Northwest Conference 2024

Bulldog_Pride said:
Let them in for everything. We need to build the strength and quality of our league for the long term.
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Exactly. The Ft Loramie fix is only a bandaid that will be ripped off when they ultimately join the MAC. When that happens it will be because DSJ will no longer be a school. Now this is several years down the road, but nonetheless, it doesn’t solve anything. The other thing, and I don’t mean to cause any confusion or rumors, but Crestview’s enrollment keeps dropping and one has to wonder how much longer they will have football. This is pure conjecture, but having ties to the school, it’s not out of the realm due to Crestview’s checkered past with football.
 
ctown14 said:
Exactly. The Ft Loramie fix is only a bandaid that will be ripped off when they ultimately join the MAC. When that happens it will be because DSJ will no longer be a school. Now this is several years down the road, but nonetheless, it doesn’t solve anything. The other thing, and I don’t mean to cause any confusion or rumors, but Crestview’s enrollment keeps dropping and one has to wonder how much longer they will have football. This is pure conjecture, but having ties to the school, it’s not out of the realm due to Crestview’s checkered past with football.
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You & I have had private conversations about Crestview. We both know the reason for enrollment dropping. Sorry to go off topic a bit here. I will say, that this past winter has softened me on Crestview a tad, but it's just a small group. Those involved with the youth wrestling club and the wrestling program in general. It was a family atmosphere that generated success. However, I'm not sure how many of these successful kids will represent Crestview. 3 really good kids may go to Wayne Trace bc mom went there. What made this year great was kids & parents from outside schools being a part. We also have a lot of Crestview kids with success, but their parents are from elsewhere. That melting pot created a change in the Crestview diehards. They stepped back & saw the atmosphere & joined in to get the freight train rolling. The last time this happened was in Wren baseball when my brother an outsider played with Crestview & other schools kids. The older kids in Pony he played with made the baseball final 4, the kids his age started the football postseason run, and kids a year or 2 younger had that final 4 football run.
 
ctown14 said:
Exactly. The Ft Loramie fix is only a bandaid that will be ripped off when they ultimately join the MAC. When that happens it will be because DSJ will no longer be a school.
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That's gonna be an extremely long-term bandaid then
 
Okay, so I was unaware they didn't want to be full members. For the short term that is fine, long term that is not good. Is LCC full time members?
 
Basement Bias said:
You & I have had private conversations about Crestview. We both know the reason for enrollment dropping. Sorry to go off topic a bit here. I will say, that this past winter has softened me on Crestview a tad, but it's just a small group. Those involved with the youth wrestling club and the wrestling program in general. It was a family atmosphere that generated success. However, I'm not sure how many of these successful kids will represent Crestview. 3 really good kids may go to Wayne Trace bc mom went there. What made this year great was kids & parents from outside schools being a part. We also have a lot of Crestview kids with success, but their parents are from elsewhere. That melting pot created a change in the Crestview diehards. They stepped back & saw the atmosphere & joined in to get the freight train rolling. The last time this happened was in Wren baseball when my brother an outsider played with Crestview & other schools kids. The older kids in Pony he played with made the baseball final 4, the kids his age started the football postseason run, and kids a year or 2 younger had that final 4 football run.
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I hope you’re right. I spoke with someone this past winter and he made it sound a little less cheery than you did. He made the comment of people being complacent with the basketball program and the attendance was pretty bad all winter long at home games.

The long term picture is not promising for higher enrollment across Van Wert County as a whole, unless a large employer comes to town with good paying jobs.

The football team has not made the final 4, they were regional runner ups twice. Once to McComb and once to Ft Loramie.
 
Bulldog_Pride said:
Okay, so I was unaware they didn't want to be full members. For the short term that is fine, long term that is not good. Is LCC full time members?
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Yes, but it will be reevaluated after 4 years to check the success. Insane they would put stipulations on a school for being too successful.
 
ctown14 said:
Yes, but it will be reevaluated after 4 years to check the success. Insane they would put stipulations on a school for being too successful.
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It’s not a stipulation for success. They’re going to be evaluated for their enrollment and transfers. The NWC doesn’t want their enrollment blow up with transfers from Senior, Shawnee, and Bath like it did the first time around.
 
BirdDog10 said:
It’s not a stipulation for success. They’re going to be evaluated for their enrollment and transfers. The NWC doesn’t want their enrollment blow up with transfers from Senior, Shawnee, and Bath like it did the first time around.
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Gotcha. Not sure how many they will get from Bath. New enrollment figures are out and Bath is now the smallest school in the WBL. They have slowly been trending that way for several years and now they have slipped down there.
 
ctown14 said:
I hope you’re right. I spoke with someone this past winter and he made it sound a little less cheery than you did. He made the comment of people being complacent with the basketball program and the attendance was pretty bad all winter long at home games.

The long term picture is not promising for higher enrollment across Van Wert County as a whole, unless a large employer comes to town with good paying jobs.

The football team has not made the final 4, they were regional runner ups twice. Once to McComb and once to Ft Loramie.
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As you know, I'm not a fan of the basketball (boys) program. The lack of attendance to me is for 2 reasons: 1st they weren't going to have the caliber team of last year (diehards); 2nd is the way others not in the program feel like 2nd rate citizens (everyone else).

