Realignment committee proposes that Spaulding should switch divisions
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Spaulding quarterback Zach Dessureu takes a snap during the Division II state championship earlier this month in Essex. At right, Crimson Tide cornerback Nick Paton (5) looks on. At left, Spaulding's Jeromy Anderson (64) prepares to make a block. Stefan Hard/Times Argus file |
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Staff Report - Published: November 19, 2008
MONTPELIER —Members of the Vermont Interscholastic Football League's realignment committee hammered out a proposal for the alignment of the state's 34 varsity football programs here Tuesday and there was some significant movement by teams.
The proposal must still be ratified by the VIFL football committee and by the Activities Standard Committee.
The proposal, if ratified, will be the new divisional alignment for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
The changes are as follows:
The proposed divisions look like this:
Division I: Rutland, BFA-St. Albans, Essex, Brattleboro, South Burlington, Spaulding, Mount Anthony, St. Johnsbury, Hartford, Burlington and Mount St. Joseph Academy.
Division II: Mount Mansfield, Colchester, U-32, North Country, Otter Valley, Burr and Burton Academy, Middlebury, Rice, Lyndon, Milton, CVU and Fair Haven.
Division III: Windsor, Mount Abraham, Mill River, Springfield, Woodstock, Montpelier, Poultney, BFA-Fairfax, Oxbow, Winooski and Bellows Falls.
The original proposal called for CVU to move all the way up from Division III to Division I.
CVU coach Jim Provost wanted another cycle in Division III to grow his young program and the compromise was to put the Red Hawks in Division II.
"He wanted a couple more years to mature in Division III," VIFL Executive Director Bob Hingston said. "But they have 82 kids in their football program and their boy count makes them Division I in all the other sports.
"The committee felt he was a good coach and will get the program going, and that they should at least be able to play Division II."
Hingston said Burr and Burton coach Jason Thomas expressed an interest in being able to remain in Division III.
"He pointed out that this was the first winning season the program has had and he didn't want to see it take a step back," Hingston said.
"Jason is a very good coach and I think he might be underestimating himself and his program."
Hingston said he thinks Mount Mansfield might soon aspire to Division I if it gets a game field.
"That is one of the things with them right now. They don't even have a home field," Hingston said.
Hingston also said there was discussion about rising energy costs and VIFL scheduler Mike O'Day will do the scheduling with that in mind, having teams in geographic clusters play league games.
Hingston said CVU would benefit as far as travel is concerned as they will now be in a division with nearby teams like Mount Mansfield. Colchester, Rice and Milton.
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