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I Don't know who you would have heard that from. Other than Southern Fulton who has chosen to maintain non-league & divisional games versus their traditional tri-state opponents in md. and wva. it has opened or perhaps re-opened some scheduling doors with neighboring Huntingdon County schools.

An example is the ICC North-South challenge with McConnellsburg, Fannett, Southern Huntingdon and Mount Union.

I think the basketball and baseball people are thrilled with the arrangement and it gives them a league championship game to shoot for. Maybe you're talking about another sport like Track or Soccer.

There is some question, I am told, about the future of the Sideling Hill League if and when Hyndman folds and with Chestnut Ridge not having as solid an allegiance since they got upset and quit the league once before I believe in the early nineties. This would be sad to a traditionalist like myself but is a possibility and now a District 5 league would bring an earlier death to the SHL.

Is this going to be discussed and/or acted on by the District V committee?

Those are the two of the sports along with volleyball. I reiterate my earlier statement why have D5 if we don't have our own conference. Maybe it is time for the PIAA to redistrict the entire state. There are many inequities out there.

The WPIAL schools have historically put any power moves by the PIAA to bed. If you're looking for any change state-wide to fly, the seal of approval from the WPIAL will be needed.

This arrangement sounds like a smart one finacially and alot less traveling for the kids of every school.I really think that the sideling hill teams would still play each other and still have a shot at a section and a conference title in this kind of system! I think there also would be room to play alot of out of conference games in alot of the sports, allowing teams who want stiffer competition the chance to have it! I definitely think it needs a second look by the district 5 commitee, the finacial gain for the sports programs alone justifies it!

I have followed the sports in Bedford County over the years and not to bring up a sore subject but the Ridge football issue. I hated to see them leave the ICC. I hated to see the games lost between Ridge and Claysburg-Everett-NB- and at tail end they played Tussey MT I believe. Good local games for the county. However, when at the time Ridge was playing in the AA playoffs with Dist 6 AA, playing in the ICC in no way shape or form helped them. I no it is just not about football. But, I thought it was sad when Ridge was playing Willamsburg and even Glendale just from the standpoint how was this going to help them compete against Tyrone-Forst Hills-Central Cambria etc.. If I was the coach there I would want a schedule or in a league that would benefit me come playoff time. When Ridge " opened" the football position it couldn't of been beacuse of Wilkins record. Look what they did the last 4 years before his job was opened. Averaged 7 wins a year. Then I heard that the school board said they weren't happy about the lack of success in the playoffs. Well, It was not Wilkins fault. He played the schedule given to him. Whatever happened in the ICC happened. Ridge had a chance to go to the Mountain conference and they chose not to. The school board said no. I did not understand this. Why not go? Why would Ridge, fair or unfair about the ICC, not want to go then to the Mountain Conference. Someone answer that for me.

The mountain conference is not an option for the same reason the LHAC was not an option. Why have the football team play in league that the other sports teams do not? Why play in a league where you closest game would be Central, the Tyrone, then all the rest in the State College/Clearfield area? How many people are going to come down to a game from St. Mary's or Bellfonte? Do you realize how much it would cost to ship the band and football teams to St. Marys or Clearfield for a game? How much you would lose by replacing a Portage or a Northern Bedford with a Penns Valley? We hauled kids to Penns Valley for a thur. JH/8th grade game and got home just before midnight on a school night. That was one long trip every other year in the mt. league that would be 4-5 trips a year for Varsity/JV/JH/8th/7th football teams. Granted we played Dubios and PO the last two years BUT we only made one of those trips a year (not including Greenville). Our schedule was balanced with games with teams we border geographically...Berlin, Windber, and Portage, and teams close by Township and Meyersdale and we'll pick up North Star next year those are all teams we compete against in other sports. So the question remains why should football be in another conference that defies logic and common sense for realistic traveling distances and gate receipts?

