By Dan Cleary

4/25/2008 - Realignment Could Be Done Deal

Nestled deep down in a secret underground lair, they sit and discuss ways of how to change high school sports as we know it in the state of New Jersey.
As I write this, the group is probably devising devious ways to make life miserable for every school in the state not in the Shore Conference as it waits for the opportunity to make its plans public.

Okay, the previous paragraph is stretching things just a little bit and is pretty much an undeserved cheap shot at the men and women who comprise the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s League and Conference Committee. So, my apologies.

But if you talk to some people involved in athletics around the state, they really feel that whatever plan the special committee comes up with to address the issue of competitive balance in the state between public and non-public schools, it will be catastrophic. The committee is to submit a final plan to the NJSIAA executive committee by September.

I only bring up the issue of realignment because this past week it has come to the attention of Mugs Media that the committee has finalized its plans and will recommend that the NJSIAA divide the state into “super” conferences based on the Shore Conference model, which has 40-plus schools split into divisions based on size.

The NJSIAA has not released the group’s findings and no one close to the situation will go on the record to confirm the changes, but several credible sources have told Mugs Media it is a done deal and will go into effect in September of 2009.

I have gone on the record numerous times in this blog on how I feel about the whole realignment issue. In short, I believe Wallkill Valley AD Mike Van Zile’s football-only plan has merit and should be implemented due to the many different aspects of football. I don’t believe that all the conferences in the state should be blown up in the other sports.

But the word out there is that is exactly what is going to happen. I can’t really comment on a plan that hasn’t been officially released, but if the proposal has teams from Sussex County traveling all over North Jersey, I’m dead-set against it. When you break up or realign conferences, it is not just the varsity sports, it is also the sub varsity sports and that is where its gets tricky and costly for ADs, considering the astronomical price of gas these days.

For example, how cost-effective would it be for freshmen or junior varsity teams from Vernon to travel to Morristown, Mendham or Mount Olive during the course of a week during soccer or baseball/softball season? Not very. Football, once again, is a different animal because the games are either Friday night or Saturday and are just once a week. Plus games are generally not played on school nights unlike other sports.

I don’t want to beat a dead horse when it comes to realignment. Something has to be done, but I would hate to see the Sussex County Interscholastic League blown up in all sports because I just don’t see a need for it. Yeah, I know, change is good, blah, blah, blah.

But look at what the SCIL soccer coaches did led by Vernon boys coach John Ryan. They did their own realignment and split the schools into two divisions based on size starting this fall. The SCIL is still intact with 13 league games, but now schools can have more independent games, plus there will be two division winners and an overall SCIL Tournament champion after the first-ever SCIL postseason soccer tourney.

It would be rough to see all that hard work go down the tubes after just one year. There are issues that need to be addressed and the soccer coaches took the bull by the horns and got it done. The soccer realignment should serve as model to the rest of the sports which are locked into an 18-game SCIL slate.

The SCIL has shown that it can be very proactive and here is hoping that the state took notice and whatever plan it hatches will be a fair one. It will be interesting to see.

ODDS & ENDS—Speaking of realignment, did you happen to notice that Hudson Catholic of Jersey City may be shutting it doors? It was first announced that the school would be closed, but the parents fought for a second chance. Hudson Catholic has turned the corner in football and beat Pope John in the opening round of the Non-Public Group 3 playoffs last fall.

So one must assume it has plenty of good players on the squad, so if the school closes, where will they go? My guess it won’t be to public schools Ferris or Snyder of Jersey City, but to one of the super powers like St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City or Marist of Bayonne, and the top notch ones could end up at Don Bosco, St. Joseph’s or Bergen Catholic.

The closing of several non-public schools over the years has played a large role in the development of these superpowers. Some parents want their kids to go to a non-public, but the choices have been limited over the years. It is something to keep an eye on…

The dates and times for the fourth annual Sussex County Coaches Baseball Tournament have been set. The 9-team tourney will kick off May 10 with the play-in game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds at the home of the higher seed. The quarterfinals are May 15 and May 16 at Skylands Park with doubleheaders each day at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The semifinals are set for May 17 with games at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. with the tourney final slated for Sunday, May 18 at 2 p.m. at Skylands Park. Mugs Media plans to broadcast the final live on Service Electric Cable Television’s Channel 10.

It should be a great weekend of baseball as Vernon looks to three-peat. Once again, this is a great use of the fine facility at Skylands Park. Sussex Skyhawks General Manager Ben Wittkowski and his staff did a great job hosting several of Vernon’s home football games in the fall when the Vikings’ field was under construction. Here is hoping more teams and sports use the ballpark, which is one of Wittkowski’s goals.

Wittkowski is a big fan of the local sports scene and here is a fun fact about Ben. Did you know he was a Division I high jumper in college? Yes, he was. He originally jumped at the University of Tennessee before transferring to East Tennessee State. His personal best was over 7-feet. Pretty impressive, huh? For more on the Skyhawks, the baseball tournament and the upcoming Skyhawks season, visit their website at www.sussexskyhawks.com...

Here are a couple of lacrosse notes. Adam Koontz of Jefferson joined an elite group last week when he became just the 12th player in state history to reach 300 career points. He reached the milestone in the Falcons’ 15-9 win over Fair Lawn with five goals and four assists...

Vernon defenseman Brian Jernick gave everyone quite a scare the other day during the Vikings’ loss to Sparta at Sparta High School. The burly junior took a shot to the head and his helmet crushed down on his face, sending him to the turf as he was motionless. Jernick suffered a severe “stinger” and should be okay in a couple weeks, his father said. He was taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital for some tests and was sent home after getting some plastic surgery on his nose. The scene served as a sobering reminder of how physical lacrosse can be.

That's it for now, see you on the sidelines.