ECOL adds Marietta and Rosecrans at todays league meeting

• LoganAlumni99

  Hate to see another school bite the dust in the SEOAL but this might be best for all involved. Marietta will be in a league that is a better geographical fit with the I-77 and I-70 corridors and whats left of the SEOAL will be a stronger geographical core that could leave the door open to Ironton or Athens returning in the future. Best of Wishes to the Tigers in the years to come.
• J-Dover

  

  Is this the best move for the Dover football team?
• GoChiefs

  

  For the Dover football team? No..I don't believe this is going to help the football team in any way. But a league is about more than what's best for just one team and just one sport.
• J-Dover

  

  not so much for me, just dover football. GL to all the other sports, but I really only care about the football program.
• GoChiefs

  

  J-Dover wrote: not so much for me, just dover football. GL to all the other sports, but I really only care about the football program.

  Well I'm the same way..that's all I pay attention to as well..but I do realize that a league is about more than just one sport.
• J-Dover

  

  I understand it is more than just one sport too. It just looks like dover football will gaining more cp points throughout the year. I don't think we need to gain anymore points, just play better team before week 11 and beyond. I would like to beat Big Red sometime. lol
• GoChiefs

  

  Yeah..you might be able to gain some points with Marietta..but they aren't going to help you competition wise..at least at the moment..I believe they will get it turned around..they had a LOT of injuries this season. I mean a LOT!
• J-Dover

  

  I am not real familiar with thier program, but I do recall they have been decent in past. Z'ville is DII as well, correct?
• GoChiefs

  

  Yes..they are in Region 7..the same as your favorite Louisville Leopards.
• hshoops

  J-Dover
  
  This actually gives Dover more open dates on the schedule. Yes, they will play Marietta every year, but they only have to play one team in the other division.....say Coshocton. That means they don't have to play Claymont, Meadowbrook or RV. That leaves you 5 open dates to beef up your schedule......isn't that what you want?
• tigerfan82

  Why add a D6 school??? I can't believe Rosecrans would want to join this or any other school would want them????
• visionquest

  I keep hearing that this new ECOL does not kick in for like 2 years. Anyone else heard anything about that? If so, sorry Dover-ites, looks like you'll have to play a full ECOL schedule for a little longer.
• GoChiefs

  

  Well Marietta is still in the SEOAL..I'm sure they have to give them a notice..I believe it's 2 years? If that's the case..then yes..it will be another 2 years..although the other 2 teams are Independent. So I'm not sure what they will do.
• J-Dover

  

  hshoops wrote: J-Dover
  
  This actually gives Dover more open dates on the schedule. Yes, they will play Marietta every year, but they only have to play one team in the other division.....say Coshocton. That means they don't have to play Claymont, Meadowbrook or RV. That leaves you 5 open dates to beef up your schedule......isn't that what you want?

  Yes you are correct that does leave more open dates to beef up the schedule. Although I would like to see the ECOL itself get top notch teams. You have to play the league games no matter what. I think we have done well with our non-conf games as of lately, but the league games have set us back a little. At least with Marietta we will be getting more L1 points. I am curious to see how both, the rest of the ECOL fills out and how Dover's schedule looks in 2-3 yrs.
• hshoops

  I understand your focus on football.....what schools would you go after for new league members?
• Dr. Ray Stantz

  This is great for Dover computer points wise, even if Marietta continues to be a doormat, d2 points in the league help out. But I for one was hoping they wouldn't add any more teams. Dover schedules great non league competition and I was hoping for 1 more game worth seeing a year, instead of replacing doormat Meadowbrooke with red headed step child Marietta. Oh well, at least we'll be playing bigger schools.
• NYBuckeye96

  Here is a longer article......
  
  http://www.timesreporter.com/sports/x19 ... -Rosecrans
  

  
  ECOL adds Marietta, Rosecrans
  
  By Hank Keathley
  The Times-Reporter
  Posted Dec 02, 2009 @ 04:52 PM
  Last update Dec 02, 2009 @ 10:57 PM
  
  The East Central Ohio League is growing again.
  
  After accepted Zanesville as the eighth member recently, the ECOL added two more schools Tuesday with Marietta and Zanesville Rosecrans.
  
  Marietta will join Dover, New Philadelphia, Cambridge and Zanesville in the big-school division, while Rosecrans will be grouped with Claymont, Coshocton, Meadowbrook and River View in the small-school division.
  
  The teams won’t compete in football for two to three years and they likely won’t compete in basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball next year, but should take part in the league in track, wrestling, swimming, golf, soccer and tennis.
  
