Solution to the Mid-State League Problems

[BlasterMaster12]

When it comes to the MSL Buckeye, I think it's days are numbered and it'll slowly dissolve. Circleville has some pretty serious interest in the SVC and I feel if they make the jump Logan Elm would follow. There's a reason why Circleville is playing all SVC schools and it's not just a competitive thing. Between CV and LE and their combined 6 non conference games, 5 are SVC schools.

Right now the MSLB is:

Hamilton Twp
Bloom Carroll
Fairfield Union
Circleville
Amanda CC
Logan Elm
Liberty Union

CV, LE join the SVC. Now you're down to:

HT, BC, FU, AC, LU

AC could be a strong possibility to join the SVC. They're just a 5-10 minute drive down 22 from CV.

Now you have: HT, BC, FU and LU.

Fairfield Union to the MVL. They're a good fit competitively and driving distance. Not far drives to Maysville, Philo, Sheridan, etc.

Now we've narrowed it down to HT, BC and LU.

HT will join the OCC soon probably. Their approved growth and new house construction has them at 1,000 new students in the next 5-7 years. BC will be next eventually with their growth, but they're not remotely ready at this point. They're still a long time away from D2 level enrollment. You can put LU into another MSL division, which they'll hate, but what about BC? They're not far from some the LCL schools. Does the OCC make another small school division and BC could join at D3 like Big Walnut a few years back? In 5+ years you can have something with HT, Big Walnut, BC, Franklin Heights, etc? I wouldn't even be opposed to the idea mentioned of the MSL-B leaving and making their own conference and replacing HT with Westfall when they get too big. That might last a while depending on how fast BC's growth is.

I just think trying to keep that division together is putting lipstick on a pig and just trying to keep things intact for the immediate future. Knowing that it's just a matter of time before it disbands. Might as well put a plan in place and get it going and rip the band aid off instead of letting it drag out and be a mess. The MSL is a disaster and a far cry from what it was in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's. Too much drama, politics and poor decisions. I used to really enjoy the conference, but if some of these other schools can make the jump, then I absolutely wouldn't blame them. The SVC, OCC and MVL would give these schools a much better peace of mind.

 

[The Dock]

When it comes to the MSL Buckeye, I think it's days are numbered and it'll slowly dissolve. Circleville has some pretty serious interest in the SVC and I feel if they make the jump Logan Elm would follow. There's a reason why Circleville is playing all SVC schools and it's not just a competitive thing. Between CV and LE and their combined 6 non conference games, 5 are SVC schools.

Right now the MSLB is:

Hamilton Twp
Bloom Carroll
Fairfield Union
Circleville
Amanda CC
Logan Elm
Liberty Union

CV, LE join the SVC. Now you're down to:

HT, BC, FU, AC, LU

AC could be a strong possibility to join the SVC. They're just a 5-10 minute drive down 22 from CV.

Now you have: HT, BC, FU and LU.

Fairfield Union to the MVL. They're a good fit competitively and driving distance. Not far drives to Maysville, Philo, Sheridan, etc.

Now we've narrowed it down to HT, BC and LU.

HT will join the OCC soon probably. Their approved growth and new house construction has them at 1,000 new students in the next 5-7 years. BC will be next eventually with their growth, but they're not remotely ready at this point. They're still a long time away from D2 level enrollment. You can put LU into another MSL division, which they'll hate, but what about BC? They're not far from some the LCL schools. Does the OCC make another small school division and BC could join at D3 like Big Walnut a few years back? In 5+ years you can have something with HT, Big Walnut, BC, Franklin Heights, etc? I wouldn't even be opposed to the idea mentioned of the MSL-B leaving and making their own conference and replacing HT with Westfall when they get too big. That might last a while depending on how fast BC's growth is.

