BARBERTON — Barring an unex­pected turn of events, Shaker Heights will be approved as the newest mem­ber of the Northeast Ohio Conference at the league’s December meeting.

The Raiders were one of two schools to apply for Lakewood’s spot in the 18-team circuit, but Barberton opted to withdraw from considera­tion late last week.

“We are still looking for a league, but it was in the best interest of our district to make this decision,” Magics athletic director Jay Glaze said. “The travel that would have been involved, along with the economic situation we’re facing, would have made NOC membership more difficult than we first envisioned.”

Ironically, Barberton had been the only applicant for the opening until the final days of the 3½-month search process. Shaker Heights, however, gave the league an option when it filed the proper paperwork just before Halloween.

Now, the Raiders are a lock to replace the Rangers at the start of the 2012-13 school year — unless they also withdraw from consideration. Lakewood is leaving to join the West Shore Conference.

“Shaker Heights will make a pres­entation to the rest of the league next month, but since they’re the only school that will be doing so, it’s pretty easy to see how things should play out,” NOC commissioner Dan Gerome said.

The Raiders are longtime rivals with Mentor, which is entering the confer­ence next season. They also fit into the league’s unofficial plan of establishing a strong presence on the East side of Cleveland, where Solon, Mayfield and Brush are charter NOC members.

Barberton, meanwhile, will begin life as an independent in 2011-12 after it exits the Suburban League. It had attempted to partner with the Akron City Series in a Greater Akron conference, but those plans have been indefinitely shelved.

Current NOC member Nordonia will assume the Magics’ spot in the SL. In other major news, the NOC has formally approved a realignment of all three of its divisions in football, but not without some angst and a handful of unhappy members.

River Division champion Twins­burg was forced to move up to the elite Valley Division, where it will join Brunswick, Medina, Solon, Strongsville and Mentor.

Mayfield was bumped down from the Valley to the River, while Lake Division champ North Royalton was promoted to the River. Current members Elyria, Hudson, Stow and Cuyahoga Falls round out that divi­sion.

The Lake will add ex-River member Lakewood to current pigskin squads Parma, Nor­mandy, Valley Forge, Brush and Garfield Heights.

“Larry and I believe whole­heartedly that we belong in the Valley, so we’re pleased with how it all turned out,” said Bees athletic director Jeff Har­rison, referring to football coach Larry Laird.

“When the (multi-year cumulative) computer points shook out for the entire NOC, we fell into the middle divi­sion, but that wasn’t where we wanted to be. We’ve got 2,400 kids in this high school. We can compete in the Valley. We just have to raise the bar — and we’ll do that.”

Still undecided are how the league will handle shifting teams in volleyball and soccer for the fall 2011 campaigns.

The former sport has turned into a jigsaw puzzle, with Brunswick attempting to join the top division and Stow will­ing to drop out of it, but only if corresponding moves are made to satisfy Solon and Hudson, among others.

Gerome said he expects the volleyball and soccer situa­tions to be resolved in Decem­ber.

Contact Brian Dulik at brisports@hotmail.com.

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