Princeton, Mendota approved by the West Central
PRINCETON — Princeton High School has taken the long road to find a new football conference in more ways than one, but at least it will find some familiar faces on the way there.
Princeton and NCIC Lincoln partner Mendota were unanimously approved Wednesday by the West Central Conference to play football beginning with the 2011 season. If approved by their respective school boards, Princeton and Mendota would join an old friend, Spring Valley Hall, which accepted its invitation from the West Central earlier this month.
PHS athletic director Dave Moore said he is hopeful to have the West Central approved by the PHS board as he has explored all other options.
“I think it’s a good thing. We’ll have to wait and see how Princeton’s board reacts to our invitation. If that goes, then it will fly,” said Macomb principal John Rumley, formerly assistant principal and basketball coach at Princeton.
“All the schools are about the same size. When you look at some of the football schools, it makes the conference look really, really strong. It’s spread over 200 miles, It’s kind of impressive. too. There’s a little bit of flavor across the conference.”
The approval by the West Central comes a week after Princeton and Mendota were passed over by the Big Northern Conference. PHS, Mendota and Hall were previously turned down by the Three Rivers and Interstate Eight. PHS also looked at the Peoria schools.
With the addition of Princeton and Mendota, the West Central would split into two divisions in 2011, as previously reported in the BCR, after playing one season with a 10-team league format.
The NCIC trio would combine with three former Olympic Conference schools — Orion, Sherrard and Rockridge to form the North Division in 2011. PHS played both Rockridge (Week 1) and Orion (Week 9) in 2009. Hall has played all three of the former Olympic schools over the years.
The WCC South Division would consist of Macomb, Monmouth-Roseville, Illini West, West Hancock, Camp Point Central and Pittsfield.
The two six-team divisions will allow for crossover games to fill each school’s nonconference slate of four games, Rumley said.
“As scheduling everyone’s fooftball games, everything’s done. You don’t have to worry about games,” he said.
There would be scheduling possibilities in other sports, Moore said, based on the two divisions. A conference track meet at centrally located school like Sherrard could develop as well, he said.
Chillicothe IVC of the NCIC Lincoln and Quincy Notre Dame had also expressed interest in the WCC, Rumley said, but were not offered invitations to join.
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