| Elmwood says it'll remain in NBC for now (12-09-11) |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by CHAYSE HELD Sentinel Sports Writer |
| Friday, 09 December 2011 09:50 |
|
JERRY CITY - Elmwood is staying in the Northern Buckeye Conference for now. But that doesn't mean rumblings of the school possibly leaving the NBC will end any time soon. With last week's announcement of Carey, Mohawk and Seneca East leaving the Midland Athletic League for the newly formed Northern 10 Athletic Conference, rumors of Elmwood and Woodmore leaving the NBC for the MAL are becoming heard around the area. But according to Elmwood superintendent Tony Borton, the Royals are not changing leagues again. "We're happy in the NBC. We're not going to leave as long as no one else leaves," Borton said in a phone interview Thursday. "If one leaves, I've got to reconsider my position, being the small district of the group. But at this point, no, we're not interested in leaving." Both Elmwood and Woodmore applied for membership into the MAL less than three years ago when the Suburban Lakes League folded, but were denied by the MAL at that time. As a result, Elmwood, Woodmore and four other former SLL schools, along with Rossford and Fostoria, formed the NBC. "For me, it's the fact that the NBC is a new league. We've got to give it time to make sure it's going to be best for us," Borton said. "It's just the fact that we did get into the NBC. It's been a good first season. We've got to give it some time." The MAL held a meeting Thursday to discuss it's plan of action since Carey, Mohawk and Seneca East were three of the schools to sign a commitment to form the N10, which will begin play no later than the fall of 2014. With the departure of those schools, the MAL will be left with nine schools and a gap in the league's football schedule. Of the remaining MAL schools, Lakota, North Baltimore, Hopewell-Loudon, Tiffin Calvert and Fremont St. Joseph play football. Bettsville, Fostoria St. Wendelin, New Riegel and Old Fort compete in the other MAL sports. The MAL would likely want to add three football schools to give it an eight-team league for scheduling purposes. "If the MAL holds a meeting ... Do we go? Do we not? Do we listen? In my opinion, no. But there are differences of opinion there," Borton said. "Some people say you've got to listen to see what the options are, but I don't. The NBC is where we're at and that's where we stay." The other schools that formed the N10 along with Carey, Mohawk and Seneca East are North Central Conference schools Buckeye Central, Bucyrus, Bucyrus Wynford, Colonel Crawford, Crestline, and Riverdale, as well as Ridgedale of the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. Once reached for an interview Thursday evening, MAL commissioner Marc King deferred comment to Lakota superintendent Rebecca Heimlich, who is serving as the president of the executive board of the MAL. The MAL rotates the position each year. Heimlich could not be reached for comment Thursday night, but King said an official statement from the MAL could come as soon as today. "We just decided to make sure we didn't have multiple people saying multiple things, it was best for the league that we have one voice," King said. "Any official statement, for the time being, is going to have to come from her." No official contact has been made from the MAL to Elmwood at this time. The key will be if either Woodmore or Elmwood, the two smallest schools in the NBC, decide to leave the league. "The concern is we're so afraid Woodmore leaves and if we don't listen (to the MAL), then all of a sudden we're hung to dry," Borton said. "And that's kind of what's funny, is Woodmore thinks we're leaving and we think Woodmore is leaving. I've talked to the superintendent up there and the feeling we're both giving right now, and I can't speak for him, is that neither of us are leaving." Despite the uncertainty, Borton did point out that his school is happy to be in the NBC. "I've had comments from the boosters who are against (moving to the MAL). They feel the NBC gives us a stronger field of teams to play. So my boosters would not be in support of it," Borton said. "So really I've heard nobody, in-house or even in the community, that has talked to me about this issue that thinks that would be a good move for us at this time." |
Front Page Stories
| Rossford seeks input on schools 05/19/2012 | DAVID DUPONT Sentinel Staff Writer  Ron Vincent came prepared with pencils, brainstorming exercises and blowout noise make [ ... ] |
Perrysburg Twp. tries EMS/fire levy 05/19/2012 | CHAYSE HELD Sentinel Staff Writer  PERRYSBURG - Perrysburg Township Board of Trustees have approved the placement of a ne [ ... ] | Other Front Page Articles
| ||
