Skip Navigation

RFH 2010, HCS Football

HCS/MECS Football Teams Merge

Thu, Apr 21, 2011

HCS and former rivals Morrisville-Eaton are joining forces to keep football alive for their students.

HCS/MECS Football Teams Merge

There was a time, not long ago, that the highlight of the local high school football season was the annual Tug For The Jug.

What had over the years become one of the best Class D football rivalries in Upstate New York pitted the Emerald Knights of HCS against the Warriors of Morrisville-Eaton. The winner, not surprisingly, took home a small jug decorated with scores from years gone-bye.

Now, instead of tugging for the jug, players from HCS and MECS will be pulling together on the same team. The two school districts created a plan to merge the two teams and begin play as a hybrid of sorts this fall.

It was strictly a matter of numbers: having enough players and having enough money.

Hamilton hardly fielded a team two years ago and disbanded the varsity squad on the day two-a-day practices were to begin last fall. Over the years, the success of the HCS boys soccer program attracted some former football players and dwindling enrollment further undermined the Knights. And, the costs associated with fielding a football team -- including and especailly travel -- kept increasing.

But, this fall, HCS and MECS will play as one squad. And, they are doing it in a way to make it workable, to satisfy both schools' players and fans -- if that is possible -- and to be competitive. They also are going to do it without breaking the bank.

HCS Superintendent Dr. Diana Bowers and Athletic Director Bill Dowsland had numerous conversations with their Morrisville-Eaton counterparts when things fell apart last year. And, as the two school districts consider a much bigger consolidation, plans are in the works to field a competitive team this fall. 

Dowsland said recently that the merger of the two teams will be unlike most that have gone on in the past; some of which have failed. Here are the highlights, according to Dowsland:

  1. A new team with new uniforms and a new name will not happen. Instead, the uniforms and equipment of both squads will be used. They will wear Morrisville-Eaton uniforms at home and Hamilton's on the road. The squad's  helmets will have the HCS Knight on one side and the MECS Warrior on the other.
  2. Don't look for home games to be played in a field somewhere alongside Rte. 20 between the two schools. Most home games will be at Morrisville, but, Dowsland said, there working on details to have some games under the lights at HCS.
  3. The Knights/Warriors will not play their old Class D rivals. By joining forces, Dowsland said Section III rules require that the two schools' enrollments be combined to determine what class they will be in. Look for the Warriors/Knights to move up to Class C. The new team will be part of the Section III Class C South Division, which has several other hyphenated teams.
  4. Members of the two coaching staffs will combine into one. With no small amount of irony, Hamilton resident and longtime MECS Head Coach Dan Martin will remain at the helm.
  5. There will be no JV team, but there will be a modified squad.

The Knights/Warriors schedule for this fall includes

  • Aug. 27 scrimmage against a team to be determined
  • Sept. 4 at Clinton at 2 p.m.
  • Sept. 10 home vs. Mount Markham at 6:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 18 at Lafayette/Fabius-Pompey at 2 p.m.
  • Sept. 24 at Sherburne-Earville at 7 p.m.
  • Oct. 1 home vs. Canastota at 6:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 8 home vs. Adirondack at 6:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 15 at Sauquoit at 7 p.m.
  • Oct. 21 playoff or cross-over game to be determined.

And, it doesn't stop with football. HCS and MECS will combine for wrestling and cross country. Dowsland said the two schools are also considering combining squads for baseball and field hockey next year.

See:

* Mohwak and Richfield Springs combined for one year. Mohawk filed for divorce after one season and Richfield Springs does not play football any more.

Please login to post your comments.