I just think trying to keep that division together is putting lipstick on a pig and just trying to keep things intact for the immediate future. Knowing that it's just a matter of time before it disbands. Might as well put a plan in place and get it going and rip the band aid off instead of letting it drag out and be a mess. The MSL is a disaster and a far cry from what it was in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's. Too much drama, politics and poor decisions. I used to really enjoy the conference, but if some of these other schools can make the jump, then I absolutely wouldn't blame them. The SVC, OCC and MVL would give these schools a much better peace of mind.

This is a well-written, well-thought out take on the situation. In general I largely agree.

You're correct in pointing out that the issue the Buckeye is up against is, eventually, the cookie will just crumble out.

FU is vulnerable, because the MVL is frozen and there won't be a vote to redo the league for a long time (I believe it's 2027-2028?)

LU might be giving the Buckeye (see: BC) some anxiety. They could conceivably defect from the Buckeye, along with the Cardinal; they are also in the strike zone for a conference that 'might' expand.

One of the conferences you mentioned will be hard for BC to join as a singular addition.

 

[LCL]

I could see the LCL adding Liberty Union and Bloom Carroll, the LCL should also take a stab at HT or Whitehall.

LCL- Cardinal
Licking Heights
Watkkins Memorial
Licking Valley
Granville
Zanesville
Bloom Carroll
HT/Whitehall

LCL- Buckeye
Heath
Newark Catholic
Lakewood
Liberty Union
Johnstown
Utica
Northridge

 

[The Dock]

I could see the LCL adding Liberty Union and Bloom Carroll, the LCL should also take a stab at HT or Whitehall.

LCL- Cardinal
Licking Heights
Watkkins Memorial
Licking Valley
Granville
Zanesville
Bloom Carroll
HT/Whitehall

LCL- Buckeye
Heath
Newark Catholic
Lakewood
Liberty Union
Johnstown
Utica
Northridge

errr don't you have the division names flipped?

14 isn't a number. It's going to be 12, 16 or stay.

 

[BlasterMaster12]

It's really hard for me to see Hamilton Twp going anywhere but the OCC. The amount of money they've poured into that stadium, scoreboard, field-house, etc. It mimics what Teays Valley did. They're really going to grow a lot the next couple of years. There is uncertainty to that too. Maybe those houses won't sell as fast as expected? If so, then they may be a good fit to just stay in the MSL. With the growth going on around that school and how hot of a housing market that area has, I wouldn't be surprised to see them creep towards D1 by 2030. If they get the 1,000 students they expect (general number thrown out to the community), and you keep the ratio of boys/girls in their enrollment counts, then they would have approximately 588 boys in the high school. The 2020/2021 enrollment for D1 was 604 more boys. That's awfully close. If that would be the case, I would expect to see Hamilton in the OCC, probably reunited with their best friends from Teays Valley and Canal Winchester.

According to Big Walnuts website this is the new division with Teays added...

Lancaster
Newark
Pick Central
Groveport
Canal
Logan
Teays
Reynoldsburg

Get Pick C out of there, they have no business in that division outside of geography and put them in with the Dublin or Olentangy schools. Same with Reynoldsburg.

Now you have

Newark
Canal W
Logan
Teays
Lancaster
Groveport

Then you could mix up and add schools and do something like this:

Hamilton Township
Teays Valley
Canal Winchester
Logan
Lancaster
Groveport
Newark

That's not bad (for a projection 5 or so years out). You can even substitute teams like Lancaster, Groveport and Newark with Franklin Heights, Kilbourne or Scioto.

A division like this below would be a lot of fun.

Hamilton Township
Teays Valley
Canal WInchester
Franklin Heights
Kilbourne
Dublin Scioto
Big Walnut

That would basically be most of the OCC from D2 down. Realign all of the other D1 programs. That "small school" division would be incredibly competitive and tough. I know that's a rant, but there are just so many possibilities on what can or will happen.

