LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — The Sullivan West Central School District Board of Education (SWCSD) will have the final verdict on whether they merge their varsity football program with Roscoe-Livingston Manor-Downsville due to a shortage of players to field their own Bulldogs team this year.

That vote is likely to occur at the next regular meeting on April 20, assuming that Section IX gives its expected endorsement to the proposal that has already won support from the Orange County and Mid-Hudson leagues, and from Roscoe as the host program.

Sullivan West Director of Athletics David Franskevicz briefed the school board on the evolution and status of the merger on March 16, which member Ken Cohen said was appreciated but pointedly added, “I wish we’d had that presentation at the outset.”

Sullivan West’s merger application was filed on Jan. 11 after Franskevicz said he met with team members individually to ask whether they intended to play football in the 2017 season. He also conducted a closed ballot vote focusing on the varsity level which he reported had expressed “overwhelming” support for the merger idea.

An organized group of football team parents had approached the school board on Feb. 16 with a long list of questions about the impacts of a merger and complaints about what they charged had been a lack of clear, open communication.

That led to a March 8 question and answer session with students, parents, and administrators and to Franskevicz’s appearance at the school board’s podium on the 16th.

The athletic director said there has been “a gradual loss” of football players over the past two years, particularly at the varsity level, which means having to advance freshmen and sophomores to get sufficient numbers for scrimmages and games.

“Starting in 2015, our first red flag went up when we started with 43 players and ended the season with 27. Twenty-four were on the varsity team. In 2016, we started with 31 total players and ended with 23. Nineteen were on the varsity roster; seven were seniors. The numbers are low and have continued to drop,” Franskevicz said.

While Class C football competition requires a minimum of 16 players, only 12 Sullivan West juniors and seniors have indicated intentions to play in 2017. The combined Roscoe team plays in Class D.

Franskevicz described that the potential solutions were to: move up the younger students automatically to varsity level “which kind of eliminates any concept of a JV program”; consider a modified program for 7-9 and 10-12 grades “but that’s hard to ever change back”; or merge with another district on a temporary basis.

He said that he first approached Eldred Central School but found they have enough players for their team. Franskevicz acknowledged that it was “my idea” to talk next to Roscoe and said, “They agreed, in theory.”

When 46 Sullivan West students voted on the question, “If we merge, would you participate and play?” Franskevicz said 40 checked yes and of the six who voted no, only two were current players.

“With the positive feedback we got, we submitted a letter to Roscoe,” he said, adding that the offer was for Sullivan West to send its juniors and seniors to play on their combined team with the understanding that the freshmen and sophomores would remain as a Sullivan West JV football team.

Franskevicz said confusion over the approval process was spurred by Section IX publishing a 2017 football schedule which presumed that the merger was a done deal.

He reiterated that this plan will not happen without the school board’s approval.

“Obviously being such an emotional issue, you shouldn’t make a decision rashly and I’m sure you won’t,” Franskevicz told members.

Cohen pointed out that Roscoe isn’t “doing a favor” by approving this merger.

“The reality is, Roscoe doesn’t have enough players either. They need us almost as much as we need them,” he said.

Franskevicz said one negative comment he’s heard about the merger is that some people don’t want to give up holding home games at Sullivan West.

“That’s not a big sacrifice in my opinion,” he said, noting that the JV players will be able to build their skills at an appropriate level of competition which may motivate more students to join and grow the numbers needed to revive varsity in the future.

Assistant Principal Scott Haberli reported that the school counselor had met with junior and senior football players to discuss their feelings about the merger.

Those against the idea expressed that they were concerned about “betraying” their home school by playing for a former opponent, worried over any favoritism that may exist with the unfamiliar coaches, and feeling cheated out of their senior year experience.

Those in favor were happy over the opportunity to still get to play football and to face a more level competitive field.