That's basically Van Wert & Adams County with the manufacturing businesses. I'm sure Columbus will continue to grow just like Indianapolis is with people moving to the big cities from this area.

Yes, you are right, it should have said elite 8. My brother was the same age as the 2016-2017 class and played ball with them through 2018-2019 class the most. He had a year with younger guys on that 2014 team (Roop & Owens).
 
ctown14 said:
Gotcha. Not sure how many they will get from Bath. New enrollment figures are out and Bath is now the smallest school in the WBL. They have slowly been trending that way for several years and now they have slipped down there.
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I agree a bunch of studs from Bath transferring into LCC now doesn't seem likely, but back in the original NWC tenure there were several transfers from Bath and Shawnee to LCC, across multiple sports
 
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So DSJ isn't going anywhere - Fort Loramie might not be long term solution, but football only - LCC on a 4 year review process. Based on current basketball success they are going to be a force for those 4 years. But in 4 years could be gone. Been out of the loop a bit too much lately.
 
Bulldog_Pride said:
So DSJ isn't going anywhere - Fort Loramie might not be long term solution, but football only - LCC on a 4 year review process. Based on current basketball success they are going to be a force for those 4 years. But in 4 years could be gone. Been out of the loop a bit too much lately.
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Pretty much sums it up.
 
Pirate Wishbone said:
Anyone hearing of any division changes for upcoming season
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I pulled all current teams plus LCC and Loramie and based on last years football splits, here is what I came up with. D7 cutoff last year was 114 and D6 cutoff was 157.

Allen East old enrollment was 133 and is now 109. They had 15 CB last year, so probably D6.

Bluffton old enrollment was 146 and now to 160, probably up to D5. They had 6 CB last year and were near the top on largest D6 schools.

Grove old enrollment was 121 and now to 103, probably down to D7. They had 6 CB last year.

Interesting enough, Crestview’s old enrollment was 97 and new is 111. That could be enough to move them to D6. Crestview had 5 CB.

Jefferson is also on the bubble, old enrollment was 103 and now 113. They had 5 CB last year, could move up to D6 from D7.

Spencerville had 18 CB last year which bumped them to D5. Probably now in D6 with drop in actual enrollment. From 150 to 135.

LCC and Loramie are comfortable D7. Could have a lot of NWC schools in D6 depending on the cutoff and CB.

Bluffton should be able to get away from Grove, but into the arms of Liberty Benton, Liberty Center, and Archbold.

Allen East, Grove, Crestview, Jefferson, and Spencerville could all wind up in the same region in D6. Spencerville and Crestview have went to the SW region before, so we may be looking at that set up again, both D6.
 
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ctown14 said:
I pulled all current teams plus LCC and Loramie and based on last years football splits, here is what I came up with. D7 cutoff last year was 114 and D6 cutoff was 157.

Allen East old enrollment was 133 and is now 109. They had 15 CB last year, so probably D6.

Bluffton old enrollment was 146 and now to 160, probably up to D5. They had 6 CB last year and were near the top on largest D6 schools.

Grove old enrollment was 121 and now to 103, probably down to D7. They had 6 CB last year.

Interesting enough, Crestview’s old enrollment was 97 and new is 111. That could be enough to move them to D6. Crestview had 5 CB.

Jefferson is also on the bubble, old enrollment was 103 and now 113. They had 5 CB last year, could move up to D6 from D7.

Spencerville had 18 CB last year which bumped them to D5. Probably now in D6 with drop in actual enrollment. From 150 to 135.

LCC and Loramie are comfortable D7. Could have a lot of NWC schools in D6 depending on the cutoff and CB.

Bluffton should be able to get away from Grove, but into the arms of Liberty Benton, Liberty Center, and Archbold.

Allen East, Grove, Crestview, Jefferson, and Spencerville could all wind up in the same region in D6. Spencerville and Crestview have went to the SW region before, so we may be looking at that set up again, both D6.
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Bearcats & Knights facing MAC land would be brutal.
 
Pirate Wishbone said:
gonna hope your right and Grove moves D7 with Marion Local 😆, and pirates stay D6, very good chance to win the region and get to semis with Grove in D7
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I think Grove will drop, but Local is likely going to bump to D6 depending on where the cutoff is. Their enrollment is growing
 
BirdDog10 said:
I think Grove will drop, but Local is likely going to bump to D6 depending on where the cutoff is. Their enrollment is growing
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While it is growing, it’s the elementary and jr high at this point, takes time for those classes to move on up. Since 2015, Marion’s enrollment numbers are practically unchanged. It went from a low of 105 to a high of 112. Their new actual enrollment is 109, up from 108. They had 1 CB last year, so they very well could be D7 again.
 
2024 Division and Regional Assignments

Bluffton D6 R22
CG D7 R26
Crestview D6 R22
Jefferson D7 R26
Ft Loramie D7 R28
LCC D7 R26
Spencerville D6 R22
Allen East D6 R22

Grove down from 6 to 7 and Spencerville down from 5 to 6. Crestview up to 6 from 7. Maybe Bluffton has a shot to win the region as it appears weak, not sure about those eastern teams in that region.
 
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