VINCENT — When Warren High plays Marietta High football in the fall of 2020, bragging rights won’t be the only thing on the line.

Then, it will also be a league game, just like in the old days of the Southeast Ohio Athletic Conference when both schools were members. Right now, when the Warriors and Tigers compete on the athletic fields, it’s a non-conference contest.

But that’s all going to change.

The Warriors have been invited to join the East Central Ohio League (ECOL) as a full participant in all sports in 2020-21, and the school board has unanimously accepted the invite.

“It’s always good to get an invitation instead of asking to join,” said WHS Athletic Director Steve Harold, laughing. “And the school board stepped up and did the right thing. It’s a real good move for us. There are so many positives.”

Added Warren principal/baseball coach Ryan Lemley, “We’re actually hoping that we will be competing in spring sports in the back half of 2020. But we’ll just have to wait and see on that one.

“By the way, Steve Harold deserves all the credit. He’s been working hard on this. And he did a great job of selling our programs. Also, it didn’t hurt that Rick Guimond (Marietta AD) put a good word in for us.”

When Warren begins competing in the ECOL, the other league members will be Marietta, New Philadelphia, Dover, Zanesville, and Cambridge.

“It’s my understanding, Coshocton, River View, and Meadowbrook will be transitioning out (of the ECOL) and joining the MVL (Muskingum Valley League),” Harold said. “So, sure, there will be some travel to New Philadelphia and Dover. But we’ve been assured that in football, we’ll never have to travel to both schools in the same season.”

Three years ago, traveling was the biggest reason why Warren turned down an invite to join the ECOL. At the time, the Warriors were one of four remaining members of the SEOAL and just beginning to compete in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (OVAC).

“It’s a much different league now than it was in 2015,” Harold said. “Because there’s been some movement (Coshocton, River View, and Meadowbrook).”

Back in 2015, Warren also inquired about becoming members of the Tri-Valley Conference (TVC) and the MVL — and was turned down. Interestingly, the Warriors were part of the TVC several years ago before joining the SEOAL, then one of the state’s oldest and most prestigious athletic conferences.

In the spring of 2017, the SEOAL folded with just three remaining members — Warren, Logan, and Jackson. Marietta had left the league at the end of the 2010-11 school year to join the ECOL.

While still an OVAC member (The OVAC has no mandatory scheduling.), the Warriors essentially are an independent.

“I think it was frustrating not being in a league,” Lemley said. “And being an independent was not the way to go.”

Added Harold, “Joining the ECOL is really a win-win for everybody, especially the kids and coaches. They’ll get to play quality competition, and they’ll get the league athletic and academic honors.”