybe Spring Valley, Wayne and Cabell Midland in West Virginia. If you contact those schools now, they may have openings in 2010. Close travel and maybe some bigger gates?

There is always Chillicothe and Jackson

[85inside]

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.

[Tartanblue]

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

[trojandave]

As I have posted ad nauseum on SEOPS, Portsmouth is HAPPY to be in the SEOAL and is committed to the league on a long term basis, regardless of what Ironton does. We do not walk in Ironton's footprints.......they do what they do and we do what we do. Just because we have playing each other since Julius Caesar was alive doesn't mean we don't think independently of each other.

We have gone the independent way and for 11 years, it was a scheduling nightmare, with football games in Cadiz and Charleston, WVA, and basketball games in Tennessee, Dayton, Cincinnati, Westerville, and Man, WVA(3 hour drive). We had a season of only 9 games in football in the late 90's......... we even played Ironton twice in the same year.......yes, there is travel involved in the SEOAL, but with Zanesville and Athens' departures, that's 2 less long trips and more gas money for the remaining games. It makes Portsmouth's case to be in the SEOAL even stronger. And we still get to play Wheelersburg and West......two big gate draws.

I wish Ironton would stay.....it makes the SEOAL a stronger league......but they feel they have to do what is best for them.