Well, that didn't last long: Carmel & Center Grove rejoining the MIC

[Muda69]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/09/11/indiana-high-school-sports-carmel-center-grove-return-to-mic-conference-ihsaa-voted-back-in/86090949007/

Quote

Nearly four years after Carmel and Center Grove were voted out of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, two of the original members of the MIC are rejoining one of the preeminent high school conferences in the Midwest.

The six schools in the current MIC and the two “newcomers” made the joint announcement Thursday after the two schools have been voted back into the league by administrators from Ben Davis, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Pike and Warren Central.

“It just felt natural for us to be in a conference,” Center Grove superintendent Bill Long told IndyStar on Thursday. “I told our school board before, too, to get in a conference you either have to break one up or somehow make one. The odds of us creating a conference were not very good. Everybody sees what happens when you are not in a conference.”

Carmel and Center Grove would begin as full members of the MIC in 2026-27. The reunification comes after the pair were voted out of the conference in December of 2021 after applying for membership in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference (which did not vote them in).

Even before the HCC administrators voted on Carmel and Center Grove, MIC principals voted them out, sending out a statement that read, in part: “We value the historical relationships with these two communities, and while this news was sad to those of us who understand the rich history, we also understand that these two schools no longer share the vision that we are more than an athletic conference, that athletics should not drive our decisions, and that our unique characteristics are what make us strong.”

.....

Since being voted out of the MIC, Carmel and Center Grove have operated as independent programs in athletics, a burden when it comes to scheduling. Center Grove played five out-of-state opponents in football to start the 2023 season. There was also a public fracture between Carmel and Center Grove in 2023, when Carmel asked to cancel future games and events in all sports with Center Grove, though that relationship has mended as the schools have started playing again in several sports; the football teams were already scheduled to play again next year in the “Copper Kettle” rivalry game after a three-year hiatus.

The scheduling issues filtered to other sports, even down to the middle school levels.

“(Not being in a conference) had a big impact on us in our football schedule, for example, and started trickling down to our middle schools,” Long said. “Last year we went to Fort Wayne to play a middle school football game. This year we are driving to Tecumseh to play a middle school football game. That’s just not really sustainable, especially with tightening budgets, to be able to travel like that. We always knew it was important for us to be in a conference and my preference was for us to get back into the MIC. I have a lot of respect for the principals, superintendents and athletic directors in the MIC and that’s where we feel we needed to be.”

....

 

[btownqbcoach1]

I'm sorry.. who's driving to Tecumseh for a middle school game? 

[temptation]

Guess they had their required racial reckoning...

I am going to lay the over under at 18.5 on number of conference titles won by one of these two in the 22 sanctioned IHSAA sports.

Anybody taking the under?

[First_Backer_Inside]

7 minutes ago, temptation said:

Guess they had their required racial reckoning...

I am going to lay the over under at 18.5 on number of conference titles won by one of these two in the 22 sanctioned IHSAA sports.

Anybody taking the under?

I'm not sure I would even take under 19.5. 20.5 you got a deal.

[Trojanmp52]

Old news lol i knew about weeks ago. I was going to start a thread ask if they should rejoin and see what ppl said lol. With the site down I could not

[BDGiant93]

Welcome back!

[tango]

2 hours ago, btownqbcoach1 said:

I'm sorry.. who's driving to Tecumseh for a middle school game? 

My thought exactly. A top 6A school driving 2.5 hrs to play a tiny 1A school? Makes no sense whatsoever. 

[Lucy Draper]

2 hours ago, btownqbcoach1 said:

I'm sorry.. who's driving to Tecumseh for a middle school game? 

I assumed they were talking about Tecumseh Middle School in Lafayette that feeds into Lafayette Jefferson High School

[Boilernation]

2 hours ago, temptation said:

Guess they had their required racial reckoning...

I am going to lay the over under at 18.5 on number of conference titles won by one of these two in the 22 sanctioned IHSAA sports.

Anybody taking the under?

No. Not at all. I'm really surprised the MIC welcomed them back. Ignoring the racial comments made by certain representatives of the MIC when the first split happened, only a few football and basketball programs in the MIC can compete with Carmel and Center Grove. Why not stick to OOC scheduling as it's currenty happening as opposed to eliminating any chance a majjority of your athletic departmnet has at winnign a Conference title? 

