Lynn Classical and Lynn English are officially leaving the Northeastern Conference.
Following a unanimous vote of NEC school principals Friday afternoon, the two Lynn schools have been given clearance to leave the NEC for the Greater Boston League beginning in Fall 2021.
“I’m glad to see the league went with this and made it a smooth transition,” said English Athletic Director Dick Newton. “This is pretty much how I expected things would go, and I think it’s a great move for both sides. We move into an eight-team league, they get their league to 10 teams and scheduling is easier for everyone. This is going to be a great thing for everyone involved.”
“We’re incredibly excited to join the GBL, and I’d like to thank (Lynn) Mayor Thomas McGee, (Lynn) Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, the Lynn School Committee, Classical Principal Amy Dunn and all of the NEC principals for their work and support throughout this process,” said Classical Athletic Director Bill Devin. “We feel that this really is the best fit for both sides, and we’re still going to look forward to scheduling and playing our NEC foes in our non-conference games going forward.”
The GBL is currently made up of Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere and Somerville. The NEC is currently made up of Classical, English, Saugus, Swampscott, Beverly, Danvers, Winthrop, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem Gloucester and Masconomet.
All of the schools in the current iteration of the GBL were previously in the NEC, as the two leagues merged for a pilot program from 2017-2019.
The process of English and Classical leaving the NEC has been in the works for a couple of months now, and that process was kicked into high gear last week when the GBL schools voted unanimously to welcome both into the league.
“It was an easy decision and we are thrilled as a league that Lynn Classical and Lynn English wanted to become part of the Greater Boston League,” Malden High School principal and GBL president Chris Mastrangelo said at the time of the vote. “We will become a stronger, eight-team league with these two great additions. Moving forward, we believe the GBL will be the premier, urban-based league in Massachusetts.”
Next up for Classical and English is working to hopefully play sports this winter. After the Lynn School Committee athletic subcommittee expressed verbal support for finding a way to play sports during its meeting last week, Devin and Newton are feeling cautiously optimistic.
“Cautiously optimistic would be the right way to frame it,” said Newton. “There’s still a lot of work we have to do, the School Committee has to approve a plan and then the Department of Health would have to approve, but we’re hopeful.”
“I certainly understand all of the concerns and I know there are plenty of hurdles ahead, but based on looking at the modifications for winter sports, I think this is doable for us in some capacity,” said Devin. “Safety is of the utmost importance for all of us, and we’re hoping that we’ll be able to work out a way to safely allow our kids to return to sports.”