 

[The Dock]

It's really hard for me to see Hamilton Twp going anywhere but the OCC. The amount of money they've poured into that stadium, scoreboard, field-house, etc. It mimics what Teays Valley did. They're really going to grow a lot the next couple of years. There is uncertainty to that too. Maybe those houses won't sell as fast as expected? If so, then they may be a good fit to just stay in the MSL. With the growth going on around that school and how hot of a housing market that area has, I wouldn't be surprised to see them creep towards D1 by 2030. If they get the 1,000 students they expect (general number thrown out to the community), and you keep the ratio of boys/girls in their enrollment counts, then they would have approximately 588 boys in the high school. The 2020/2021 enrollment for D1 was 604 more boys. That's awfully close. If that would be the case, I would expect to see Hamilton in the OCC, probably reunited with their best friends from Teays Valley and Canal Winchester.

One would think there could be a marriage between Hamilton Twp, Whitehall and maybe Licking Heights & Watkins in the short-term.

Do you see a transition with those schools, possibly as an intermediate step into the OCC? Going from playing Logan Elm, in Tarlton and Fairfield Union, in Rushville, to the OCC (whichever division) can be hard. Canal had to eat it the first couple years because there wasn't an OCC lightweight division when they came in.

 

[LCL]

errr don't you have the division names flipped?

14 isn't a number. It's going to be 12, 16 or stay.

Yea, to me its just small school-big school, really dont much attention to names. 14 would actually be a perfect number. 6 Division games, 1 Crossover, 3 non-league, better than it is now

 

[Zunardo]

It's really hard for me to see Hamilton Twp going anywhere but the OCC. The amount of money they've poured into that stadium, scoreboard, field-house, etc. It mimics what Teays Valley did. They're really going to grow a lot the next couple of years. There is uncertainty to that too. Maybe those houses won't sell as fast as expected? If so, then they may be a good fit to just stay in the MSL. With the growth going on around that school and how hot of a housing market that area has, I wouldn't be surprised to see them creep towards D1 by 2030. If they get the 1,000 students they expect (general number thrown out to the community), and you keep the ratio of boys/girls in their enrollment counts, then they would have approximately 588 boys in the high school. The 2020/2021 enrollment for D1 was 604 more boys. That's awfully close. If that would be the case, I would expect to see Hamilton in the OCC, probably reunited with their best friends from Teays Valley and Canal Winchester.

Some growth for HT in the next decade is fairly certain, but approaching D1?

Having lived here nearly 60 years, I'm just not seeing them get that big in the time frame you mention. Truth be told, I'd be scared to think of what it would be like to live in a Hamilton Twp with that kind of growth. You'd have to see a big increase in corresponding consumer services infrastructure, That would most likely be in the Obetz areas, but they've been talking of a Denny's or Wings & Rings for the last ten years.. The only infrastructure growth we're seeing currently is of the warehouse variety.

Interesting scenarios, though. Who knew 60 years ago the farms would be disappearing. Ch-ch-ch-changes.

 

[The Dock]

Yea, to me its just small school-big school, really dont much attention to names. 14 would actually be a perfect number. 6 Division games, 1 Crossover, 3 non-league, better than it is now

If they get to 14 then it's only going to be an intermediate. It is my understanding that 16 is the most exciting idea, but I know that 12 is a scenario that would be welcomed because it solves one immediate problem that is inspiring the expansion in the first place.

One of the primary goals behind that league's expansion is to rid of the crossover games, at least in football.

12 = one addition into the Buckeye
14 = 2 to the Buckeye, 1 to the Cardinal
16 = 3 to the Buckeye, 2 to the Cardinal ; OR 4 to the Buckeye, 1 to the Cardinal and a school slots down from the Buckeye to the Cardinal.

 

[LCL]

I dont see LH going to the OCC anytime soon. They are merely a small school dressed in big clothes. Their enrollment doesnt reflect student-athletes by any stretch. Watkins is in the same category. Though they were in the OCC they were rarely competetive. Although, they have spent a lot of money recently on their facilities.

As far as the HT, LH, WM, Whitehall idea it would take a lot of partners to get this done.

