Seven ECC schools interested in possibly joining the NCCC

The North Central Connecticut Conference could be changing in the coming years. 

Marc Allard of the Norwich Bulletin is reporting that Woodstock Academy from the Eastern Connecticut Conference has already applied for admission to the NCCC. And athletic directors from another six ECC schools – Lyman Memorial, Windham High, Plainfield, Griswold, Killingly and Tourtellotte in Thompson – will be sending applications to the league with the possibility of forming an eastern division of the NCCC. 

This is Avon’s final year in the league. The Falcons will begin play in the Central Connecticut Conference in September. And Enfield’s days in the NCCC are numbered. Enfield is merging with Fermi and the combined school will eventually play in the CCC, taking Fermi’s spot. 

The ECC schools are a long, long drive away for teams such as Canton, which would be the western-most school in the league. However, many of the ECC schools are a lot closer to Stafford, Somers, Bolton and Coventry. Read more from Marc Allard on the situation in the Eastern Connecticut Conference and comments from NCCC league president Damian Frassinelli of Stafford.

Next fall, the NCCC will have 14 teams including Bolton, Canton, Coventry, East Granby, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Hartford Classical, Hartford’s Sport Medicine Science Academy (SMSA), Granby, Stafford, Somers, Suffield and Windsor Locks.

Now in its 52nd season, the league made its debut in September 1963 with South Windsor, Suffield, Stafford, Ellington and East Windsor. 

Avon, Canton and E.O. Smith-Storrs joined the NCCC in September 1984. 

Hartford Classical is the NCCC’s newest member. They began play in the league last September. Other recent changes in the league include SMSA joining the league in September 2011, Tolland leaving the league to join the CCC in September 2010, Bolton and Coventry leaving the Charter Oak Conference to join the NCCC in September 2006 and E.O. Smith leaving the NCCC to join the CCC in September 1999.

The ECC is one of the state’s oldest athletic conferences. It began as a six-team league in 1934-35 including Windham High.

UPDATE, March 1: The original report from reporter Marc Allard incorrectly stated that there would be a meeting with NCCC officials and the seven ECC schools interested in joining the NCCC. Allard and the Norwich Bulletin issued a correction the next day. We have edited our story to reflect this information, too. No meeting with the NCCC is scheduled at this time.