  Marietta was expected, but Rosecrans was something of a surprise based on its enrollment numbers.
  
  Rosecrans has 44 boys and 45 girls. The other nine schools in the league average 309 boys and other schools in the small division only average 254 boys.
  
  “We considered their enrollment, but we also considered the fact that they’ve had a lot of outstanding success in athletics,” said ECOL commissioner John Neighbor. “They’ve won state championships in basketball and they’ve hosted football playoff games.”
  
  The format for scheduling calls for teams to play opponents in their own divisions with one mandatory crossover game in football. Others can be added, but won’t count in league standings.
  
  In basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball, each team will play other divisional opponents twice and play once against teams in the opposite division.
  
  A scheduling meeting for athletic directors has been set for January to work out details.
  
  “Hopefully, we’ll get everything worked out that day,” Neighbor said. “Junior high scheduling will probably be done on a regional basis and right now we’re talking about having baseball and softball doubleheaders with Marietta to limit travel.”
  
  Zanesville is already making an appearance with the ECOL in football. The Blue Devils will replace Marietta on New Philadelphia’s 2010 schedule in Week 3.
  
  “I see all this as being positive,” said New Philadelphia AD Tom Farbizo. “I think the long-range goal of the league is to have two strong divisions and the only way to do that is to expand.
  
  “When you’re trying to expand, you’ve got to answer the door when somebody comes knocking. Maybe since we’ve added these two, some of the other schools that have been hesitant will step up now.”
  
  Farbizo said he’s anxious to see how scheduling works out for the league.
  
  “Nothing’s been etched in stone yet,” he said. “We’ll have our meeting and see what happens.”
  
  Any other schools interested in joining the league should contact Neighbor at (740) 922-0954 or (330) 934-0240, or e-mail [email protected].

• xnds1fan

  

  I don't see Rosecrans making the playoffs much less hosting a game. The new league is going to be 3 to 4 loses every year.
• believer

  

  ^^^THIS!
  
  Nothing against Rosecrans but too small no matter how you slice it. I don't see Rosecrans sticking with the ECOL long.
  
  If the league wanted to build up the small school division Ridgewood would have been a more logical choice...assuming the Wood is even interested.
• visionquest

  I heard they flirted with Ridgewood plenty and they kept dragging their fit and would not fully commit. So, there ya go.
• Wooball

  

  believer wrote: ^^^THIS!
  
  Nothing against Rosecrans but too small no matter how you slice it. I don't see Rosecrans sticking with the ECOL long.
  
  If the league wanted to build up the small school division Ridgewood would have been a more logical choice...assuming the Wood is even interested.

  
  I can't say this for certain, but maybe Ridgewood was not interested in joining this new league. They already have strong league ties with the IVC (unlike Rosecrans), Ridgewood competes for league titles in football and baseball nearly every year. They already struggle to compete in baskeball in the IVC. If they were to join the ECOL how would it benefit them? They have really struggled playing Coshocton, so they probably won't win the league in football. Baseball they still would have a shot to win the league in the small school division. I wouldn't mind seeing the Generals join the small school portion of this league because they would add to it, but I would be surprised if it happens.
  
  The better question is when will Indian Valley put aside their frustration with the ECOL over not expanding when they wanted to do it a few years ago and come back? This is really where they belong, not in the PAC driving to Wayne, Stark and Summit counties for away games.
  
  Also, what Division II/III team could anyone see that would be a fit and might have some interest in filling out this league to go along with a small school like IV, Ridgewood or Buckeye Trail?
• Luther_Vandam

  I liked how this worked out.......Schools competeing against their own talent levels. Wouldn't be surprised to see Indian Valley back in this league before not too long.
• trivia

  Hello all, new to the board. Very interesting decision by the ECOL higher-ups. Just don't see Rosecrans being able to compete with those teams in their division. Despite how bad Meadowbrook, Claymont, and River View are year in, year out, they will still have little trouble I would imagine with a D6 Rosecrans team. They will never be able to beat Coshocton, and if they have to play a crossover game each year, their is not a single team they could even come close to sticking with. Sure they may not have them play Dover or Phila, but are they going to compete with Cambridge, Zanesville, or Marietta? No. I just don't see how this move helps them or the ECOL. Hurts more than anything.
• dhs22p

  

  Who else would interested in joining this new ECOL?
• heel023

  

  I hope who ever schedules the games lets Zanesville and Rosecrans play each other.