FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[HSCTiger74]

The HSC - Catholic game was played in a total downpour for the second half.  The first half was rain free and Catholic lead 7 - 0 at the half.  I bet Catholic had over 20 min time of possession in the first half.  HSC had a fumble after a catch, an INT on a tipped ball and Catholic had some first downs to control the ball.  After the first drive Catholic did not threaten unless it was after a turnover.  Turnovers kept HSC from having success in the first half and weather kept them from having success in the second half.  HSC had some injuries that kept starters from playing all or a large part of the game.  I don't know if they were resting players, playing it safe or if the injuries were really serious.  The bye week comes at a good time.  

According to the HSC radio guys first half ToP was Catholic 22:00 HSC 8:00.

[CBE]

Congratulations to Bridgewater on their win today -- Coach Clark's 100th since he started at BC in 1995.

It is especially impressive seeing he took over a program that had won 121 games over its first 63 seasons.

It was also his 54th ODAC win in 15 seasons. Prior to his arrival, BC had only 19 ODAC wins over the first 19 seasons since the conference's inception in 1976.

Again, congrats to Coach Clark. Great coach, and an even better man.

Kid, what was the predecessor conference to the ODAC for small college ball in Virginia?

Ralph,
I'm pretty sure they were in the Mason Dixon Conference before the ODAC was created.  Western Maryland College aka McDaniel was in that conference at the time and played Macon and Sydney before Bridgewater became a member.

[allsky7]

Congratulations to Bridgewater on their win today -- Coach Clark's 100th since he started at BC in 1995.

It is especially impressive seeing he took over a program that had won 121 games over its first 63 seasons.

It was also his 54th ODAC win in 15 seasons. Prior to his arrival, BC had only 19 ODAC wins over the first 19 seasons since the conference's inception in 1976.

Again, congrats to Coach Clark. Great coach, and an even better man.

Kid, what was the predecessor conference to the ODAC for small college ball in Virginia?

Ralph,
I'm pretty sure they were in the Mason Dixon Conference before the ODAC was created.  Western Maryland College aka McDaniel was in that conference at the time and played Macon and Sydney before Bridgewater became a member.

The Mason-Dixon Conference consisted of Hampden-Sydney, Randolph Macon, Towson, Bridgewater, Western Maryland, Johns Hopkins, & Gallaudet.

[Pat Coleman]

Consisted of a lot more than those schools, though, in other sports and in other decades. Catholic, American, University of Baltimore ... others I can't remember offhand.

[allsky7]

Consisted of a lot more than those schools, though, in other sports and in other decades. Catholic, American, University of Baltimore ... others I can't remember offhand.

Thanks Pat....should have mentioned that was for football from 69-73. Shepherd was a member in 68. Don't have press guides prior to that so not sure about anything before 1968. In 1974 H-S does not play all the teams in the M-D Conf. and there are no listings for the previous years results so I assume that 73 was the final year.....at least for H-S. 

[bcphotos]

Bridgewater was in the VCAA ( Va Collegiate Athletic Assn.)prior to the ODAC.  I still have programs from some of those games and remember playing in the VCAA Conference golf championship my freshman year.  Glenn Goad and Chris Sizemore were all-VCAA selections in 74-75.
Matt's comments about Coach Clark are right on target. Mike's post game comments Saturday again made me proud to be his friend and a BC Alum.

[Jeremybozz]

 I know in the 1960's the Mason Dixon Conference was the primary forerunner of the ODAC. I can't speak for the 1970's.

[Jeremybozz]

Congrats to Coach Clark and the Eagles on a close win over Coach Montgomery and company.
If we can win in Lexington it will set up a mega matchup when Randolph Macon visits Bridgewater.

[Jeremybozz]

Congrats to Valley Wolf for going 11-1 in the ODAC pick em this week. The standings have been updated.

[Llamaguy]

Congratulations to Bridgewater on their win today -- Coach Clark's 100th since he started at BC in 1995.

It is especially impressive seeing he took over a program that had won 121 games over its first 63 seasons.

It was also his 54th ODAC win in 15 seasons. Prior to his arrival, BC had only 19 ODAC wins over the first 19 seasons since the conference's inception in 1976.

Again, congrats to Coach Clark. Great coach, and an even better man.

