Norristown's move to the PAC-10 is official
- Thread starter Relayer
- Start date
Adding Norristown is an interesting
move. I was around in 1986 when the PAC
8 was formed. It's intent was to create
a league for smaller schools, in which every school would have a chance to win
a championship. Which wasn't going to
happen going up against the likes of CB West or Coatesville. Remember this is before the introduction of
State Championships. From the Bux-Mont
came Upper Perk and Perk Valley. From
the Chest-Mont came Pottsgrove, Pottstown, St. Pius, Phoenixville, and
Spring-Ford. And lastly, from the
Bicentennial League came Lansdale Catholic (formerly from the Inter-County
League).
In 1988,with the additions of Owen J. Roberts and Great Valley, the league evolved into
its more familiar name the PAC 10.
In 2002, Great Valley dropped out, and Boyertown was added.
Then in 2008, founding member Lansdale Catholic was annexed into the
Catholic League and Methacton was added into the PAC 10. In 2009, St. Pius became Pope John Paul II. And now in 2015, we have Norristown.
It is interesting to note that with the exception of two teams, every school has won
a league title in football. The two
exceptions being Great Valley and Methacton.
The only constant is change!
move. I was around in 1986 when the PAC
8 was formed. It's intent was to create
a league for smaller schools, in which every school would have a chance to win
a championship. Which wasn't going to
happen going up against the likes of CB West or Coatesville. Remember this is before the introduction of
State Championships. From the Bux-Mont
came Upper Perk and Perk Valley. From
the Chest-Mont came Pottsgrove, Pottstown, St. Pius, Phoenixville, and
Spring-Ford. And lastly, from the
Bicentennial League came Lansdale Catholic (formerly from the Inter-County
League).
In 1988,with the additions of Owen J. Roberts and Great Valley, the league evolved into
its more familiar name the PAC 10.
In 2002, Great Valley dropped out, and Boyertown was added.
Then in 2008, founding member Lansdale Catholic was annexed into the
Catholic League and Methacton was added into the PAC 10. In 2009, St. Pius became Pope John Paul II. And now in 2015, we have Norristown.
It is interesting to note that with the exception of two teams, every school has won
a league title in football. The two
exceptions being Great Valley and Methacton.
The only constant is change!
Congrats and I think it's a nice move for the school. I remember when the those schools left the Chesmont which at the time to as terrible as the great rivalry games w OJ and Phoenixville went away. It turned out to be a very good move for all schools as we can see today. I respect the PAC 10. It's gonna cut down on the long bus rides and allow for reunite w neighbor Methacton plus create new rivalries w Perk Valley and SprinFord. What I wonder is with the potential AAAAAA class upcoming will this force leagues like Chesmont (Coatesville, Dtown East and West plus Avon Grove) merge with PAC10 (SpringFord, Boyertown, Perk Valley and Norristown) for football? Suburban already has enough schools to reshuffle. I doubt the Chesmont would look towards Central for football as most schools are losing students there.
Norristown moving to the Pioneer is just a reflection of what is wrong with district I football. Instead of upgrading and trying to be more competitive schools now look for a league where they can compete with minimum commitment. The formation of the the Pioneer conference came about with the realignment of the suburan I leagues and the demise of the Bux-Mont League. Yes, West was winning all the time but the other schools also improved their programs to compete. When the Bux-Mont folded, CBW won their league as did Upper Perk & Hatboro and Qtown & Souderton were co-champs in their division. PR,NP,&CBE all had winning records. Today District I teams are just going through the moves one step above intramuals.
Look for more SOL schools to follow
This is just the beginning of changes to come in the upcoming years, unless the SOL makes some changes and it is primarily football driven. With Norristown in the PAC 10 goes to 11 teams (6 AAAA and 5 AAA). Upper Merion will quickly follow in joining the PAC 10, making it 6 and 6. But the AAAA schools want more AAAA teams. Souderton will then follow, the hope was to get Quakertown to join with the promise they would be the only AAAA in the AAA conference. Quakertown is now happy with SOL realignment so they are not looking to join now. So in response the PAC 10 is looking to have Springfield (M) join.
