New League Alignment For 2011 Football Season

In what will inevitably transform North Shore football, local principals and athletic directors approved a merger for the Northeastern Conference and Cape Ann League football teams starting in the fall of 2011.

Supporters of the merger believe it will generate opportunities to play other non-league games within the same region, encourage voluntary contests and help teams fill their schedules -- problems both divisions have experienced in the past.

In the past, both leagues have experienced scheduling issues and the change will help fill team schedules without traveling from the North Shore.

But to others, the merger seems unnecessary.

"We did not need to make any changes," said high school football coach Jim Rudloff. "Our current configuration has been working very well and has had no complaints from any of the schools."

The change results in a division of four tiers containing six teams each. According to MHS Athletic Director Michael Plansky, "The divisions were created based on enrollment of boys and Thanksgiving rival."

The first tier (Division 1A) will consist of North Andover, Masconomet, Peabody, Lynn Classical, Lynn English and Revere. Tier two (Division 2A) will be made up of Marblehead, Swampscott, Beverly, Salem, Danvers and Gloucester. Tier three (Division 3) will house Amesbury, Pentucket, Winthrop, Saugus, Triton and Newburyport. Tier four (Division 3A) will have Ipswich, Hamilton-Wenham, North Reading, Lynnfield, Manchester Essex and Georgetown.

Although the 2011 football schedule has yet to be finalized, it's believed schools will have to play all five teams within their tier, and cross over at least twice into other tiers.

In terms of playoffs, the MIAA Football Committee has yet to decide whether or not they will accept the proposed changes for the post-season.

The NEC and CAL have four playoff berths between them, so it has been suggested that the NEC/CAL Tier 1 would get the NEC Large Division 1A spot, Tier 2 becomes the CAL Large 2A berth, Tier 3 would have the NEC Small Division 3 position and Tier 4 is the CAL Small 3A.

What does this mean for Marblehead High School football fans? Not too much.

Although many other schools had their regular opponents replaced, this did not happen to Marblehead. Despite being moved up a division, Marblehead will still face the same challengers from years past. The most familiar competitor being long-time rival the Swampscott Big Blue.

No matter who the Magicians are paired against Plansky believes, "The team is prepared to be very competitive in football for years to come."