This has all been hashed out on here a couple of years ago...you can check the archives for more info.

neutralfan wrote:I have followed the sports in Bedford County over the years and not to bring up a sore subject but the Ridge football issue. I hated to see them leave the ICC. I hated to see the games lost between Ridge and Claysburg-Everett-NB- and at tail end they played Tussey MT I believe. Good local games for the county. However, when at the time Ridge was playing in the AA playoffs with Dist 6 AA, playing in the ICC in no way shape or form helped them. I no it is just not about football. But, I thought it was sad when Ridge was playing Willamsburg and even Glendale just from the standpoint how was this going to help them compete against Tyrone-Forst Hills-Central Cambria etc.. If I was the coach there I would want a schedule or in a league that would benefit me come playoff time. When Ridge " opened" the football position it couldn't of been beacuse of Wilkins record. Look what they did the last 4 years before his job was opened. Averaged 7 wins a year. Then I heard that the school board said they weren't happy about the lack of success in the playoffs. Well, It was not Wilkins fault. He played the schedule given to him. Whatever happened in the ICC happened. Ridge had a chance to go to the Mountain conference and they chose not to. The school board said no. I did not understand this. Why not go? Why would Ridge, fair or unfair about the ICC, not want to go then to the Mountain Conference. Someone answer that for me.

to counter your WB/Glendale argument...in addition to tradition rivals Everett, Tussey, NB, and Claysburg Ridges schedule had Bellwood, BG (till they left), MU, Mo Valley, and Bedford on it. Even FBS schools like Penn State and ALL the rest have so called weaker teams on their schedule.

Well I guess my point is no longer valid because Ridge is now in Dist 5 AA playoffs. For at least the next two years it will just be Bedford and Ridge battling it out for that title and unless North Star or possibly Everett having to go back to AA in two years it will just be Ridge and Bedford. I read in archives I believe somewhere that someone predicted Ridge being single A sometime soon in football?? I would be shocked if that ever happened. Just because they might be getting close to Single A I would bet that would never happen. In fact if that would ever happen, if Ridge would be single A in football I would run nude along route 56 from the middle school to the high school holding a sign that read - I was wrong and this is my punishment. Let me tell you me running nude would be a greusome site. So no way will Ridge ever be single A in football. I don't ever see an all Dist 5 conference because of the fact Bedford would not leave the Laurel Highlands. Funny that south paw says he talks to coaches from bedford who want to leave that conference. I have talked to coaches who told me they would not want to leave that conference. I also have talked to Fulton county AD's who really like the ICC/SHL set up. I guess it depends who you talk to. But again my point has no more validity since Dist 5 AA has own playoffs now.

There are excellent points made about D5 and it's member schools. Just looking at the geographics and the disparity of A, AA, AAA, AAAA schools in districts 5 and 6, let alone across the state, points toward a massive PIAA shake up/ redistricting, etc... I personally just don't think a state-wide change will happen anytime soon.

neutralfan wrote:Well I guess my point is no longer valid because Ridge is now in Dist 5 AA playoffs. For at least the next two years it will just be Bedford and Ridge battling it out for that title and unless North Star or possibly Everett having to go back to AA in two years it will just be Ridge and Bedford. I read in archives I believe somewhere that someone predicted Ridge being single A sometime soon in football?? I would be shocked if that ever happened. Just because they might be getting close to Single A I would bet that would never happen. In fact if that would ever happen, if Ridge would be single A in football I would run nude along route 56 from the middle school to the high school holding a sign that read - I was wrong and this is my punishment. Let me tell you me running nude would be a greusome site. So no way will Ridge ever be single A in football. I don't ever see an all Dist 5 conference because of the fact Bedford would not leave the Laurel Highlands. Funny that south paw says he talks to coaches from bedford who want to leave that conference. I have talked to coaches who told me they would not want to leave that conference. I also have talked to Fulton county AD's who really like the ICC/SHL set up. I guess it depends who you talk to. But again my point has no more validity since Dist 5 AA has own playoffs now.

Never say never... or you might end up running the nude gauntlet.