ATHENS — Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year the Wahama White Falcons will once again become a full fledge member of a sports conference when the Bend Area team joins the Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division.

The White Falcons sports programs have competed as an independent for the past several years since leaving the Parkersburg based, Little Kanawha Conference. Scheduling differences ware reportedly the major reason for Wahama’s departure from the LKC and ironically is the central issue in the Falcons joining the TVC.

WHS is expected to lose at least three football opponents next season with Buckeye Trail, Williamstown and Wirt County all predicted to exit the White Falcons fall football card and that is where the problems begin.

WHS Athletic Director, Ed Coon, has been working on finding replacements for those three teams but hasn’t had much success.

“I’ve pretty much ran into a brick wall,” Coon stated. ”I’ve contacted schools from as far away as Fairmont to the Beckley area trying to secure replacements for next year but haven’t had much luck.”

“Consolidation will be taking four Class A schools in Mingo County next season as well as four schools in Fayette County. The LKC is going to mandatory scheduling which is why Wirt County and Williamstown are leaving and Buckeye Trail is such a long trip for our team and fans,” Coon added.

Does the move to the TVC conference provide all the answers for the sports programs at Wahama? Unfortunately not but the pros outweigh the cons in this situation which is why the administration at Wahama decided to go in the direction it has taken.

The logical choice of a conference affiliation would undoubtedly be the West Virginia based Little Kanawha Conference but the LKC would likely be reluctant to re-admit Wahama into its fold because of its previous membership.

In addition the LKC wouldn’t alleviate the travel requirements for the White Falcons because of the two hour plus journeys to South Harrison, Gilmer County, Braxton County, Paden City and other schools in the league.

The TVC is a good fit for Wahama because of several factors with the close proximity of the eight league opponents being foremost. Four football members are currently on the WHS football schedule in Southern, Eastern, South Gallia and Waterford with dates against Trimble, Miller, Belpre and Federal Hocking to be worked out prior to next year. WHS has met seven of the eight teams in the TVC in previous years with Miller being the lone newcomer to the White Falcon fall card.

The longest travel dates among the eight Hocking Division opponents would be a 75 mile trip to Miller and a 70 mile trek to Waterford.

According to enrollment figures provided by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the West Virginia Secondary Schools Athletic Commission puts Wahama smack in the middle of the other eight Hocking Division members.

Federal Hocking is the largest Hocking Division school with 262 students followed by Belpre (258), Trimble (237) and South Gallia (209). Wahama (202) is in the middle of the pack with Miller (189), Eastern (180), Waterford (178) and Southern (156) comprising the smallest schools in the Hocking Division.

The TVC conference affiliation will eliminate 80% of the scheduling difficulties now plaguing the Falcon administration and will provide the Falcon athletes with a conference title to shoot for in addition to All-Conference awards. The move will not affect the Bend Area teams status in the weekly football ratings or its opportunity to make the playoffs while basketball, baseball, softball, wrestling, tennis and golf teams would still participate in their respective season ending West Virginia tournament.

However the most glaring downfall to the conference association would be less recognition for All-State honors for Wahama athletes because the overwhelming majority of the White Falcons’ contests will not be seen by West Virginia sportswriters and coaches who vote for all-state recognition.

West Virginia allows 10 football games and 21 basketball contests per season so with the TVC relationship that allows the White Falcons just two football outings and five basketball contests left for possible Mountain State opponents to fill.

It is not know at this time who will be retained on the Falcons football and basketball schedules but reports are long-time rival Buffalo will be retained in football with efforts being made to keep county rivals Point Pleasant and Hannan on the basketball card.

The official decision was made on Tuesday, September 8, at the monthly TVC meeting in Athens, where by a 10-3 final vote it was decided that Wahama would become the newest member of the nine-team Hocking Division. Waterford, Wellston and Belpre were the schools casting the dissenting votes. South Gallia did not have a vote in the decision because it is not currently a member of the league.

The move to the TVC will be good for the White Falcons and its fans. New rivalries in the conference will develop quickly for Wahama and the travel times will be somewhat shorter. The league will also afford the Bend Area team some stiff competition against teams comparable to its own enrollment size.

Wahama will begin the TVC Hocking play beginning with the 2010-2011 football season.