Much like the NCAA’s conference realignment two years ago that shook up collegiate athletics, the western region of Maryland has seen theirs.
The Monocacy Valley Athletic League (MVAL) that has been running strong since 1968 has closed up shop. It’s now just a name that’s imprinted in past record books.
The MVAL consisted of three divisions: Antietem, Chesapeake and Piedmont.
In the Antietem division were five of the seven Washington County Public Schools, Boonsboro, North Hagerstown, Smithsburg, South Hagerstown, Williamsport and two smaller Frederick County Public Schools of Brunswick and Catoctin.
All eight Carroll County Public Schools, Century, Francis Scott Key, Liberty, Manchester Valley, North Carroll, South Carroll, Westminster and Winters Mill made up the Chesapeake division.
Then lastly the Piedmont division contained the rest of the eight Frederick County Public Schools of Frederick, Governor Thomas Johnson, Linganore, Middletown, Oakdale, Tuscarora, Urbana and Walkersville.
Now that the MVAL has ceased to exist, what is on the horizon for 2015 and beyond?
New leagues have been formed, and like musical chairs, an odd man has been left out.
Carroll County, who was the first county to withdraw from the MVAL due to cost of transportation, formulated the Carroll County Athletic League (CCAL).
The CCAL will consist of two divisions, the Cowan and Hersh. Both divisions named after Carroll sports icons. The Cowan Division will company Francis Scott Key, Manchester Valley, North Carroll and South Carroll. While the Hersh Division will contain Century, Liberty, Westminster and Winters Mill.
After Carroll decided to branch off, Frederick County was the next in line to engineer their own league called the Central Maryland Conference (CMC). Like Carroll’s CCAL, Frederick’s new CMC consists of two divisions.
The six 3A schools, Frederick, Linganore, Oakdale, Thomas Johnson, Tuscarora and Urbana will compete in the Spires Division. While the 1A-2A schools, Brunswick, Catoctin, Middletown and Walkersville will compete in the Gambrill Division. In football, Frederick will join the Gambrill Division.
Unlike the past, all FCPS teams will now play each other each season in every sport. To the exception of football. Every FCPS football team will face opponents in its division once per season. Each team in the smaller Gambrill Division will have to play two teams in the bigger Spires Division, except for Brunswick (1A).
When you do the math, each CMC football team will play six games within the league. And each CMC basketball team has to play every team in their division twice and four teams in the other division at least once. The rest of the schedules will now be filled by out-of-county games with two year contracts.
Now the odd man out is Washington County. They are without a league for the next two years. Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Hancock, North Hagerstown, Smithsburg, South Hagerstown and Williamsport will be forced to an “independent” status thus making scheduling a hassle. Instead of relying on a league-filled schedule, athletic directors will now be forced to fill in every game on their own.
Though many WCPS events still have former MVAL teams in line, it’s still not an easy feat. You will see many Washington County teams face opponents outside the West Virginia corridor and even some parts of Virginia. Washington County hopes to put together a league by the 2017 season.
The death of the MVAL will most certainly have a ripple effect throughout the state of Maryland in 2015. Some athletic teams will struggle in this format while others will strive. It will take some time to getting used, but at the end of the day, change is reality. Welcome to life after the MVAL.