If you are looking to form an 8 team conference you are looking at something like:
Hamilton Township
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
Whitehall
Bloom Carroll
maybe St. Charles could pull a Ready for football only
might be able to pull Granville along for the ride
Then, to continue the stretch, maybe Newark?

A conference like this might be interesting but will never, never happen:

Hamilton Township
Whitehall
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
St. Charles
Granville
Bloom Carroll
Newark

 

[The Dock]

I dont see LH going to the OCC anytime soon. They are merely a small school dressed in big clothes. Their enrollment doesnt reflect student-athletes by any stretch. Watkins is in the same category. Though they were in the OCC they were rarely competetive. Although, they have spent a lot of money recently on their facilities.

As far as the HT, LH, WM, Whitehall idea it would take a lot of partners to get this done.

If you are looking to form an 8 team conference you are looking at something like:
Hamilton Township
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
Whitehall
Bloom Carroll
maybe St. Charles could pull a Ready for football only
might be able to pull Granville along for the ride
Then, to continue the stretch, maybe Newark?

A conference like this might be interesting but will never, never happen:

Hamilton Township
Whitehall
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
St. Charles
Granville
Bloom Carroll
Newark

Don't overthink how simple HT, W-Y, LH, and WM can happen.

 

[BlasterMaster12]

Some growth for HT in the next decade is fairly certain, but approaching D1?

Having lived here nearly 60 years, I'm just not seeing them get that big in the time frame you mention. Truth be told, I'd be scared to think of what it would be like to live in a Hamilton Twp with that kind of growth. You'd have to see a big increase in corresponding consumer services infrastructure, That would most likely be in the Obetz areas, but they've been talking of a Denny's or Wings & Rings for the last ten years.. The only infrastructure growth we're seeing currently is of the warehouse variety.

Interesting scenarios, though. Who knew 60 years ago the farms would be disappearing. Ch-ch-ch-changes.

Hundreds of acres proposed for development in Obetz - Columbus Messenger

By Katelyn Sattler Staff Writer Plans for growth are continuing in the village of Obetz. The preliminary plans for development of about 450 acres of land on the Younkin, Warren, and Wilburn farms near the intersection of Lockbourne and Rathmell roads were presented to Obetz Village Council on...

www.columbusmessenger.com

Straight from Obetz. My in-laws live in the area and a good friend works for HT. I was told by both the housing developments were being built across the street from the high school along with an athletic center. That's 1,000 students in 10 years coming to HT, added with the area growing as it has been. People have a miss understand of D1 schools. They think all D1 schools are huge districts with 2,000+ kids in the high school. Not true for lower level D1. If HT had 588 kids, they'd be D2. They were D2 a few years ago, so I'm confused as to why that's a shock? That area has already had tremendous growth. It doesn't remotely look the same as even 10-20 years ago. I physically see construction going on in the area. Love the people I've bumped into in the area, but the people there hold on to the past too much and give a false sense of what the area is. It used to be small and unknown, but those days are over. The growth has already started, you just haven't realized it.

Dock, I wouldn't know what would be the best route for a team transitioning into the OCC. I know I was vocal in the Teays thread about just playing OCC schools. It's a tough spot. Playing transition schools won't prepare you for the speed and atheletism you'd face in the OCC. That's something that takes time to adjust too. I know Canal took it on the chin but I honestly feel that set them up for success in the OCC. I do feel they were put up against programs too big for them at first though. I can see either way working. I think it becomes a personal preference of those involved. Do you drag out the transition and win a few games, or come out of the gate and take it in the chin? If you do that latter, you risk losing kids interest and dwindling numbers. That's a real concern. I think some of the proposed ideas of HT, Heights, WM and Whitehall look fun. HT and Heights had a good thing going there for awhile. They were all close games if I remember correctly. They do share similar demographics. Both growing school districts on the outer edge of Columbus. Would be fun to see that start up again. I would have to go watch them play a game.

