By Mark Gokavi - Dayton Daily News

Please note: This is an abbreviated form of the article. Please use the link at the end of this article for the complete article

After one more school year, Miamisburg, Springboro, Lebanon and Fairborn will move into the growing Greater Western Ohio Conference.

GWOC members voted Wednesday to admit the four former Mid-Miami League schools starting fall of 2006 — one year earlier than previously planned.

"It was more of a formality," GWOC Commissioner Eric Spahr said. "It was a unanimous vote."

The conference will split into three divisions and have an odd number (17) until Springfield North and South merge in 2008. Some future conference rivals will play this fall and enter divisional play in 2006.

Fairmont athletics director Rick Robertson said the old MML teams will need to adjust in football but the other sports could be fine right away.

The GWOC also briefly discussed and then set aside requests for admission from West Carrollton and Greenville. West Carrollton is part of the crumbling MML and Greenville was a member of the GWOC, left for the MML and now has asked to return.

"We're probably set on membership," Spahr said. "We're not looking at changes until 2008. We're set and square for the next three years."

There will be conference meets for track, wrestling, swimming, golf and cross country. A scheduling meeting is set for June 1.

The GWOC also took care of many administrative duties during a nearly three-hour meeting at Wayne High School. But the main focus was welcoming four new schools.

"After requesting membership (originally), it's a long time to wait — almost two-and-a-half years," Spahr said. "Now it's one more year and we'll be there. We're good to go."

The switch may be easier because the new schools can look to each other during the process.

"Everybody I talked to is looking forward to it," Lewis said. "I like the idea of going in together."

Complete DDN Article (excerpts from article are above)