Portsmouth to the SOC3 2027

[OVC]

Calling it now. Symmes Valley to the OVC. They are probably tired of having to drive everywhere for games (Western, Eastern, Northwest). Plus they would fit right in with just about every other sport besides football. I could see them competing for championships in baseball and softball. Basketball could also be very competitive as well. Just makes too much sense. Second team I could see is Oak Hill. They’ve been trying to get out of the SOC and now here’s their chance. Plus they were in the OVC for a long time, too. Charter member if I recall correctly. Symmes would compete easier in all sports than Oak Hill, though.

[greygoose]

Calling it now. Symmes Valley to the OVC. They are probably tired of having to drive everywhere for games (Western, Eastern, Northwest). Plus they would fit right in with just about every other sport besides football. I could see them competing for championships in baseball and softball. Basketball could also be very competitive as well. Just makes too much sense. Second team I could see is Oak Hill. They’ve been trying to get out of the SOC and now here’s their chance. Plus they were in the OVC for a long time, too. Charter member if I recall correctly. Symmes would compete easier in all sports than Oak Hill, though.

It'd be a terrible move for them in football, I will say this in terms of drive time the OVC 100% makes sense though but they'd be moving into a conference where they're far and away the smallest school though not sure I see them wanting that.

[greygoose]

Is this confirmed? Guy from Clay told me 2 weeks ago it was happening, but I called BS on him!*

I don't believe this is confirmed yet but there's definitely a lot of smoke coming from the powers to be on this topic. Does the SOC want Portsmouth they never did, but I think Portsmouth has dropped so much over those years they're right on par with the rest of the schools in the SOC. One thing I think the SOC2 teams are finding out in football more so is the difficulty with having a odd number of teams and everyone trying to find a team mid to late season when everyone is in league play. Waverly had to take a beating from Mt. Healthy in week 10 the last 2 seasons because that's basically only team they could find within a reasonable driving distance. So Portsmouth to SOC, let's just say don't be shocked at this point, it makes sense from a talent standpoint the drive is very easy for everyone involved could see an increase in gates for games like West/Burg/Portsmouth hopefully they can keep the peace though.

[art_vandelay]

Goose: agreed on the scheduling. What a nightmare for AD’s trying to find suitable opponents late in the season for football.

But yeah, this move would have never been made years ago. And some of that was the SOC schools’ fault, and some of that Portsmouth’s fault. But it looks like a great fit now, so time to make it happen.*

[OVC]

Calling it now. Symmes Valley to the OVC. They are probably tired of having to drive everywhere for games (Western, Eastern, Northwest). Plus they would fit right in with just about every other sport besides football. I could see them competing for championships in baseball and softball. Basketball could also be very competitive as well. Just makes too much sense. Second team I could see is Oak Hill. They’ve been trying to get out of the SOC and now here’s their chance. Plus they were in the OVC for a long time, too. Charter member if I recall correctly. Symmes would compete easier in all sports than Oak Hill, though.

It'd be a terrible move for them in football, I will say this in terms of drive time the OVC 100% makes sense though but they'd be moving into a conference where they're far and away the smallest school though not sure I see them wanting that.

They are pretty down in football right now, which I didn’t realize. They were South Point’s only win. 10 years ago, I’m sure it would’ve been a good move for football. I still think they’d compete in other sports.

[Zahns Corner]

Piketon joining SOC3 probably makes the most sense of all southern Ohio schools. Was a member of SOC back in APlant construction days, but "bolted" for startup of SVC. Logistically surrounded on almost all sides by SOC schools and would slot nicely into SOC3 enrollment wise. Easy trip to/from Piketon at the crossroads of southern Ohio Routes 23-32 for all SOC3 schools. Would be some really good rivalries with Waverly, Minford, West, South Webster, Burg, Valley. Already play most of these schools in nearly all sports. Piketon has relatively new & nice facilities ("The Oven" & New Football Field/Fieldhouse & Baseball/Softball fields adding new tower press boxes) and they just keep building more...

