Westpac vs. ICC

[S Cube]

Ever since the new ICC has been formed as an all-sports conference, it appears to me that a decent little rivalry has been growing between the ICC and the Westpac. There were some nice ICC vs. Westpac battles in the football playoffs, and seeing how Northern Bedford has had some battles this week in basketball against Conemaugh Township and Shade got me thinking about this. How cool would be to have a Westpac teams take on ICC teams in week 1 of the high school football season?

The ICC has a North and South division, with 6 teams in each. The teams play the other 5 teams in their division, along with 4 games against the other division. The ICC could drop one of the games against the other division for a week 1 Westpac game. The Westpac also plays a 9 week regular season, all 9 against Westpac teams. They could easily drop one of the conference games to add an ICC team. You could probably count Bellwood out of this because I don't see them losing the Tyrone rivalry for this. That would leave 11 ICC teams. There are 11 Westpac teams. Lets go.

The media could have a preseason rankings and run 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, etc. Or you could go by last years records and match the teams up that way. This would make for evenly matched teams going up against each other. It would also give the teams a good early season test. The way the playoffs are set up now, an early season loss won't really hurt your playoff chances, but it would make you a better team by taking on a team that should be fairly equal to yourself. And who wouldn't want to see a Ferndale vs. Williamsburg match up to see which team can go 1-8 instead of 0-9?

Based on last fall's records, the match ups would look something like this:
Portage vs Mount Union
North Star vs Everett
C Township vs Mo Valley
Blacklick vs Northern Bedford
Windber vs Claysburg
C Valley vs Tussey Mt
Meyersdale vs Glendale
Berlin vs Southern Huntingdon
Rockwood vs Juniata Valley
Shade vs West Branch
Ferndale vs Williamsburg

If those were the match ups from last years teams, the edge would have to go to the Westpac. But things go in cycles and I think most years this would provide some very nice match ups along with helping the teams be better prepared for the post season. I don't know how you would determine home teams, maybe let the Wpac host all games 1 year and ICC the next and alternate that way. Or let Wpac host 1, 3, 5 etc, then the next year ICC host 1, 3, 5 etc.

I don't know, I thought it was a cool idea. I'm interested to hear input from some ICC and Westpac people, and guys like HR to say why this would or wouldn't work.


One last thing, LHAC people please stay out of this unless you have something worthwhile to say . We aren't AA/AAA/Private School conferences, we are A/AA conferences, so go argue with the MAC or WPIAL or something.

[Head Roadie]

I like the way you think Cubicle....very innovative and appealing to those of us who like to think outside of the box.

However....to play devil's advocate, here would be the downside.

Mount Union also plays Huntingdon week 1.

Windber has Chestnut Ridge....which would balance things out again bu- t...

A few inter-divisional ICC games where I think there would be some resistance.

Claysburg vs Williamsburg- They have been playing this game since hs football in Blair Co. began.
Juniata Valley vs Tussey- Been playing a long time and much more appealing to these fringe schools than playing a possible Meyersdale, Blacklick, North Star game that wouldn't mean as much and possibly be less REVENUE.

S.Huntingdon vs W.Branch- No great rivalry but they play in EVERY other sport....and there is little to no appeal (I'm guessing) to these eastern fringe and northern fringe ICC teams playing, potentially, a District 5 opponent whom they have nothing in common with.

Mo Valley vs NBC- from experience...this game won't end. Their was a proposal already where in 2010 NB would play CRidge or Central and Mo Valley would play Phillipsburg. Mo Valley said "No".

Key words are revenue and commonality when you talk about these.

Home and Away would be easy to work out to balance schedules, with WestPAC hosting all games one year and ICC the next.

Now let me tell you where this would work.....Basketball. Already there is an ICC North and South challenge opening weekend involving F-Metal, McConnellsburg playing against Mount Union and J.Valley (I think....maybe S.Huntingdon is one of the teams?)

Anyway....Great idea on paper Cubes....Not shooting you down, just telling you some practical issues that would probably prevent it from becoming reality.

[CRBL Baseball]

Interesting proposal S Cube and I would give a big edge to the WestPAC in these games over ICC schools.

Another thing Head Roadie, Chestnut Ridge would have no interest of playing NBC in 2010 or in the future from past efforts of not surporting CR to remain in the ICC a few years ago. CR would be better off playing Everett who went to bat for CR to remain in the ICC.

Overall, I would like to see CR continue efforts past 2009 with the WestPAC and expand possibilities with other sports with the WestPAC if that is a possibility.

[Eaglealum]

As long as B-A and MU are in the ICC their "top dawgs" will always be better! Plain and simple. Compare sports, Track and 'raslin' would be the only close call,Football= ICC, Baseball= Icc, Track= push, wrestling= push, basketball= close, but most years= ICC.

[footballfan1]

You no I have held my tongue about this but now I won't. Number one Ridge being ticked at NB for not having their back towards remaining in the ICC. What good did it do Ridge to stay in the ICC? In 2007 they played Willamsburg. How in the world did playing Willamsburg prepare them for playing a Tyrone, Phillipsburg any of those teams in AA in the Dist 6 playoffs. Now no one could predict that Dist 5 AA would go back to it's own playoff system in 2008. But when this was all happening back 2 or 3 years ago and RIDGE COULD OF JOINED THE League that Tyrone, Central, Phillipsburg etc.... was in why in the world did they pull out? Playing those teams would prepare them for the Tyrones and Central Cambrias and the Huntingdons. Playing NBC, claysburg, glendale, willamsburg was not I repeat NOT going to prepare them for the playoffs. Again no one new back then that Dist 5 AA would go back to its own playoff system but at the time Ridge should of jumped on this. If I was the coach of Ridge and my goal was to win a dist championship then playing these kinds of teams would of only of helped Ridge. Playing Willamsburg etc.... was not benefit to them whatsoever. Coach Wilkins did a great job there and them opening his job was garbage. How can you open a job that averaged 7 wins per season the last 4 years. Why? reason I heard something about the playoffs. Coach Wilkins played the schedule given to him and did a great job. The whole staff did a great job. The kids did a great job. But again, the ICC schedule was not going to prepare them for the caliber of teams in Dist 6 AA playoffs. I am almost sure NB abstained from voting and if people want to be ticked at NB then so be it. This was Ridges chance to get in a conference of playing teams their size and playing teams that would help them when they reached the playoffs. I guess I dont blame Ridge for being upset at the ICC teams but it should of been looked at as a way to upgrade the programs schedule towards the Dist 6 AA playoffs. Head Roadie. Will North Star be single A again any time soon? If they are what happens then?

[CRBL Baseball]

Footballfan1, I agree that the MAC would have prepared CR better for playoffs then the ICC but one has to understand why CR turned down the invitation to the MAC to answer your question "why in the world did they pull out?" It was fine for Friday night Varsity games but traveling nearly 100 miles one-way for some games was not an option for the Junior High & JV games thru the week which would create a huge challenge for the student athletes - I think the average one-way distance for the proposed schedule for the MAC was around 75 miles per game and the other programs (JH &JV) would follow that schedule - not a good option presented to CR.

[footballfan1]

Good point about the JR high. One I did not think about.