 

[LCL]

Okay, so let's merge the LCL and MSL to form some kind of super Central Region conference. Here's an idea just as crazy as adding CCL teams.

Ohio Division
Buckeye Valley
Whitehall
Bloom Carroll
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
Harvest Prep
Hamilton Township

Central Division
Bishop Ready
Columbus Academy
Bexley
Grandview Heights
*KIPP
Worthington Christian
(The Wellington)
(CSG)

Buckeye Division
Granville
Heath
Licking Valley
Zanesville
Johnstown
Newark Catholic
Utica

Cardinal Division
Lakewood
Liberty Union
Amanda Clearcreek
Circleville
Logan Elm
Fairfield Union
Northridge

Capital Division
Fisher Catholic
Fairfield Christian
Berne Union
Millersport
Miller
Rosecrans
Grove City Christian

 

[BlasterMaster12]

^ That's wild...

And I love it. LOL!

 

[LCL]

Craziest conference idea ever

 

[The Dock]

I think there's a school in the MSL-Ohio that wants their current league situation to exist long enough where they can finally qualify into football playoffs for the first time ever.

That's a crazy but generally entertaining conference idea. I'll fill in later today or tomorrow on the latest that I know, yet will continue to speak in innuendo for... reasons.

 

[Zunardo]

Hundreds of acres proposed for development in Obetz - Columbus Messenger

By Katelyn Sattler Staff Writer Plans for growth are continuing in the village of Obetz. The preliminary plans for development of about 450 acres of land on the Younkin, Warren, and Wilburn farms near the intersection of Lockbourne and Rathmell roads were presented to Obetz Village Council on...

www.columbusmessenger.com

Straight from Obetz. My in-laws live in the area and a good friend works for HT. I was told by both the housing developments were being built across the street from the high school along with an athletic center. That's 1,000 students in 10 years coming to HT, added with the area growing as it has been. People have a miss understand of D1 schools. They think all D1 schools are huge districts with 2,000+ kids in the high school. Not true for lower level D1. If HT had 588 kids, they'd be D2. They were D2 a few years ago, so I'm confused as to why that's a shock? That area has already had tremendous growth. It doesn't remotely look the same as even 10-20 years ago. I physically see construction going on in the area. Love the people I've bumped into in the area, but the people there hold on to the past too much and give a false sense of what the area is. It used to be small and unknown, but those days are over. The growth has already started, you just haven't realized it.

full disclosure: I am at the "get-off-my-lawn" stage of life, and I'm probably one of those residents "holding on to the past too much". Can't disagree with that! And my opinions don't count for much anymore - just ask my sons! ?

Blaster, I appreciate the link and statistics you list. Not questioning that at all. And I enjoy reading your thoughts on here.

I am intimately familiar with the properties involved, and the school and Obetz officials. And you could be right about HT approaching D1 - but I think it's just as likely we don't. Is D2 possible? Certainly, but see #1 below.

IMO your projection is just a bit optimistic. I've lived with the dynamic in this area all but 4 years of my live. My wife and son have worked for the district. I served on the Hamilton BOE for many years, and I've worked with the athletics staff over 25 years. This area isn't Groveport, Grove City, Canal Winchester, or Ashville. It just isn't. Put us in the OCC, and it's likely we'll struggle worse and for a longer period than CW ever did.

Here are a couple of clarifications that might color your projections a bit:

1. Hamilton Twp was D2 for something like 4 years in the 2000's, but that was a technical anomaly. OHSAA re-configured the standards out of the blue, and HT went from D3 to D2 - by one student. I don't know of any other school near us that was so affected. There was no way we were a D2 school. And there was no way we were going to make playoffs as such. Then, OHSAA reconfigured the standards back to where they used to be, and we ended back in D3 where we belonged.

2. I believe the only current home construction for us in Butler Farms, off Lockbourne Rd and I-270. That development has been in the works for many years, but its growth has been slooooooow. And I don't think there's too many homes left to build there.

