Make room for Masconomet in the Northeastern Conference. In a vote held Friday at Beverly High School, the NEC principals voted in favor of allowing Masco into the conference. The final tally was 9-1-1, with Classical voting against and Saugus abstaining.
English, along with Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem, Swampscott and Winthrop voted in favor of allowing Masco in. The principals submit their final votes with input from their respective athletic directors.
English Athletic Director Dick Newton said voting “yes” came down to making the NEC more competitive.
“We’re here to make our league better and make our kids competitive against other schools,” Newton said. “That’s what we’re here for as athletic directors and principals.
“(English Principal) Mr. (Tom) Strangie voted ‘yes’ because he thought it would make the league stronger and better. We’re looking for competitiveness, to make our football team, our baseball team, our girls teams competitive and better.”
With Masco in, the conference goes back to a six-and-six format.
“That way it’s even and it fills out your schedule,” Newton said. “Masconomet is a very competitive program. Those are the type of programs that you want to bring into your league. I want to bring in teams that are going to make the league better.”
The NEC consists of 11 schools after the four Greater Boston League schools, Everett, Malden, Medford and Somerville, opted out of the conference last winter, along with Revere. That decision resulted shortly after the GBL four were voted out of the conference in January.
Newton said the GBL’s exit had no impact on Masco’s entry.
“The issue of the GBL is a mute point,” Newton said. “They had nothing to do when it came to letting Masconomet come into our league. This was to fill our void when Revere left. If Revere hadn’t left, Masconomet wouldn’t be coming into our league.”
Classical Athletic Director Bill Devin said he was strongly against Masco’s entry from the very beginning.
“We were a ‘no’ from the get-go,” Devin said. “Before the GBL even came in years ago, there were brief discussions about bringing Masco in. There was never a formality. I don’t understand why it’s changed now. I’m not embarrassed at all that we voted no.”
Classical was among the four NEC schools who voted in favor of keeping the GBL schools in the conference back in January. Devin pointed to a list of factors as to why Classical voted against Masco joining.
“The GBL was a perfect fit for Classical in all sports,” Devin said. “I don’t understand why we couldn’t keep the GBL and voted Masco in. It seemed like a lot of people were quick to dismiss the GBL after two years. Masco has a 65 percent athletics participation rate, Classical’s at 15. I think Masco’s a better fit for the Middlesex League than the NEC. I’m worried about our school’s girls program, tennis, cross country, soccer, competing with a powerful school like Masco. It’s just not a good fit for us.”
The Chieftains, currently in the Cape Ann League, could jump into the NEC mix as soon as next fall, depending on whether or not the CAL will allow them to leave the league. That could be determined during the CAL’s annual meeting in November.
“My belief is that this merger is going to start for the fall of 2020,” Devin said. “I think right now it’s just a rubber stamp that they’re going to be in the league next fall.”
Masco, a regional school, has students from Boxford, Topsfield and Middleton.
