East Clinton may be newest SCOL member

The East Clinton Astros could be set to be formally voted into the South Central Ohio League Thursday morning at the Miami Trace Board of Education by the seven standing SCOL school principals.
     East Clinton, who will play in the Southern Buckeye Conference in the 2010-11 school year, applied for membership of the SCOL on Monday, July 26 by a vote of 3-2 by the East Clinton Board of Education.
      SCOL commissioner Jim Winner told The Highland County Press on Wednesday that all leagues want to have an even number of teams, and by adding one more the SCOL would be at eight.
      Currently, the SCOL consists of Clinton-Massie, Hillsboro, London, Madison-Plains, McClain, Miami Trace and Washington, all of whom have agreed to stay affiliated with the SCOL through June 30, 2015.
      "It takes six out of seven schools to come in favor for a new school to join the league," Winner said.
      East Clinton, who are known as the Astros, will have a bit of SCOL competition in their preseason football schedule this summer as they are scheduled to scrimmage the McClain Tigers and the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles. In the regular season, East Clinton will take on defending SCOL football champion Clinton-Massie in Week 10 on Oct. 29 at CMHS.
      In volleyball, the Astros have scheduled McClain, Hillsboro, Miami Trace and Clinton-Massie.
      "The SBC doesn't want to lose a school like East Clinton. East Clinton has been a great asset to the SBC, but the SCOL is welcoming a school (EC) with professionalism and we like everything that they stand for," Winner said.
      When asked the reason why an even amount of teams is best for a league, Winner said it allows every league team to have a league game in the middle of the week on nights when league teams play each other.
      Each team will also have a county rival with McClain vs. Hillsboro (Highland), Clinton-Massie vs. East Clinton (Clinton), London vs. Madison-Plains (Madison) and Miami Trace vs. Washington (Fayette).
      With the Astros now set to be voted in as the SCOL's newest member, where does that leave the Wilmington Hurricane.
      Wilmington, a former member of the SCOL, voted 5-0 this week to pursue re-entry into the SCOL. Currently, Wilmington is a member of the Fort Ancient Valley Conference.
      Last Saturday, Wilmington school board member Bill Liermann told The Highland County Press that he believed Wilmington would be a very good fit to rejoin the SCOL. He also cited a number of travel issues, particularly in the winter months, that Wilmington faces in the FAVC.
"At this time, the vote was just for East Clinton joining the league, but it is up to the seven principals if Wilmington is discussed," Winner said.
      During Wilmington's time in the SCOL, they were football champions 14 times, the third most in the history of the SCOL, which began in 1923. The SCOL disbanded twice, first from 1931-35 and most recently from 1992-2002. 
      The Hurricane won the first two SCOL football titles in 1923 and 1924 and were an original member of the SCOL.
      East Clinton can start playing in the SCOL in the fall of 2012, but possibly earlier if some schedules can be worked out.