HIGH SCHOOLS Officials approve forming of league

Schools from three area conferences will join a new "super conference."
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
The league shuffle has begun.
Officials from six of the eight Inter-County League schools voted to join the new four-tiered "Super Conference" on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Metro Athletic Conference and Trumbull Athletic Conference officials voted to form the league, which will involve at least 20 area schools.
South Range and Springfield abstained from voting on Thursday and may seek to join the Tri-County League.
The conference will separate teams into four tiers, with six schools in each tier. Larger schools, such as Howland, Canfield and Poland, will be in the top tier. Smaller schools, such as LaBrae and Brookfield, will be in the smaller tiers.
The plan has been in the works since June. MAC officials originally sought to expand the league by one or more teams, then decided to involve the TAC in plans for the new conference.
TAC officials -- especially those from smaller schools -- were originally reluctant to agree to the plan, which moved the MAC to invite ICL schools into the mix.
The ICL, which lost Mathews to the Northeast Athletic Conference, added Sebring from the Tri-County League earlier this fall and had sought to expand its conference.
New look
The new conference essentially forms two different conferences, with the MAC and the bigger TAC schools in one conference, and the smaller TAC schools and the ICL schools in another.
Campbell and Beaver Local could also join the league.
The league, which was designed by Howland athletic director Bruce Johnson and Hubbard athletic director Paul Andraso, will allow for teams to shift tiers every two years, depending on enrollment and competitive factors.
Each team will play for an individual league championship. Play would likely begin in fall 2005.
School officials will meet over the next few weeks to work out the details, drawing up schedules, a league constitution and a name.