BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Oak Hills has accepted an invitational to join the Greater Miami Conference beginning in the school year 2000-2001.
The opening for a 10th team came about after the GMC asked Lima, a charter member of the league, to withdraw due to extensive travel requirements. Lima officials agreed to pull out after the 1999-2000 school year.
"Our superintendent (Patricia Brenneman) worked hard to get this through," Oak Hills athletic director Dick Haucke said. "Representatives from the nine GMC schools visited Oak Hills and were impressed with the facilities. The vote was 9-0 to accept us into the league."
A letter from from Jim Quatman, Milford Principal and GMC Replacement Committee Co-Chairman, no only expressed approval of the facilities but also the "honest responses to the questions."
"Our constitution calls for this commitment to be for a minimum of six years," Quatman wrote. "All of the members of the GMC are looking forward to a long and positive relationship with Oak Hills."
As a result of seven league games in football and at least 15 in basketball, Haucke knows that some of the traditional games must be put on hold.
"We'll definitely continue playing Western Hills, Elder and LaSalle or Harrison in football," Haucke said. "As for basketball, we'd like to keep Elder, Western Hills, LaSalle and St. X."
Next season, Oak Hills will play as an independent with only eight homes games scheduled in the new 2,500 seat basketball gym that will be ready for use in September.