Now this won't happen over night and will take a lot of public posturing, look at Norristown, but that's how it will shape up in two to three years. This is about competitiveness, numbers, and geography.
This is just the beginning of changes to come in the upcoming years, unless the SOL makes some changes and it is primarily football driven. With Norristown in the PAC 10 goes to 11 teams (6 AAAA and 5 AAA). Upper Merion will quickly follow in joining the PAC 10, making it 6 and 6. But the AAAA schools want more AAAA teams. Souderton will then follow, the hope was to get Quakertown to join with the promise they would be the only AAAA in the AAA conference. Quakertown is now happy with SOL realignment so they are not looking to join now. So in response the PAC 10 is looking to have Springfield (M) join.
Now this won't happen over night and will take a lot of public posturing, look at Norristown, but that's how it will shape up in two to three years. This is about competitiveness, numbers, and geography.
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
I sense some on the board think PAC 10 is inferior but they probably have the best all around wrestling and baseball league in SE PA. Football and Basketball are on the rise for the big school division but almost on the same par as the 2 SOL smaller two divisions. Adding a Souderton and Quakertown would only cement that point.
I sense some on the board think PAC 10 is inferior but they probably have the best all around wrestling and baseball league in SE PA. Football and Basketball are on the rise for the big school division but almost on the same par as the 2 SOL smaller two divisions. Adding a Souderton and Quakertown would only cement that point.
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
Agreed, PAC 10 is very good in wrestling and baseball. SOL is still king in football but the Ches-Mont & PAC 10 are gaining ground as their schools are getting bigger (thus more numbers to choose from, more depth, competition, etc.). I think that this may be the first in a few moves for schools looking to find a competitive balance (football mainly).
I have heard the Ches-Mont has spoken with Garnet about joining the American with Sun Valley potentially looking to go into the Del-Val. Makes sense to have GV in the American with Rustin, Unionville, Great Valley, Kennett, Oxford, Octorara-basically the old Southern Chester County League w/ Rustin. If Octorara were to ever go into the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 3 (part of their school district is in Lancaster Co.), I'd bet that the league would look to Conestoga to join as well. The Ches-Mont would look something like this:
National
Coatesville, DWest, DEast, Henderson, WC East, Avon Grove, Conestoga
American
Garnet Valley, Unionville, Rustin, Great Valley, Kennett, Oxford, Shanahan
Not a bad football league (9 of the 14 schools qualified for the playoffs in 2014) and all of the schools would be in the 5A/6A class if that goes through. For all sports this make travel easy, competitive in all sports, and geographically makes sense.
Agreed, PAC 10 is very good in wrestling and baseball. SOL is still king in football but the Ches-Mont & PAC 10 are gaining ground as their schools are getting bigger (thus more numbers to choose from, more depth, competition, etc.). I think that this may be the first in a few moves for schools looking to find a competitive balance (football mainly).
I have heard the Ches-Mont has spoken with Garnet about joining the American with Sun Valley potentially looking to go into the Del-Val. Makes sense to have GV in the American with Rustin, Unionville, Great Valley, Kennett, Oxford, Octorara-basically the old Southern Chester County League w/ Rustin. If Octorara were to ever go into the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 3 (part of their school district is in Lancaster Co.), I'd bet that the league would look to Conestoga to join as well. The Ches-Mont would look something like this:
National
Coatesville, DWest, DEast, Henderson, WC East, Avon Grove, Conestoga
American
Garnet Valley, Unionville, Rustin, Great Valley, Kennett, Oxford, Shanahan
Not a bad football league (9 of the 14 schools qualified for the playoffs in 2014) and all of the schools would be in the 5A/6A class if that goes through. For all sports this make travel easy, competitive in all sports, and geographically makes sense.
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
Sun Valley and Octorara have struggled the most but I hope they both stay. One move I would make is move Avon Grove back to the American (or the south) and move Great Valley up w the National. Conestoga is in Chester County and would fit perfectly into the national and garnet valley would be great fit w rustin and Unionville. I'd have to argue that Chesmont may not have as many titles but this year alone we took down CB south, Neshaminy and north penn this year. Although Pennsbury won and played better Coatesville absolutely should have tied that game. Nothing away from Pennsbury and the win but....
