Five years ago, District 6 restructured its football conferences and turned the former Appalachian Conference North Division into the Heritage Conference. The next round of changes could be a little more extreme than just a name change. District 6 officials are discussing restructuring the conferences and creating a classification-based schedule for football. “Football’s one of the biggest (revenue-generating) sports for most schools,” District 6 chairman Ray Wotkowski said. “This is an opportunity to look at leveling off the playing field and to throw away multiple classifications (in a conference).” This issue was addressed at an athletic directors meeting Jan. 26, and Wotkowski said several other meetings will be needed. The proposal would not necessarily break up existing conferences in all sports, but it would have different sections for football only. If enacted, the proposal would take place for the 2006 season. “Instead of league champions, you would have section champions,” Wotkowski said. “It levels the playing field.” The idea was conceived by the initial vote by the PIAA board of control in October to allow teams statewide to start practice a week earlier in 2006 and add another week to the football season. The PIAA board still needs to finalize this decision, which will depend on a third and final vote either this month or in May. Even if the expanded season doesn’t pass, Wotkowski said the District 6 realignment proposal still would work with a 15-week football season. “I’m not here to dictate, but we need to take the opportunity to look at things now, and go ahead and play by classifications,” Wotkowski said.” One choice is to play a nine-game schedule in Class A and allow the opening game to be non-section game — similar to what the WPIAL does. “The first week would be a non-qualifying exhibition game,” Wotkowski said. “Teams could have that week to have rivalry games.” In the current Heritage Conference, this is not possible. With 10 teams — eight in Class A and two in AA — every game counts toward a playoff seeding. Wotkowski also said he is looking into expanding the playoffs for Class A, which has 24 member schools. The district allows only eight teams to qualify, but 12 or 16 teams would qualify under the new plan. “It’s not right to have the state playoffs decide our conferences,” Northern Cambria coach Frank Paronish said. In Class AA, Wotkowski said eight teams would qualify for the playoffs — as in the past — but it would play a 10-game schedule with one non-section game to open the season. The proposal most likely would allow the Class A Heritage Conference teams play one another with the Class AA teams finding other opponents. “Class A schools would not see that great of a change,” Marion Center athletic director John Bomboy said. “Double-A schools would see a major change.” The plan possibly would eliminate the current points system that determines the playoffs, and seedings would be determined by records. “I think this is great,” Homer-Center coach Ed Kowchuck said. “The kids look forward to making the playoffs rather than a conference title. They want to play in front of crowds twice the size their used to.” District 6, which spans eight counties and is the third largest district in the state, is overwhelmed with small schools. Only 10 of the district’s 47 member schools have large enough enrollments for the Class AAA and AAAA ranks. This plan would affect the seven Class AAA schools most of all. Teams like Johnstown likely would travel up to three hours to play a games at Huntingdon, Bellefonte and Indian Valley. Wotkowski also mentioned the possibility of combining with District 9 and playing schools such as Clearfield and Punxsutawney in Class AAA. The teams would compete in the same conference, but then split when the postseason would start. Wotkowski said the committee is open to feedback and willing to make adjustments. Principals from the 47 football-playing schools will formally vote on the plan at an annual April meeting. If the plan is not ready by then, Wotkowski said a summer workshop might be planned. District 6 realignment proposals Current Heritage Conference – Blairsville, Homer-Center, Laurel Valley, Ligonier Valley, Marion Center, Northern Cambria, Penns Manor, Purchase Line, Saltsburg, United. Proposed realignment using geographical and size considerations Section 1 – Richland, Ligonier Valley, United, Northern Cambria, Blairsville, Penns Manor. Section 2 – Saltsburg, Conemaugh Valley, Homer-Center, Ferndale, Laurel Valley, Blacklick Valley. Section 3 – West Branch, Bellwood-Antis, Bishop Guilfoyle, Portage, Juniata Valley, Bishop Carroll. Section 4 – Mount Union, Southern Huntingdon, Moshannon Valley, Claysburg Kimmel, Glendale, Williamsburg. Proposed realignment using county-based sections Indiana/Westmoreland – Blairsville, Homer-Center, Laurel Valley, Ligonier Valley, Penns Manor, Saltsburg, United. Cambria – Bishop Carroll, Blacklick, Conemaugh Valley, Ferndale, Northern Cambria, Portage, Richland. Blair/Clearfield/Huntingdon/Juniata – Bellwood-Antis, Bishop Guilfoyle, Claysburg, Glendale, Juniata Valley, Moshannon Valley, Mount Union, Southern Huntingdon, West Branch, Williamsburg. (Class AA) Section 1 – Bald Eagle Area, Penns Valley, Philipsburg Osceola, Tyrone. Section 2 – Bedford, Central, Chestnut Ridge, Everett. Section 3 – Cambria Heights, Marion Center, Penn Cambria, Purchase Line. Section 4 – Bishop McCort, Central Cambria, Forest Hills, Westmont Hilltop.

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