3. There is current home construction off Rathmell Rd between Parsons and S. High, but that is in the Columbus City School district - not Hamilton. Ironic, because the residents there can throw a rock and almost hit Hamilton Elementary School off Parsons. Perfect example of the infamous Columbus "win-win" ruling. Also ironic because the district has a number of homes actually in the city of Columbus - and farther away from the school buildings!

4. there is also a yuge construction project on Rathmell Rd near the homes in #3, but that is for a Google data warehouse on the old Hartman Farms property - no residential development.

The growth that you referenced in the link will be solely in the recently-sold farms adjacent to the high school at Lockbourne and Rathmell, and acquired by the former village. Could it come to fruition in 10 years? Obetz controls our destiny there, but keep in mind that our district has residents scattered over two other villages, one unincorporated township, and the city of Columbus.

You and I will have to get together for a beer in 2031 and compare notes to see how this ends up.

 

[RollingTrain]

Okay, so let's merge the LCL and MSL to form some kind of super Central Region conference. Here's an idea just as crazy as adding CCL teams.

Ohio Division
Buckeye Valley
Whitehall
Bloom Carroll
Licking Heights
Watkins Memorial
Harvest Prep
Hamilton Township

Central Division
Bishop Ready
Columbus Academy
Bexley
Grandview Heights
*KIPP
Worthington Christian
(The Wellington)
(CSG)

Buckeye Division
Granville
Heath
Licking Valley
Zanesville
Johnstown
Newark Catholic
Utica

Cardinal Division
Lakewood
Liberty Union
Amanda Clearcreek
Circleville
Logan Elm
Fairfield Union
Northridge

Capital Division
Fisher Catholic
Fairfield Christian
Berne Union
Millersport
Miller
Rosecrans
Grove City Christian

Utica would love that idea

Buckeye Valley might as well purchase a tour bus and rearrange their schools hours to accommodate those trips

 

[The Dock]

Utica would love that idea

Buckeye Valley might as well purchase a tour bus and rearrange their schools hours to accommodate those trips

There’s a way simpler solution for one of those schools that would make them happy.

 

[LCL]

And if the fine people of these schools would mock us for being the salt of the earth folks that we are,..... they would probably need to be ready for a skinny jean, soy latte, woke beat down!! And some Merica shoved in their well moisturized faces!! Thats the part that makes this the most fun for me!!!!

I can remember being at Licking Heights basketball games when they would play Harvest Prep in the old Cardinal, and the Heights kids actually embracing being a then-farming community. It was rather comical seeing them dress up like a what everyone thinks a "country" person looks like in spite of Prep.

 

[LCL]

Utica and Buckeye Valley each have the same problem. Location and competition. Utica gets beat already, somewhat competitive in baseball, but really they ought to go to the Knox-Morrow conference for travel and get beat up there. Buckeye Valley should just go back to the MOAC. They have no reason to be in the MSL at all.

 

[The Dock]

Utica… have the same problem. Location and competition.

The answer is right on your screen. Literally, right now!

 

[Zunardo]

This has been a fascinating thread, some really interesting projections and scenarios proposed. I feel like Butch Cassidy, except everyone else has vision and I'm wearing bifocals.

Q: assuming you have 8 schools that are independent, what is required for them to form a new league? Do they simply have their own attorneys draft a contract? Is OHSAA approval required? Or is state approval all that's needed?

Was a weird feeling when HT joined the "old" MSL 40 years ago. I still miss the old Metro League, but the MSL feels like an old comfortable pair of cleats by now. The split into the Buckeye and Cardinal conferences made sense. The creation of the Ohio didn't have the same feel, but I understood some of the reasoning. I just hope that whatever decisions are made, it will work out for the best for the students, the athletes, and the communities.

 

[The Dock]

This has been a fascinating thread, some really interesting projections and scenarios proposed. I feel like Butch Cassidy, except everyone else has vision and I'm wearing bifocals.

