A look at changes in BVC football schedules

The who, the what, the when and the where of the 2023 football schedules is pretty much the same. It's the how – as in 'How the heck did that happen' – that might take some getting used to. "Football scheduling has been a new challenge each year," said Nate Irwin, who handles all league schedules in his position as Blanchard Valley Conference Executive Secretary. "We've had many changes over the past four years … with more on the way." Back in the day when the BVC was a small-school 10-team league, setting up a football schedule was pretty cut and dried. A non-league game in the season opener, then nine weeks of rotating head to head play where each school played every other school in the conference. Starting in 1966 and for the next 47 years, that system worked like a well-oiled machine. Eventually, though, things changed. Due to low numbers, Hardin Northern had to suspend its varsity program in 2013, reducing the number of teams in the league to nine. Then the BVC expanded, increasing its number to 12 with the addition of Riverdale, North Baltimore and Hopewell-Loudon before the 2014 season. For two years, the 12-team BVC was divided into two groups, the Blanchard Division and the Valley Division. In 2016, a new system was implemented where the 12 schools, based on enrollment and won/loss records over the previous four-year period, were ranked 1 through 12. Teams would play eight league games, with the stipulation that the top-ranked teams would not go up against the lowest ranked teams based on the formula. That system pretty much remains in effect today. But continued movement in the league – Leipsic accepting an invitation to join the Northwest Conference, Hopewell-Loudon leaving for the Sandusky Bay Conference, Cory-Rawson and North Baltimore switching to the Northwest Central Conference this season, Elmwood joining the league, Vanlue being dismissed from BVC play in football only over concerns the Wildcats may not have the numbers to fulfill a 10-game season – has created some interesting situations when it comes to scheduling. Last year, for example, with the No. 1-ranked team in the BVC not playing No. 9, No. 2 not playing No. 8, and so on, Riverdale ended up as the only team in the BVC that played every other school in the league. The Falcons played eight league games; the other eight schools played seven. Even though the BVC is now an eight-team conference, a similar situation is in the works this year. Riverdale will again play every other school in the BVC. This season, Liberty-Benton will, too. McComb will not play Arcadia, though, Arlington and Pandora-Gilboa won't square off and Van Buren does not have Elmwood on its schedule, meaning those six schools will play only six BVC games instead of seven. It's unlikely two teams will go unbeaten in BVC games, but the possibility does exist. "Our league champion has not been affected by one team playing all teams yet," Irwin said. "If that happens, the Governing Board will have a plan in place to determine the league champion … (They) would be treated as equals, but it would be extremely rare to occur." With Ada joining the BVC next school year and Leipsic returning, possibly in 2024-25, the league will be back to a 10-team alignment. Liberty-Benton has announced it will be leaving by the 2025-26 school year, though, and an enrollment imbalance among the schools – Liberty-Benton and Elmwood are Division V (adjusted enrollment 154-201), Van Buren and Riverdale Division VI (113-153), all the rest Division VII (112 and under) – there may yet be movement among schools looking for more competitive situations. "The hope is we have a 10-team football league schedule for 2024," Irwin said. "This will depend on Leipsic's release from the NWC, which should be determined this summer based on the information we've been given." When it comes to nonleague schedules, most – but not all – BVC schools will see some major changes this season. --- Arcadia opened the 2022 season with games against Hardin Northern and Waynesfield-Goshen, but this year faces Cory-Rawson and Lakota in Weeks 1 and 2, and instead of North Baltimore in Week 5, the Redskins will now face Grandview Heights. Long-time backyard rivals Arcadia and Vanlue will still get together in Week 8. --- Arlington has replaced Paulding in Week 1 with Allen East and Ada in Week 2 with Worthington Christian. For the second straight year Arlington will end regular season play with a nonleague game against Lucas, but for the third straight year does not play Pandora-Gilboa in the BVC. --- In switching over from the Northern Buckeye Conference to the BVC, Elmwood will face only one team from last year's schedule. That team is Eastwood, and the Battle of the Woods rivalry has been intense in recent years. Elmwood came out on top 56-49 in 2021 and won the Log Trophy that goes to the winner; Eastwood regained the hardware last year in a 49-48 thriller. --- Liberty-Benton is one of two schools (Riverdale is the other) that will play seven BVC games this season. As for nonleague opponents, L-B will again face Columbus Grove in Week 2 but has replaced Leipsic with Elyria Catholic for its season opener and will take on Port Clinton instead of Mogadore in Week 4. --- With Cory-Rawson (Northwest Central Conference) and Vanlue (independent) out of the league loop and Arcadia not in McComb's rotation this season, the Panthers will have four nonleague games. This season, McComb takes on Allen East instead of Galion in its opener, and Convoy Crestview instead of 13-time state champion Marion Local in Week 2. The Panthers have filled their Week 3 spot (Vanlue in 2022) with Division III Columbus Beechcroft. McComb had to fill a Week 9 opening when Plymouth did not want a home-and-home contract, and the Panthers reputation and winning tradition drew some interesting – but imposing – prospects. "Akron Hoban called and said they wanted to play," McComb coach Kris Alge said of Ohio's 2022 Division II state runner-up which has won five state titles and made 18 playoff appearances. "Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (Division II, 6 state titles, 26 playoff appearances), called and wanted to play, too. So did some team from Michigan that's won, like, 12, 13 state championships. "When eight teams made the playoffs, you might need to play bigger schools to help your chances to get in. Now that they take the top 16, not so much." McComb did find a Week 9 replacement in Richmond Heights. "Hopefully they're not bringing their basketball team," Alge said of the Spartans, who have won back-to-back Division VI state basketball titles, but are restarting their football program after three seasons without a varsity program. --- Pandora-Gilboa is one of the few teams undergoing few schedule changes, especially at the top of the lineup with the Rockets again facing backyard rivals Columbus Grove, Bluffton and Leipsic the first three weeks of the season. P-G has replaced Vanlue in Week 6 with a nonleague game with Worthington Christian, and Elmwood will replace Cory-Rawson in a Week 10 BVC matchup. --- After opening against Colonel Crawford, Hardin Northern and Cory-Rawson a year ago, Riverdale begins the 2023 season with three new opponents – Bucyrus, Ada and Elmwood. The rest of the Falcons' 2023 slate will be the same as last year, including a Week 4 game with Vanlue. --- Opponents in Weeks 3 through 7 will be exactly the same for Van Buren. The Black Knights will have Arlington again in Week 9, but the similarities end there. Fostoria will replace Elmwood as Van Buren's opening game, with Leipsic replacing Otsego in Week 2. With North Baltimore and Vanlue out of the BVC loop, the Knights have filled the Week 8 vacancy with Fort Loramie and Week 10 opening with Cardinal Stritch. Ironically, Van Buren played Elmwood in a nonleague game in 2022, but, in a twist of the schedule, does not play the Royals this season even though both are in the BVC.