The Chicago Catholic League and East Suburban Catholic Conference announced Thursday that their leagues will merge for football competition beginning with the 2019 season. The merger became official after a unanimous vote by school principals from both conferences.
The new conference will consist of the following 14 members of the Chicago Catholic League (CCL): Brother Rice, De La Salle, DePaul College Prep, Fenwick, Leo, Loyola Academy, Marmion Academy, Mount Carmel, Montini, Providence, St. Laurence, St. Rita, St. Ignatius and St. Joseph. They will combine with the 10 full members of the East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC): Benet Academy, Carmel, Joliet Catholic, Marian Catholic, Marian Central Catholic, Marist, Nazareth Academy, Notre Dame College Prep, St. Patrick and St. Viator.
The merger was discussed by a committee of athletic directors from each conference over the spring and summer. This committee agreed on certain criteria which will determine divisional leagues within this new conference. That criteria includes a school's male enrollment, football participation numbers and success during the 2017 and 2018 football seasons.
How will this impact high school football across Chicagoland? Will it mean more parity among programs? Will similar enrollment numbers and participation numbers lead to success across all divisions? What will the new individual leagues look like? Will certain rivalries like Mount Carmel-St. Rita come back into the fray?
Stay tuned.