Q: assuming you have 8 schools that are independent, what is required for them to form a new league? Do they simply have their own attorneys draft a contract? Is OHSAA approval required? Or is state approval all that's needed?

Was a weird feeling when HT joined the "old" MSL 40 years ago. I still miss the old Metro League, but the MSL feels like an old comfortable pair of cleats by now. The split into the Buckeye and Cardinal conferences made sense. The creation of the Ohio didn't have the same feel, but I understood some of the reasoning. I just hope that whatever decisions are made, it will work out for the best for the students, the athletes, and the communities.

Re: what it takes to make a new league -- basically you need three things. The first is, obviously, schools coming together. Second it does take a drafting of a constitution (I suppose this isn't a "requirement", but imagine a league without rules or something written down.) It shouldn't have to entail hiring outside lawyers to do it, when really it can be through a series of drafts written by the founding AD's that get greenlit after the district's legal counsel dot the i's and cross the t's. Third thing is an assignor for officials across the sports.

Re: HT, WY, BC; LH, WM, ???, ??? -- there is no indication that is going to happen as its own separate league. I have no problem expressing this as a statement of fact.

Again, I'm NOT saying those five won't be in the same league -- it's possible that those five may come into the same league, or that just one school joins two of the other four. But there is literally nothing out there that suggests all five of those schools are going to defect and form their own league independent from the purview of their respective principal leagues.

 

[gcfqn]

The LCL put together again was a good thing for those schools. Why would they mess with it, unless to add Newark.

 

[RollingTrain]

The LCL put together again was a good thing for those schools. Why would they mess with it, unless to add Newark.

The "Licking Co" aspect of it all kind of went out the door when they added Zanesville. It seems like they are open to adding. I'd say Mt. Vernon is still a candidate, especially with their league adding New Philly.

I'd absolutely try and strength the league if I was them. Bloom and Hamilton Twp both should be candidates.

 

[The Dock]

It’s likely that the MSL comes out a lot better, organizationally and competitively, by the end of this school year.

When an opportunity exists for the league to pursue the greater good, I trust that everyone will face the facts and be a team player.

 

[The Dock]

It’s likely that the MSL comes out a lot better, organizationally and competitively, by the end of this school year.

When an opportunity exists for the league to pursue the greater good, I trust that everyone will face the facts and be a team player.

Fleeting thought: depending on what happens, would it not make sense to just disband a specific division and reform the entire non-Buckeye side into one singular, sensible division? That side of the MSL needs to be fixed anyways, and fixing it can be done independent of ‘whatever’ the Buckeye decides to do.

 

[The Dock]

If the MSL chooses to realign a division in response to possible defections, it has to move quick on the talks to make it happen because the league constitution says it can only be voted on every two years, and the cycle is set as by December of years ending ‘1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9’ / by May of years ending ‘0, 2, 4, 6, 8.’

I believe the latest they can get a proposal put forward for “discussion” is by the league meeting in February.

 

[Who Knows]

There are no right solutions to this question. The buckeye is not willing to break up, BV complains about driving (they asked to join) anywhere outside 270, and school size separation from the cardinal to other two divisions. But I think there are things to consider. BC will be 3 and won't do what TV did by waiting way to long to get out. LU will be D6 (more than likely) after OHSAA counts. Then you have teams like GH that need to move out of the Ohio and no one wants HP. So I think you go with a large, middle, small no matter demographics, then add compatible competition if needed. For example.
Ohio
BV, Whitehall, BC, HT, Bexley, FU, circleville, LE
Buckeye
Amanda, HP, Kipp, BR, CA, WC, LU, add west muskingum
Cardinal
BU, FC, GCC, GH, Rosecrans, Miller, millersport, FCA
West Muskingum would be a good fit and they would complete 24 teams MSL. No crossovers or open dates. Only 1 add rather than 2,3,4 I keep seeing in this thread. The MSL is not in shambles just needs a little repaired. You can't honestly expect the MSL to fall and for 23 teams to try in joining other established leagues...