AML LOSES YOUNGSVILLE, EISENHOWER; CAMERON COUNTY TO MOVE TO AML NORTH

According to Straub, effective Jan. 12, Eisenhower and Youngsville have withdrawn from the AML football league and have entered a league in District 10.

The third former District 10 member of the AML, Sheffield, will officially became a member of District 9 starting next season in all sports and will continue to play in the AML football league.

Despite the loss of the two teams, the AML will still have 12 members next season and will continue to operate in the North-South division format that has been in place since Curwensville and Brockway joined the league in 1999. Each division will consist of six teams with Cameron County moving to the AML North to replace one of the two teams that are leaving, who were both AML North members. Cameron will be joined in the AML North by existing league members Sheffield, Smethport, Coudersport, Port Allegany and Otto-Eldred. The AML South will include Elk County Catholic, Brockway, Curwensville, Ridgway, Kane and Johnsonburg.

"Teams will play five games within their division and then cross over for four additional games," Straub said. "Teams will scrimmage the two teams that they do not play during the regular season. This set-up will allow schools to have direct competition with every school in the league on a yearly basis."

Over the past five seasons, since Brockway and Curwensville joined the league, teams have played six games within their division and three crossover games while scrimmaging two teams from the opposite division that they didn’t play during the regular season.

According the Straub, the AML Championship game will continue to be played with the 2004 contest slated for 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at the North Division champion’s home field.

The AML was originally reconstituted in 1986 with 12 members including Bradford Central Christian, Cameron County, Eisenhower, Elk County Christian (now Catholic), Johnsonburg, Kane, Otto-Eldred, Port Allegany, Ridgway, Sheffield, Smethport and Youngsville. The league was split into two six-team divisions in an East-West format.

In 1987, Coudersport entered the league when Bradford Central Christian, which has since closed, dropped its football program. In 1999, the AML expanded to 14 teams with the addition of Brockway and Curwensville.

Brockway won its first-ever AML title game with a victory over Coudersport last October.

Smethport has won the most AML titles with seven.

The change in the AML is the third major upheaval in District 9 football league’s this season. Earlier in the year, Clearfield announced it was withdrawing from the D9 League while West Shamokin left the KSAC.