Ditto those comments! In time of celebration he even took time to thank every parent, president, family member, past player, and fan he could get in. A class person, coach, father, and man!

[hasanova]

Add my congratulations to Coach Clark.  Well done!  He's definitely taken BC to heights not seen in their earlier football history.

Speaking of the football evolution and conference affliations of many of the current ODAC teams, Guilford was a member of the NAIA Carolinas Conference (CC) in my college days - football members were teams such as Elon, Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Presbyterian, Newberry and others.   Prior to the CC, there was a league called, I think, the Old North State Conference.  When most of the CC teams opted to form the NCAA DII South Athletic Conference in the early '80s, Guilford became an NAIA independent until joining the ODAC in 1991.  GC's schedules have always had a strong sampling of most current ODAC opponents.  In fact, in one memorable game (and jacketlawyer this is for you!), the Quakers broke a 32-game losing streak at Homecoming in 1973 against RMC!  The goalposts did come down!  

[wrighthall220]

Congrats to BC and to Coach Clark on #100.   Coach Clark is a class act and a great attitude towards coaching, I for one am glad I had the chance to play for the man. 

[EaglesNest]

Consisted of a lot more than those schools, though, in other sports and in other decades. Catholic, American, University of Baltimore ... others I can't remember offhand.

In the 1960's Bridgewater was a member of the Mason-Dixon Conference.  The Conference had both a Northern and Southern Division and was around for a lot of years.  Most football playing schools were in the Southern Division:  Bridgewater, Hampden-Sydney, Shepherd, Randolph-Macon, and Gallaudet, as I recall.Shepherd actually was a member of two different conferences in those days. Lynchburg and Roanoke also were in the Southern Division, but did not have football teams.  In the Northern Division, again going on memory, the football schools were Western Maryland, now McDaniel, Catholic and John Hopkins, plus a number of schools that did not play football, including Loyola, Mount Saint Mary's, UMBC and American University.  All-Conference teams were selected from the Conference as a whole, not separate Northern and Southern Division selections, and Southern Division and Northern Division schools played each other, but not every Northern Division school played every Southern Division school.  Emory & Henry, W&L and Guilford were not in the Mason-Dixon Conference, although Bridgewater played W & L on a yearly basis and Guilford from time to time.  There was no Division I, II or III at the time, I believe even small schools were permitted to grant athletic scholarships, and Mason-Dixon teams played a lot of schools that today are Division II teams,  particularly from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.  I think it was in 1969 that Randolph-Macon, as Mason-Dixon Champions, played Bridgeport, then a school of 9,000-10,000 students, in the televised Knute Rockne Bowl in Atlantic City and won 47-28.

[Jacketlawyer]

Consisted of a lot more than those schools, though, in other sports and in other decades. Catholic, American, University of Baltimore ... others I can't remember offhand.

In the 1960's Bridgewater was a member of the Mason-Dixon Conference.  The Conference had both a Northern and Southern Division and was around for a lot of years.  Most football playing schools were in the Southern Division:  Bridgewater, Hampden-Sydney, Shepherd, Randolph-Macon, and Gallaudet, as I recall.Shepherd actually was a member of two different conferences in those days. Lynchburg and Roanoke also were in the Southern Division, but did not have football teams.  In the Northern Division, again going on memory, the football schools were Western Maryland, now McDaniel, Catholic and John Hopkins, plus a number of schools that did not play football, including Loyola, Mount Saint Mary's, UMBC and American University.  All-Conference teams were selected from the Conference as a whole, not separate Northern and Southern Division selections, and Southern Division and Northern Division schools played each other, but not every Northern Division school played every Southern Division school.  Emory & Henry, W&L and Guilford were not in the Mason-Dixon Conference, although Bridgewater played W & L on a yearly basis and Guilford from time to time.  There was no Division I, II or III at the time, I believe even small schools were permitted to grant athletic scholarships, and Mason-Dixon teams played a lot of schools that today are Division II teams,  particularly from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.  I think it was in 1969 that Randolph-Macon, as Mason-Dixon Champions, played Bridgeport, then a school of 9,000-10,000 students, in the televised Knute Rockne Bowl in Atlantic City and won 47-28.

Very scholarly!!   Thanks for putting it up here!  And it is, of course, correct. 8)

[Ralph Turner]

+1 Eagles Nest!

Thanks for the response.


Whole lotta changes since then!