What will happen to the Heritage Conference?

[cleaverstuart]

I'm sure Cambria Heights is one, Harmony would be a second possible choice, If Chestnut Ridge and the new Ligonier Valley join the Laurel Highlands a deal with the West Pac could fill the one bye week in each conference

[cleaverstuart]

of course if Cambria Heights joins the Heritage the Laurel Highlands would want an odd number of new schools

[cleaverstuart]

I also agree with djs that the time has come in football to play in sections by class, with Altoona and Holidaysburg going to the WPIAL for football this leaves D6 AAA & AAAA looking like a bigger joke than D5 AA. Create conferences by class size for football in both D5 & D6 leave 1 to 3 weeks open to schedule outside section play this would ensure any rivals could be still scheduled, the current conferences are more than fine for basketball and baseball (and most other sports I just don't know enough about some of them to comment.) I also like the Heritage does for its band and acedemic competions so it is still being around would be great for those events.

[Big Ike]

8 teams! Wow...I have expressed before that I think some WPIAL teams fit within the Heritage footprint...This is my guess for the 8 teams

Shamokin Wolves - They currently are getting killed in the WPIAL and were mistreated in D9...They Fit close enough geographically and I honestly think have a better chance for a few victories.

Cambria Heights- Natural NC Rival

Glendale - Pretty much all of Northern Cambria county

Blacklick Valley - They fit Geographically but I think they are happy in the smaller populations of D-5, But could go back

Leechburg - A bit seperated form the footprint but similar size school to Heritage schools...Plus they have struggled somewhat in the WPIAL and while the heritage may be no easier they may want a change

Apollo Ridge - Part of the district is in Indiana , I think they would be the best fit...I see them not moving thinking they are too "good" for the Heritage being in the "Big Time" WPIAL...I think they should really think about it.

Curwensville - A stretch but next to PL , but do they want a powerhouse coming in?

Conemaugh Valley and/or Ferndale - They would not bring a Carroll/Private school back but maybe they would entice either of these schools...I doubt they would move form D-5, I don't think there programs would fare any better, actually worse, in D-6

[cleaverstuart]

Pretty much sum it up Big Ike, West Shamokin was talked about briefly when the conference was first formed

[zonebreaker]

blacklick, ferndale, and conemaugh valley are d6 teams that currently play in the westpac.

it would be odd if armstrong school district moved west shamokin out of wpial when its other schools are in wpial but who knows

i dont think heights will be interested; have never been before

[Red and Black]

If Ligonier is gone, the Heritage has two openings for 2011-12.

I think the schools the rest of the Heritage would most want are Blacklick Valley, Ferndale, Conemaugh Valley, West Shamokin, and/or Cambria Heights.

If it doesn't get two of those, it might as well keep Ligonier before taking Leechburg, Apollo Ridge, Glendale, or Curwensville.

It is hard to tell what the Heritage as a group really wants and what Ligonier really wants. Does the Heritage really want Ligonier gone or are they just trying to get some smaller, closer schools that are a better fit than Ligonier?

Does Ligonier really want to leave the Heritage or is it just approaching the LHAC as a backup plan and would actually prefer the Heritage over the LHAC?

I don't know the answer to either of those questions, but it wouldn't surprise if Ligonier remains in the Heritage past 2010-11 when all is said and done.

[tubmill]

Red and Black,
So the new name is Ligonier Rams? I don't think so! It is Ligonier Valley Rams aka LV Rams. :?

It is my understanding that the Heritage asked us to leave. Ligonier folks may also feel that they possibly could be competitive in the Laurel Highlands now that they have some Laurel Valley athletes.

Personally, I will miss the long standing rivalries that Laurel Valley had with United, Blairsville, Saltsburg, Homer, PL, PM and MC! It won't effect Ligonier as much as their only rival in the conference was Laurel Valley and they are gone!

[zonebreaker]

The heritage would be crazy to oust ligonier. They should be elated that their conference has a chance to get stronger. That is what you want so the level of play lifts everyone and the teams see the effects in districts and states.

D6 is VERY far away from making sections based on classification so I would just about drop that idea. The vote wasn't close at AD meeting last fall and there was very strong opposition.

So you have Single A School Bellwood wanting to face tough competition like Tyrone in the regular season. You have the Single A Private Schools in the LHAC wanting to face tough competition in the regular season even if their record is sub-500. And then, allegedly, you have people and teams in the heritage running scared because ligonier and laurel combined and they want to oust them... why? because they might be too good?? That is a joke (if the heritage is seeking to x them from the conference). Maybe they aren't. I don't know.

Or maybe Ligonier is the team that is trying to leave on its own (which I would recommend for them because to advance far in AA in districts and states it will be easier for them if they are in the LHAC). Their d6A champion softball team will feel the hurt next year when they move up to AA and will have to face teams like Philipsburg and BEA coming from a Single A conference. But like the poster above said, a lot of this is speculation at this point. Because I don't know what Ligonier wants to do either.

Regarding the Heritage, though, I doubt Harmony would be an answer. They don't even have a football team and that would create problems.

[djs11]

The Heritage conference did tell Ligonier this is thier last year and they had to. Ligonier will be a large AA school not one that is a few boys over. It wouldn't be good for Ligonier or the other schools to remain in the Heritage.