Hornell and Arkport will have a merged high school football program at all levels in the fall under a proposal before the school boards in both districts.
The Hornell Board of Education approved a measure Wednesday night for Hornell to combine with Arkport to create one team for the 2024-25 football season.
A resolution with the same language will be voted on by the Arkport Board of Education April 10.
If approved, Arkport students may participate in the Hornell High School football program at all levels, modified, junior varsity and varsity.
The football-only merger between the neighboring districts would be done under a process outlined by Section V , district officials said.
Arkport Central School does not have a football program, while the Hornell Red Raiders have a proud football tradition that includes three straight undefeated seasons capped by state titles from 2009-2011, plus another state finals appearance in 2012 .
While the football merger resolutions are currently for only one season, officials see it as way to expand opportunities to more student athletes while strengthening Hornell's football program in the years ahead.
Football merger would create more opportunities for student athletes
Hornell Superintendent Jeremy Palotti said the districts are following a process governed by Section V.
“This is the only way that students who attend two different school districts can participate in a varsity team sport together," Palotti said. "The process allows for this to occur and uses a formula that takes into account our enrollment and a portion of their enrollment to determine classification."
Young athletes from the communities surrounding Hornell have long participated in the Hornell youth football program, but those players have had limited opportunities in high schools where football is not offered.
“Given Arkport currently does not have a football program, this will feel less like a merger of two schools football programs as we recently saw with LeRoy and Cal-Mum, and more like the offering of an opportunity to another school that does not currently offer this program," Palotti said.
Arkport and the Canaseraga Central School District field combined teams as the Arkport-Canseraga Wolves i n both girls and boys interscholastic athletics.
The football merger would have no impact on that partnership, Arkport Superintendent Jesse Harper said.
"The proposed merger of football with Hornell will benefit both schools. For Arkport, it represents another example of how the district continues to find new opportunities to engage our students in and out of the classroom," Harper added.
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No plans to change Hornell Red Raiders branding
Will the team be known as the Hornell-Arkport Red Raiders?
"That’s typically how it works, but we haven’t talked about that. We're not there yet in terms of the conversation," Palotti said.
There is no desire to rebrand the Hornell Red Raiders football program, as far as uniforms and colors.
“We are not looking at changing branding. That has not been a conversation we have explored," Palotti said. "We are technically a merged team, but we are not interested in investing the dollars to re-do things."
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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell, Arkport headed to combined football program for 2024 season. What we know.
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