Report: Sidney, other GWOC schools looking to leave

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SIDNEY — Sidney and nine other Greater Western Ohio Conference schools are reportedly preparing to leave the conference and form a new league.

The Dayton Daily News reported late Wednesday that Sidney along with GWOC American North Division schools Piqua, Troy, Tippecanoe, Greenville and Vandalia-Butler and American South members Fairborn, Xenia, West Carrollton and Stebbins want out of the conference, which grew to 20 teams in 2016.

Sidney athletic director Mitch Hoying did not comment on Wednesday other than to say the school is still a member of the GWOC. Piqua athletic director Chip Hare and Troy athletic director David Palmer issued similar statements to AIM Media Midwest publications.

The 10 teams intend to form a new league without GWOC South member Trotwood-Madison according to the Dayton newspaper. The GWOC is also made up of National East members Beavercreek, Centerville, Fairmont, Springfield and Wayne and National West members Miamisburg, Lebanon, Northmont and Springboro.

Administrators from all GWOC schools met in a winter meeting in Huber Heights on Wednesday. According to the Dayton Daily News, the 10 American League squads announced their intentions to form a new league and left the meeting early.

Sidney was a charter member of the GWOC, which was formed in 2001 when the Greater Miami Valley Conference merged with the Western Ohio League.

The GWOC was originally made of 14 teams, with seven each from the GMVC and WOL. The conference grew to 17 schools in 2006 after several additions from the defunct Mid-Miami League and grew to 18 in 2010 after the addition of West Carrollton. Tippecanoe and Stebbins joined the league in 2016 from the Central Buckeye Conference.

The 10 American League schools have similar enrollments except Greenville and Tippecanoe, which are a bit smaller. All teams compete in Division II or III in football and Division I or II in boys and girls basketball.

According to 2015 Ohio High School Athletic Association enrollment calculations (which measure only the enrolled underclassmen every two years), eight of the American League teams have boys enrollments between 354 and 513 and girls enrollments between 356 and 528.

Greenville and Tipp have boys enrollments of 316 and 296, respectively, and girls enrollments of 319 and 294. Both schools are the only among National League teams that compete in Division II in basketball, baseball, and softball; the other eight play in Division I.

The National League teams are significantly larger, with no boys enrollment smaller than 627 and no girls enrollment smaller than 612. Centerville has the largest enrollments with 1,024 boys and 1,006 girls.

Trotwood has enrollment numbers similar to American League teams, with 361 boys and and 320 girls. Trotwood administrators told the Dayton paper the school intends to remain with the nine National League teams in the GWOC.

Sidney’s Conor Beer runs with pressure from Trotwood-Madison defenders during a game in 2015. Sidney and other nine Greater Western Ohio Conference American League teams are reportedly preparing to from new league.
http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/02/web1_sidney-v-trotwood-10-2-15-050-2.jpgSidney’s Conor Beer runs with pressure from Trotwood-Madison defenders during a game in 2015. Sidney and other nine Greater Western Ohio Conference American League teams are reportedly preparing to from new league. Steve Egbert | Sidney Daily News
Sidney and nine other schools looking to exit Greater Western Ohio Conference

By Bryant Billing

[email protected]

Contact Bryant Billing at (937) 538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.

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