SUBURBAN LEAGUE HISTORY
1922 – 2002
The Suburban League, which was started as a basketball league in 1922, was established to create competition among schools of comparable size and to determine a champion. In the fall of 1923, the League expanded to include other sports; and the first football championship playoff game was held. (Norristown defeated Ridley Park, 23-6. Both schools had been undefeated in the regular season. There were no league standings. The member schools, listed alphabetically, were:
Abington Boothwyn Bridgeport Cheltenham Chester Clifton Heights Coatesville Collingdale Conshohocken | Darby Downingtown Eddystone Glen-Nor Haverford Lansdowne Lower Merion Marple-Newtown Media | Nether Providence Norristown North Coventry Phoenixville Pottstown Prospect Park Radnor Ridley Park Ridley Township | Sharon Hill Spring City Springfield, Del. Co. Swarthmore Tredyffrin-Easttown Upper Darby Upper Merion West Chester Yeadon |
1931 – 1945
During these years, there were thirty-six (36) high schools in the League. A rating System was used to determine a champion. During the years 1935 through 1937, there were three classes, A, B and C.
1940 - 1947
Suburban Big Six – Abington, Cheltenham, Haverford, Lower Merion, Radnor and Upper Darby.
1948 – 1967
The Suburban League had three divisions based on enrollment and location. By using the enrollment and location criteria rather than only enrollment, the League was able to reduce each school’s travel time to its opponents.
1950
The Ches-Mont League, an off-shoot of the Suburban One League, was formed by the Coatesville, Downingtown, Phoenixville, Pottstown and West Chester High Schools.
1959
A fourth division comprised of the smallest schools was added. There were thirty-two (32) teams, four divisions (now named “Suburban I, II, III and IV”) of eight teams each. The thirty-two teams were:
I | II | III | IV |
Abington Bridgeport Chester Cheltenham Clifton Heights Collingdale Conestoga Darby | Darby-Colwyn Eddystone Harriton Haverford Lansdowne-Aldan Lower Merion Methacton Norristown | Penncreast Plymouth Whitemarsh Prospect Park Radnor Ridley Park Ridley Township Sharon Hill Springfield | Conshohocken Marple-Newtown Sun Valley Swarthmore Upper Darby Upper Dublin Upper Merion Yeadon |
1967
The following schools withdrew from the Suburban League and became the Central
League: Conestoga, Harriton, Haverford, Lower Merion, Marple-Newtown, Penncrest, Radnor, Ridley, Springfield (Delaware County) and Upper Darby.
1968
Three of the Suburban League schools went their separate ways. The schools in the Northwest suburbs became known as the Suburban I League(“Suburban One League and/or the “SOL”).
1977
The Suburban One League formed the American and National Divisions.
1982 – 1986
Two divisions were maintained with the admissions of Lower Bucks Schools – Bensalem, Council Rock, Delhass, Neshaminy Langhorne, Neshaminy Maple Point, Pennsbury and Woodrow Wilson. Delhass and Woodrow Wilson merged and became Harry S. Truman High School.
1985
Our Suburban One League logo was created by Bud DeLaurentis, Upper Moreland High School, in 1985. It was unanimously approved upon submission and we are proud to use it on all medals, medallions and trophies. Our continuing thanks are given to Bud.
1986
In the fall of 1986, the Suburban One League admitted the former Bux-Mont League schoolsof Central Bucks East, Central Bucks West, Hatboro-Horsham, North Penn, Pennridge, Quakertown, Souderton and, from the Bicentennial League, Springfield (Montgomery County).
At this time, the Suburban One League formed two conferences comprised of two divisions each.
Every two years, the composition of the conferences and divisions are subject to change based on enrollment. In 1986, the makeup of the divisions was as follows:
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Bensalem Council Rock Neshaminy Pennsbury William Tennent Truman | Abington Central Bucks East Central Bucks West Norristown North Penn Pennridge | Cheltenham Methacton Plymouth-Whitemarsh Quakertown Souderton Upper Merion | Hatboro-Horsham Lower Moreland Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
1991
The SOL established one division with five teams and three divisions with six teams. That is still the division makeup in 2002. Lower Moreland withdrew from the Suburban One League to join the Bicentennial League.
A “power conference” consisting of ten schools was created for football. Pennridge and Truman were moved into the Liberty Division for football only. Tennent and Pennridge were moved out of the large-school football schedules to give them the opportunity to build their programs and be more competitive.
In 1991, the first State Football Championship was won by a Suburban One League team – Central Bucks West.
1993
Tennent moved from the Patriot Division to the Colonial Division and North Penn moved to the Patriot Division from the Colonial Division.
