10/14/2009 7:50:00 PM Greenville closer to conference affiliation
CLINTON RANDALL/Advocate Photo
A group of Greenville defenders make the title at Harmon Field this past August in the home scrimmage with Dixie. Green Wave football could be competing in a conference again soon.
Greater Western Ohio Conference Alignment
16 Schools in three divisions
Current 2009-10 School Year
(In order by current football standings)
North Division - Trotwood-Madison, Troy, Piqua, Sidney, Vandalia Butler.
Central Division - Centerville, Springfield, Northmont, Wayne, Fairmont, Beavercreek.
South Division - Fairborn, Lebanon, Springboro, Xenia, Miamisburg.
GREENVILLE - "The GWOC (Greater Western Ohio Conference) is looking at expansion, and hopes to move to six teams in three divisions."
With those words, conference commissioner Eric Spahr confirmed by phone on a rainy Wednesday midday that an end to Greenville's independent status in prep sports could be on the horizon.
Because yes, Spahr confirmed next, Greenville is one of three schools being considered for those two slots in the prestigious conference of larger schools in the Dayton and surrounding area.
He added that GWOC officials would like to add a school to the North Division, and one to the South Division, with fellow independent West Carrollton a likely candidate for the South.
A third school, which Spahr said he could not name, will be also considered at the regular monthly GWOC meeting in November, at which a vote on the proposed expansion, and the schools to take those slots, is expected to be taken.
For Greenville, and the other two schools that have applied, the magic number is 12, as in 12 of the 16 schools (75 percent) must approve the addition of any new member, as set out in the conference bylaws.
"I want to state that the GWOC is stronger than ever, and the decision to consider expansion is a reflection of that," Spahr emphasized on Wednesday. "This move to 18 teams is the ultimate goal, but the schools have to make the final decision on offering a spot in the conference to any new member. The GWOC is like a family."
The conference affiliation would affect all sports, at both the junior high and high school levels, with the return of a GWOC football schedule probably the biggest change that Wave prep sports fans would notice, once those schedules were implemented.
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