Tri-Co revamps 2009 football schedule

It's a football game neither team wants to play: Group 1 champion Glassboro vs. Group 4 power Williamstown.

And it's a game both athletic directors are going to try to cancel.

But under a revamped 2009 football schedule approved yesterday by the Tri-County Conference's athletic directors, it's set to happen: The Classic Division champion Bulldogs will host the Royal Division champion Braves on Oct. 2.

Glassboro athletic director Jeff Cusack said he and Williamstown athletic director Paul Deal have agreed to try to find a better option for both programs. They will make an effort to find replacement games against teams of comparable size.

But if the two schools can't arrange for alternate games, the Group 1 vs. Group 4 matchup will take place on a Friday night on the Bulldogs' home field.

"They don't want to play us more than we don't want to play them," Cusack said. "But I understand their position. We're going to try to find another game. But if I can't, I have to hold them to it."

Glassboro was 12-0 last season; Williamstown, 9-1.

The Glassboro-Williamstown game is one byproduct of the changes made by the conference's athletic directors in an effort to "patch together" a schedule for 2009, according to Clearview athletic director Greg Horton, the conference president.

The large-school Royal Division remained unchanged with one exception: Woodstown, a Group 1 school, dropped down to the Classic Division.

Gloucester Catholic, which has a smaller enrollment than Woodstown, opted to remain in the Royal Division.

"Gloucester Catholic wanted to remain in the Royal, and we don't have a problem relinquishing our position in the Royal," Woodstown athletic director Glenn Merkle said.

Horton said Gloucester Catholic "volunteered to stay in the Royal to give schedule relief to Woodstown."

The Classic Division will be split into an A and B format. Woodstown joins Glassboro, Gloucester, Pennsville and Penns Grove in the A group, with Schalick, Salem, Pitman, Wildwood and Clayton in the B group.

Wildwood and Clayton will play fewer conference games as a result of both programs' requests for "scheduling relief" to rebuild their programs.

"It's a schedule we can live with for one year," Horton said.

Glassboro, which has a 24-game winning streak, will play three games against Royal foes: Williamstown, and Group 3 programs Cumberland and Deptford.

The Glassboro-Deptford game is a traditional Thanksgiving rivalry.

"We were able to preserve the Thanksgiving games," Horton said, mentioning the Gloucester-Gloucester Catholic game as an example.

Pennsville will play Royal teams Kingsway and Deptford, and Woodstown will play Royal teams Gloucester Catholic and Delsea.

Horton said the arrangement was for the 2009 season only. Most school officials expect major changes in football scheduling and/or conference alignment to take effect by 2010.

"This will get us through this year," Horton said.