Makes some sense but Piketon's 63 years of stable membership in the SVC speaks louder. If anything, a better case could be made for the Tigers joining the SVC as Waverly has more communities ties to Chillicothe than it does Portsmouth.

[BigBlueNation]

Calling it now. Symmes Valley to the OVC. They are probably tired of having to drive everywhere for games (Western, Eastern, Northwest). Plus they would fit right in with just about every other sport besides football. I could see them competing for championships in baseball and softball. Basketball could also be very competitive as well. Just makes too much sense. Second team I could see is Oak Hill. They’ve been trying to get out of the SOC and now here’s their chance. Plus they were in the OVC for a long time, too. Charter member if I recall correctly. Symmes would compete easier in all sports than Oak Hill, though.

Take South Gallia too. That ride is awful.

[LoyalOak]

I knew they were for football so if it’s basketball as well it must be every sport

[alabama mike]

I would like to see the OVC and the SOC combine. The teams could be more equally divided in football, the smaller football playing schools would have more competitive games. In basketball you COULD go with an east/west schedule and play only a handful of cross over games. For example, Western would play South Gallia at home one year and the next year go to South Gallia. The long road trips with the schools on the extreme end of the counties involved is a challenge with schedules. Football would not be as big an issue because games are played almost always on Friday night. Basketball, baseball, softball, track and soccer (if a school has the sport) are the challenges with schedules. I do think with the administrators and athletic directors working together this COULD happen. Just my opinion.

[GoBucks1047]

I would like to see the OVC and the SOC combine. The teams could be more equally divided in football, the smaller football playing schools would have more competitive games. In basketball you COULD go with an east/west schedule and play only a handful of cross over games. For example, Western would play South Gallia at home one year and the next year go to South Gallia. The long road trips with the schools on the extreme end of the counties involved is a challenge with schedules. Football would not be as big an issue because games are played almost always on Friday night. Basketball, baseball, softball, track and soccer (if a school has the sport) are the challenges with schedules. I do think with the administrators and athletic directors working together this COULD happen. Just my opinion.

For the smaller SOC schools, 10 schools split up into 2 divisions of 5 makes the most sense for me (with football staying at 6 teams). Teams play 14 conference games (with Western and Eastern guaranteed a 2nd crossover conference game due to their location). The other teams could rotate the crossover game or protect someone (ND-St. Joe, East-Green, Clay-Symmes, NB-SG). With talk about the larger schools below, it may not be bad to bring in Manchester FB only for reasons explained in a moment.

SOVC I West
Clay^
East
New Boston^
Notre Dame
Western^*

SOVC I East
Eastern*
Green
Ironton St. Joe^
South Gallia
Symmes Valley
* = H&H Protected
^ = No Football


The larger schools is where it gets tougher/tricky. Assuming all schools merge, you have 16 BB and 14 or 15 FB depending on Ironton. With FB at 15, 3 pods of 5 would make the most sense and might be attractive to the bigger FB schools like Ironton and Burg. An alternative could be protecting 2 rivals and rotating 4 teams to play everyone else once every 3 years or 5 pods of 3, but I think that would be unlikely. As stated above, if we do 15 FB schools, it would maybe be beneficial to have 7 FB teams for the smaller schools to help with scheduling.

With 14 FB teams, if Ironton says no, then you essentially run into SOC and OVC split into 2 divisions of 7 teams if geographically. Maybe you could divide the better/larger schools from the weaker/smaller schools, but I don't think a merger is as beneficial if it's 14 teams in FB. For BB, 16 teams could go 2 divisions of 8, which has the same implications above as 14 FB teams or you could split into 4 pods of 4, which could go any number of ways depending on which teams want to play H&H (maybe 3 protected rivalries).

