Some pretty big news out of the southeastern part of the state as the Oley Lynx and Topton Rams have agreed to join forces for the 2011 season. The two teams got the blessing of the league board and will take the field this year in the league's south division under the new moniker of Oley/Topton.
This joint venture is notable for several reasons. Topton was unable to field a team last season despite making some great strides in high school and legion ball the past few years. This will give those athletes from Brandywine Heights a chance to compete for a league title in what will be their first year playing outside of the familiar confines of the Berks County League. In addition, Oley had a solid 9-5 record last year. The new team will open the season as one of the favorites in the league's south division, which is comprised of those teams that made the jump from Berks County last year.
This move could set a bit of a precedent for mergers in the future. If you aren't too familiar with the area, Topton and Oley are separated by about fifteen miles. One has to wonder if we may see similiar moves made by teams around the state and country who have waning interest in their legion programs but have some kids eager to play. What is your take on this move? Is it possible that in the future some team or teams may try to take advantage of this move and combine two solid programs and take the best team from that they can? We certainly don't believe that is the case here, and of course, other teams from across the state would need to have the approval of their individual league which may not be as understanding as the Schuylkill-Berks. If you want to voice your opinion, be sure to leave a comment or take your thoughts over to the newly renovated forum section!
In other news, Bethel has renamed and rebranded their team as the Tulpehocken Thunder. Pretty interesting new logo as well, especially for a legion team. Be sure to check it out if you get a chance.
More news and site updates coming soon as we progress out of the cold and head towards baseball season!
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