PREBLE COUNTY — A new athletic league will be formed soon and it will most likely include four Preble County schools.

First, National Trail, Tri-County North and Twin Valley South, along with seven other schools currently in the Cross County Conference informed the conference they intended to leave.

Soon after, Preble Shawnee announced it plans to leave the Southwestern Buckeye League — a league they’ve called home for more than 35 years.

The plan is to form a new 12-team league.

The Board of Control of the Cross County Conference received letters from the schools of Ansonia, Arcanum, Bradford, Franklin Monroe, Mississinawa Valley, National Trail, Newton, Tri-County North, Tri-Village, and Twin Valley South stating their intention to exit from membership in the Cross County Conference, the league announced in late February.

“By the Cross County Conference Constitution, these schools will remain on the Cross County Conference schedules for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, unless a shorter exit period is mutually agreed upon by all schools. It was noted that each of the ten schools in their letter has requested an early exit at the end of the 2019-2020 school year,” the league stated in a press release.

The discussion on an early exit by the ten schools will be held at a later date.

Preble Shawnee made its decision public earlier this month via a press release.

“Preble Shawnee High School has informed the Southwestern Buckeye League (SWBL) of our intention to join a new conference with eleven other area schools. Once the new conference is officially created, Preble Shawnee will deliver notice to the SWBL. Currently, there is discussion among all schools regarding optimal timing for a smooth transition for all leagues/conferences impacted,” school officials said.

“The SWBL requires a one-year notice to leave, however, other schools may currently be in leagues/conferences requiring two. We will make a decision in the coming months that will be in the best interest of Preble Shawnee High School, our fellow SWBL schools, and the eleven schools creating our new conference. As longtime members of the SWBL, we are grateful for the rivalries, sportsmanship, positive experiences, and friendships we have shared with our league schools over the past 35+ years.

“Once we are able to withdraw officially from the SWBL, we will communicate the action to all interested stakeholders. For now, we will continue to work with the eleven schools to create a new premier athletic conference in western Ohio.”