SOVC II:
Minford
Northwest
Oak Hill
Valley
South Webster^
Waverly
West
Portsmouth
Wheelersburg
Ironton^?
Gallia Academy
Chesapeake
Dawson-Byrant
Fairland
Rock Hill
South Point
^ = No Football


Something to take into account is depending on how the larger schools are split up, could it become attractive to River Valley and Piketon (along with Manchester FB) to the SOVC for 10/18 (2 pods of 5 + 3 pods of 6) in BB and potentially get 4 divisions of 6 in FB, which I think everyone would like if it were to happen, but Piketon is likely a no and River Valley may not be desirable. On the flip side, maybe it pushes away teams like Waverly, Oak Hill, or Gallia Academy to the SVC, TVC, or maybe even FAC.

Currently, I think for the SOC, moving up Northwest and Oak Hill merging SOC I and the rest of SOC II would be best for the smaller schools. I feel confident about this. For SOC III + NW & OH, 9 teams is doable, but a little awkward for BB and we already seen the SOC move away from this. I think 8 teams for FB is better than 7, but I think Burg would like 5 non-conference games better than 8 while NW and OH would like that too. Maybe FB could split into 2 pods of 4 could be satisfy teams for FB. As for the question of whether an SOC-OVC merger would satisfy everyone, it's possible, especially for FB, but not for certain.

[baseball16]

Hearing a few things. 1. Waverly is going to SVC!! What will this do.... Will any FAC schools follow? SVC is wanting 2 divisions. Also, if Waverly leaves what will that do to the SOC? Also have heard that Western is about to jump ship... SHAC??? Some interesting rumors and possibly truths coming out very soon!! I guess people need to stay tuned!

[Waverlyguru01]

Hearing a few things. 1. Waverly is going to SVC!! What will this do.... Will any FAC schools follow? SVC is wanting 2 divisions. Also, if Waverly leaves what will that do to the SOC? Also have heard that Western is about to jump ship... SHAC??? Some interesting rumors and possibly truths coming out very soon!! I guess people need to stay tuned!

This is not all news Western has wanted to go to the Shac for several years and we're told find another school that fits and you are back.

SVC isnt letting waverly in and they aren't going anywhere.

[OldHooper]

- Zero chance Piketon leaves the SVC and goes to the SOC. Piketon is barely surviving their SVC schedule.

- Portsmouth joining the SOC will be a good move for the school and athletic departments overall. However, they will find out how dominant and competitive the league is quickly.

- Waverly has little to no reason to leave the conference.

- SV to the OVC would make perfect sense for everyone.

All in all… SOCIII is the powerhouse conference of Southern Ohio.

[BuckeyeBlood]

- Zero chance Piketon leaves the SVC and goes to the SOC. Piketon is barely surviving their SVC schedule.

- Portsmouth joining the SOC will be a good move for the school and athletic departments overall. However, they will find out how dominant and competitive the league is quickly.

- Waverly has little to no reason to leave the conference.

- SV to the OVC would make perfect sense for everyone.

All in all… SOCIII is the powerhouse conference of Southern Ohio.

The OVC has been better in both boys and girls basketball than the SOC recently, Portsmouth has won the conference in both. While also already playing West, Burg, Minford, Webster and Valley (this year) regularly. Football Portsmouth already plays(ed) West & Valley, scrimmage Waverly yearly. They would’ve finished 2nd or 3rd in football behind Burg this year. Baseball the Trojans have been really solid the last several seasons. Also while playing the likes of Minford, Burg, Northwest, Webster, Valley. It’s not like they haven’t played these schools already in most sports. So your comment about finding out how dominant and competitive the league is, well it’s silly. They’ll fit in just fine in the league, compete and maybe win the conference in some sports (not football lol).

[trojandave]

You're correct with your post, BuckeyeBlood..........Portsmouth will be very competitive and will challenge for SOC titles in several sports. The SOC is a better conference with PHS as a member.