Springfield was given an exemption from playing a Suburban One League schedule to make it possible for them to continue football. Their enrollment was the smallest in their division. By granting the exemption, they had the opportunity to become more competitive by scheduling schools of similar enrollment.
1994
Hatboro-Horsham was moved to the Liberty Division.
1995
Tennent moved out of the “power ten” in football and was replaced by Truman.
1997
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Bensalem Council Rock Neshaminy North Penn Pennsbury Truman | Abington Central Bucks East Central Bucks West Norristown Pennridge William Tennent | Cheltenham Hatboro-Horsham Plymouth-Whitemarsh Quakertown Souderton | Methacton Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
Six of the final eight teams in the Class AAAA basketball playoffs were SOL teams.
Five of seven teams from District One who participated in the Inter-District Basketball Tournament were SOL schools. The CheltenhamGirls Basketball team was second in the Eastern P.I.A.A. finals.
The League had a number of State Championships during the 1996-97 year. In Swimming, NorthPenn won the following events: Boys Swimming, 200 Meter Freestyle Relay, 400 Meter Freestyle Relay and the Boys Medley Relay. Souderton’sBob Molettieri won the State Championship in the 100 Meter Backstroke. In Wrestling, Rick Springman of Norristown won in the 152-Pound Class. And, Plymouth-Whitemarshwon the Class AAAA Basketball State Championship.
1998 – 2001
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Central Bucks West Council Rock Neshaminy North Penn Pennsbury | Abington Bensalem Central Bucks East Pennridge William Tennent Truman | Cheltenham Hatboro-Horsham Plymouth-Whitemarsh Norristown Quakertown Souderton | Methacton Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
2001 – 2002
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Central Bucks West Council Rock Neshaminy North Penn Pennsbury | Abington Bensalem Central Bucks East Pennridge William Tennent Truman | Cheltenham Hatboro-Horsham Norristown Quakertown Plymouth- Whitemarsh Souderton | Methacton Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
2002 – 2003
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Abington Central Bucks East Central Bucks West Neshaminy North Penn Pennsbury | Bensalem Council Rock North Pennridge Souderton William Tennent Truman | Cheltenham Council Rock South Norristown Hatboro Horsham Quakertown Plymouth Whitemarsh | Methacton Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
Council Rock split into Council Rock North and Council Rock South high schools.
2003- 2004
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Patriot Division | Colonial Division | Liberty Division | Freedom Division |
Abington Central Bucks East Central Bucks West Neshaminy North Penn Pennsbury | Bensalem Council Rock North Pennridge Souderton William Tennent Truman | Cheltenham Council Rock South Hatboro-Horsham Norristown Plymouth Whitemarsh Quakertown | Methacton Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon |
2004 – 2006
National Conference | Continental Conference | American Conference |
North Penn Pennsbury Neshaminy Truman Abington Bensalem Pennridge Council Rock North | Council Rock South Central Bucks South Norristown Souderton Central Bucks East William Tennent Hatboro Horsham Quakertown Central Bucks West | Cheltenham Plymouth Whitemarsh Methacton Upper Dublin Wissahickon Upper Merion Upper Moreland Springfield |
2004 SOL realigned into three Conferences based on enrollment
2006 – 2008
American Conference | Continental Conference | National Conference |
North Penn Pennsbury Neshaminy Truman Abington Bensalem Pennridge Central Bucks South | Council Rock North Council Rock South Norristown Souderton Central Bucks East William Tennent Hatboro-Horsham Central Bucks West | Cheltenham Plymouth Whitemarsh Methacton Upper Dublin Wissahickon Quakertown Upper Merion Upper Moreland Springfield |
Central Bucks South moved to the National Conference.
Council Rock North moved to the Continental Conference.
Quakertown moved to the American Conference in alignment based on enrollment figures.
CONFERENCE ALIGNMENTS
2006 – 2007
American Conference | Continental Conference | National Conference |
Cheltenham Methacton Plymouth Whitemarsh Quakertown Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon | Central Bucks East Central Bucks West Council Rock North Council Rock South Hatboro Horsham Norristown Souderton William Tennent | Abington Bensalem Central Bucks South Neshaminy North Penn Pennridge Pennsbury Truman |
2008-09
American Conference | Continental Conference | National Conference |
Cheltenham Norristown Plymouth Whitemarsh Springfield Upper Dublin Upper Merion Upper Moreland Wissahickon | Central Bucks East Central Bucks South Central Bucks West Hatboro-Horsham North Penn Pennridge Quakertown Souderton | Abington Bensalem Council Rock North Council Rock South Neshaminy Pennsbury William Tennent Truman |
Norristown moved to the American Conference.
Central Bucks South, North Penn, Pennridge and Quakertown moved to the Continental Conference.
Council Rock North, Council Rock South & William Tennent moved to the National Conference.
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