KSAC LOSSES WEST SHAMOKIN

West Shamokin, a member of the KSAC/Little 12 since 1972, is the latest school to leave the KSAC, as the District 7 (WPIAL) school is moving into a conference in District 7.

The move was made primarily to allow the Wolves to compete in the playoffs. Because West Shamokin, which is a merger of the former Shannock Valley and Dayton school districts, and Shannock Valley before it, were members of District 7, District 9 would not allow them to participate in the District 9 playoffs. Likewise, because the school was not playing in a District 7 league, District 7 would not allow it to participate in its playoffs.

"I just could never understand why District 9 would never let us in their football playoffs," West Shamokin head coach Randy Tira said. "They certainly could use more Class AA or Class AAA teams."

Tira said his first choice would have been to have West Shamokin move into District 9 in all sports but some of the school’s coaches didn’t want to make the move.

"I thought we would have been a good fit with the KSAC and District 9," Tira said. "But not all of our sports wanted to make the move, so it wasn’t going to happen."

West Shamokin joins Brookville (after the 1992 season) and Brockway (after the 1998) season to leave the Little 12/KSAC. The conference also lost East Brady when the school closed following the 1990 season.

The remaining KSAC members, Karns City, Moniteau, A-C Valley, Redbank Valley, Union, Keystone, Clarion and Clarion-Limestone, will play a seven-game conference schedule and now need to fill two non-conference dates. Last season, Keystone was unable to fill its one open date at the time and played an eight-game schedule. A-C Valley originally also had only an eight-game schedule but latter was able to fill the non-conference date with Bishop Guilfoyle.