Suburban One League History – Suburban One Sports

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