What will happen to the Heritage Conference?

[Red and Black]

Tubmill - I don't think I even used the term "Ligonier Rams". If you mean that I should have used "Ligonier Valley" instead of "Ligonier", I guess I see your point but I certainly didn't mean it as a slight and I bet many people and headline writers will refer to the "Ligonier Valley Rams" as just "Ligonier". Some of them used to refer to "Laurel Valley Rams" as just "Laurel". Same kind of thing.

Anyway, the Heritage may have asked Ligonier Valley to leave, or plan on leaving, but what will the conference do if they don't find two more appropriate members? My bet is they will want to stick with Ligonier Valley and Ligonier Valley may very well end up staying.

Evidence definitely supports the fact that tougher regular season competition may cost you some regular season wins but it make you better come playoff time. Ligonier felt that with Bellwood in football in 2007 and in girls basketball this year. I am looking forward to how the softball team handles this next year. They do their best to schedule AAAA and AAA WPIAL teams for non-conference games already.

I sure hope Laurel Valley athletes help make the new Ligonier Valley better! I know this - LV's Heritage Conference opponents will defintely point to LV as the favorites in a typical coach-speak way. And then use that to motivate their players to knock off the new, bigger school.

I think the new LV will legitimately be the favorite in many sports so the LV coaches will have to keep their players focused on working hard and taking nothing for granted. I think the Ligonier and Laurel Valley kids will be very excited to play together in the sports that haven't been previously combined. Football and volleyball will be great tests this fall to show whether the new LV can build on this excitement to be greater than the sum of its parts.

[zonebreaker]

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.

The Heritage did not have to oust ligonier. It is better for smaller schools to have to play bigger schools in conference for postseason. If you think otherwise, you are valuing little conference backyard titles over the ones that really matter: districts and states.

The LHAC has single A schools and a formerly large AAA in Johnstown. Better regular season competition is BETTER for the rest of the schools.

[zonebreaker]

Evidence definitely supports the fact that tougher regular season competition may cost you some regular season wins but it make you better come playoff time. Ligonier felt that with Bellwood in football in 2007 and in girls basketball this year. I am looking forward to how the softball team handles this next year. They do their best to schedule AAAA and AAA WPIAL teams for non-conference games already.

From a ligonier perspective: it would be better for them to be in the LHAC b/c of your reasoning here: better competition helps in the postseason. I don't think your example of girls basketball last year was a great example b/c heritage conference teams marion center won d6AA and northern cambria went to the state finals; however, they probably had too many easy games last year in the heritage so point is somewhat valid. It will be very hard for ligonier football and softball to compete in AA next year due to schedule. It is a shame for the softball team b/c in Single A they would have had a decent shot at a state title. Now in AA, it will be very hard for them to get past philipsburg and BEA.

[tubmill]

For all of the small schools that could be gobbled up by larger schools in the area, you need to check out the link below. Your voice may not be heard.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/gro ... 857&ref=ts

[cleaverstuart]

I hope the new Ligonier does become a member of the LHC, AA for football and AAA for atleast the next two but possibly only the next two years in basketball is no different than Forst Hills and Somerset for the next two years. However at the school board meeting where it was announce that a letter was sent to the LCH there was a group of residents from the southren end (Ligonier) of the district who shook thier heads no and hissed. WPIAL here comes your new shipping boy. Anyone who thinks this is in the best interest of Ligonier should study the Hempfield coaching sistuation as an example of how athletics run in the WPIAL. Give me D6 and D5 where educators come first before coaches given token jobs to really just coach

[zonebreaker]

This article answers some questions: http://www.indianagazette.com/articles/ ... 046438.txt

Surprised the article brought up Bishop Carroll. They haven't heard anything but doubt they would. Can't think of a pressing need for any nearby schools to greatly want to move. Surprised the Heritage secretary thought it would be easy to find schools to join the conference. I don't see that many great fits.

Three of the schools have found teams to play during the week they would have played Laurel Valley while others are scrambling. I'm surprised more have not filled it in. Blairsville and Bentworth were both advertising for needing a game on 9/3 and that would be a perfect fit (both small schools probably an hour apart) but maybe Bentworth filled it in. Hancock MD high school has two open dates in October (that isn't that far for some of the schools, especially given the circumstances). Sometimes you have to travel...

[Big Ike]

This article answers some questions: http://www.indianagazette.com/articles/ ... 046438.txt

Surprised the article brought up Bishop Carroll. They haven't heard anything but doubt they would. Can't think of a pressing need for any nearby schools to greatly want to move. Surprised the Heritage secretary thought it would be easy to find schools to join the conference. I don't see that many great fits.

Three of the schools have found teams to play during the week they would have played Laurel Valley while others are scrambling. I'm surprised more have not filled it in. Blairsville and Bentworth were both advertising for needing a game on 9/3 and that would be a perfect fit (both small schools probably an hour apart) but maybe Bentworth filled it in. Hancock MD high school has two open dates in October (that isn't that far for some of the schools, especially given the circumstances). Sometimes you have to travel...

I think Blairsville went out of state with a Bishop Ready? There seems to be lots of D-7 teams of similar size with openings with Fort Cherry , Brentwood , Char Houston, Avella, Burgettstown, Apollo Ridge Deer Lakes , Peabody (D8) and Westinghouse (D8)...Most of teams are not absolute powerhouses either...IfApollo Ridge does have an opening they are right down the road from Blairsville.

Other possible openings statewide:
http://www.pawrsl.com/adhelper/football.htm

[oraclebull]

LV wont be the whipping boys of the WPIAL. For some reason the folks of LV have a grudge or fear against playing in the WPIAL from what I've seen. Based on the PIAA website "Super LV's" male enrollment will be an estimated 250 +/-. According to the PIAA site, they will be larger than Jeannette and GCC. GCC will always dominate or be at the top 3 in the Interstate Conf. because of their "talent level." Jeannette's program appears to be on the decline and will be at the middle of the pack again. In that Football Section "Super LV" will be comparable to Charleroi in size. The challenege LV will have is that the WPIAL follows the PIAA cycle of two years and will not be able to accept schools for two seasons from now. It will be interesting to say the least to see what plays out. Truth is...LV should play in the WPIAL. Based on what I hear from a few flies on the walls, folks in LV dont want to compete in the WPIAL because they dont think LV can compete. The kids cant be that different from the Greater Latrobe or Derry students that neighbor their district. I've had LV on my schedule a few times, I think the kids are great and very tough and have always provided us with sturdy competition. We welcome them to the WPIAL is they so choose, and for their sake...hopefully they do.

[djs11]

Derry and Latrobe are 2 of the worst programs in the wpial. When is the last time either had a winning record. All problems are solved if you play by classes in D6, but not many AD's agree I guess. Teams need to set their goals higher. Don't worry about a conference championship. Strive for a district championship and a run at state.

[tubmill]

If Ligonier Valley were to join the WPIAL, I would imagine they would be placed in Section 4 AA or Section 2 AA. Boy are Altoona and Holidaysburg going to have some long trips.

WPIAL Sections:

http://www.wpial.org/general/stuff/foot ... 0align.pdf