CCC denies Avon’s application to join the league

The Central Connecticut Conference has voted to decline Avon High’s admission to the league – at least for now. 

“The application was denied but that reflects that the league, not Avon, has more work to do on what impact Avon would have on the league (if admitted),” said Tom Moore, the principal at Wethersfield High School and president of the CCC. 

Avon’s application to join the 32-team league is still open and will be evaluated again in the fall, Moore said, probably in October. The CCC said it will put together a 12-person realignment committee to study and discuss the impact of Avon joining the league. 

Some of the league’s 32 principals were concerned about divisional alignment and where Avon would fit in the league. 

“We have more work to do,” Moore said. “Where would Avon go (in the league)? It’s more a realignment issue than an Avon issue.”

The vote was close. CCC bylaws require a two-third majority, or 21 votes, when discussing admission into the league. Moore said the vote was a few votes short of that. 

The proposal would have had Avon begin play in the CCC in the fall of 2014. 

Avon is currently in the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC), where it has been a member since 1984. In football, the Falcons play in the Pequot Football Conference. Avon submitted an application to the CCC earlier this year. 

The Falcons are the largest school in the NCCC. According to this year’s CIAC’s basketball packet, Avon had 548 boys and 583 girls in the school from grades 9-12.

The next largest school in the NCCC is Suffield with 430 boys and 458 girls. Avon has 150 more boys and 184 more girls than the third largest school in the league – Ellington. The NCCC has some of the smaller schools in the state including East Granby (140 boys), Bolton (174 boys) and East Windsor (186 boys). 

In the CCC, Avon would be one of the smaller schools in the league. The boys would be the 23rd largest school for boys out of 33 teams, according to figures from the 2013 CIAC’s basketball packet. The Avon girls would be the 18th largest school in the league. 

The CCC last expanded in 2009 when they admitted seven teams from the now-defunct Northwest Conference – Berlin, East Catholic-Manchester, Middletown, RHAM, Plainville, Northwest Catholic-West Hartford, Rocky Hill and Tolland from the North Central Connecticut Conference. Avon’s long-time rival Farmington joined the CCC in 2008. 

The CCC was formed in 1984 with 24 teams.

Collinsville Press, June 4: CCC to consider application from Avon to join league