Sun Valley and Octorara have struggled the most but I hope they both stay. One move I would make is move Avon Grove back to the American (or the south) and move Great Valley up w the National. Conestoga is in Chester County and would fit perfectly into the national and garnet valley would be great fit w rustin and Unionville. I'd have to argue that Chesmont may not have as many titles but this year alone we took down CB south, Neshaminy and north penn this year. Although Pennsbury won and played better Coatesville absolutely should have tied that game. Nothing away from Pennsbury and the win but....
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
There is a quiet movement afoot in SEPA among principals and Ads to go to an all district 1 league for football. 4 leagues of 11( or so depending on enrollment) at the AAAA level for footbal. To be grouped by quality of teams , with the top 2/bottom2 in each league sliding up or down every few years like Engkish soccer. So one division might have Pennsbury , Npenn , Ciatesville , Ridley , Gvalley Neshaminy downingtiwn east and west , Henderson, pennridge , spring ford , etc
There is a quiet movement afoot in SEPA among principals and Ads to go to an all district 1 league for football. 4 leagues of 11( or so depending on enrollment) at the AAAA level for footbal. To be grouped by quality of teams , with the top 2/bottom2 in each league sliding up or down every few years like Engkish soccer. So one division might have Pennsbury , Npenn , Ciatesville , Ridley , Gvalley Neshaminy downingtiwn east and west , Henderson, pennridge , spring ford , etc
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
Making the playoffs mean nothing in District one unless your NP.Nesh.CV,Penns. and in the past before they split CBW. & Downingtown. Who brought home the gold? CBW, 4 times, NP, Nesh.&Downigtown one time each. The rest of schools in the district are just make a few bucks for the D1 committee by extending their seasons.
Making the playoffs mean nothing in District one unless your NP.Nesh.CV,Penns. and in the past before they split CBW. & Downingtown. Who brought home the gold? CBW, 4 times, NP, Nesh.&Downigtown one time each. The rest of schools in the district are just make a few bucks for the D1 committee by extending their seasons.
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
00shoe, you have got to be kidding me. For 14-18 year old kids, making the playoffs is huge. Remember, they only get 2, maybe 3 years to do it. (Unless they are on varsity as freshmen, then they have 4 yrs.)
Just b/c you watch from outside year after year waiting for your team to make it doesn't mean that making the playoffs isn't a big deal for kids. Who do you root for? I bet if they missed the playoffs every year, you'd be pretty happy if they got back in it. Ask Neshaminy how little the playoffs mean when they were watching from the sidelines this year or ask NP after they got hammered by Henderson this year.
Most of us fans know that there are only 3 or 4 real contenders for a state title every year in each class but should we just get rid of the playoffs b/c of it? No way, every now and then you get a team that surprises & it gets an entire community excited. That's something you can't take for granted, that's what HS football is about.....
00shoe, you have got to be kidding me. For 14-18 year old kids, making the playoffs is huge. Remember, they only get 2, maybe 3 years to do it. (Unless they are on varsity as freshmen, then they have 4 yrs.)
Just b/c you watch from outside year after year waiting for your team to make it doesn't mean that making the playoffs isn't a big deal for kids. Who do you root for? I bet if they missed the playoffs every year, you'd be pretty happy if they got back in it. Ask Neshaminy how little the playoffs mean when they were watching from the sidelines this year or ask NP after they got hammered by Henderson this year.
Most of us fans know that there are only 3 or 4 real contenders for a state title every year in each class but should we just get rid of the playoffs b/c of it? No way, every now and then you get a team that surprises & it gets an entire community excited. That's something you can't take for granted, that's what HS football is about.....
Re: Look for more SOL schools to follow
if you win your league, 25 years later their will be a trophy at the school and maybe a jacket that doesn't fit in your closet. If you make the playoffs there will be shit! Unless you win the districts, playoffs mean nothing, especially when 25% of the teams make the playoffs. Just gives people someplace to go in November waiting for BBall.
if you win your league, 25 years later their will be a trophy at the school and maybe a jacket that doesn't fit in your closet. If you make the playoffs there will be shit! Unless you win the districts, playoffs mean nothing, especially when 25% of the teams make the playoffs. Just gives people someplace to go in November waiting for BBall.