[btownqbcoach1]

36 minutes ago, Lucy Draper said:

I assumed they were talking about Tecumseh Middle School in Lafayette that feeds into Lafayette Jefferson High School

Ok this would make more sense lol 

[WestfieldRocks]

2 hours ago, Boilernation said:

No. Not at all. I'm really surprised the MIC welcomed them back. Ignoring the racial comments made by certain representatives of the MIC when the first split happened, only a few football and basketball programs in the MIC can compete with Carmel and Center Grove. Why not stick to OOC scheduling as it's currenty happening as opposed to eliminating any chance a majjority of your athletic departmnet has at winnign a Conference title? 

Plus, few can compete with these two schools in the sports other than the two you mentioned. That also includes girls sports. Maybe in track, wrestling, that's about it.

[23andCounting]

5 hours ago, temptation said:

Guess they had their required racial reckoning...

I am going to lay the over under at 18.5 on number of conference titles won by one of these two in the 22 sanctioned IHSAA sports.

Anybody taking the under?

I'll take the under. I'm rolling with 17.

[HoopsCoach]

As Jerry said to Elaine and David Puddy, “Clearly, no one else can stand to be with either one of you.”

[Indiana Fan]

Finally. Better for kids. Better for everyone involved. Really curious to see if the actual Copper kettle comes back for CG and Carmel. Have heard from some a close source that it will not be brought back for that game.

[Boilernation]

52 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Finally. Better for kids. Better for everyone involved. Really curious to see if the actual Copper kettle comes back for CG and Carmel. Have heard from some a close source that it will not be brought back for that game.

How is it better for everyone involved? Carmel and Center Grove's AD Departments? Sure. It eases their scheduling. Current MIC athletes? Not so much. Playing for 3rd place in conference across a majority of male and female sports. 

Edited September 12, 2025 by Boilernation

[PHJIrish]

So, they're putting the old band back together!  No surprise.

[Rodney]

10 hours ago, temptation said:

Guess they had their required racial reckoning...

I am going to lay the over under at 18.5 on number of conference titles won by one of these two in the 22 sanctioned IHSAA sports.

Anybody taking the under?

they must have read my post

[Indiana Fan]

11 hours ago, Boilernation said:

How is it better for everyone involved? Carmel and Center Grove's AD Departments? Sure. It eases their scheduling. Current MIC athletes? Not so much. Playing for 3rd place in conference across a majority of male and female sports. 

Used to not be like that. I don’t see that in basketball. So if teams are good you just kick them out of a conference? HCC didn’t let them in either. 

[Boilernation]

59 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Used to not be like that. I don’t see that in basketball. So if teams are good you just kick them out of a conference? HCC didn’t let them in either. 

How many IHSAA sponsored sports do MIC teams play that will be completely dominated by Center Grove and Carmel? I don't blame Carmel and Center Grove at all for jumping on this opportunity as they were not getting invited to another conference. The MIC can do what they want, but a lot of current voting members just voted for a majority of their athletic department to be competing for 3rd place finishes. They certainly have the right to make that decision. 

Edited September 12, 2025 by Boilernation

[US31]

The gate revenue for home games in FB and BBall are going to improve...

[jets]

20 hours ago, Lucy Draper said:

I assumed they were talking about Tecumseh Middle School in Lafayette that feeds into Lafayette Jefferson High School

No...I'm pretty sure they are coming South. Tecumseh has a powerhouse 7th grade and wants to showcase them (from what I've heard) 

[Gipper]

Probably the best thing.

[temptation]

Gonna have some fun with this one.

Center Grove - 63

Ben Davis - 35

Trojans now 2-0 in the MIC, out scoring opponents 87-41.

[BDGiant93]

9 minutes ago, temptation said:

Gonna have some fun with this one.

Center Grove - 63

Ben Davis - 35

Trojans now 2-0 in the MIC, out scoring opponents 87-41.

Wasn't pretty. Pretty much the same script as many BD/CG games lately. Close first half only to see BD get throttled in the second. BD has to find some answers on D. 

11 hours ago, US31 said:

The gate revenue for home games in FB and BBall are going to improve...

We've had good gates in boys basketball at BD in the last few years...especially for MIC games.

[Trojanmp52]

20 hours ago, BDGiant93 said:

Wasn't pretty. Pretty much the same script as many BD/CG games lately. Close first half only to see BD get throttled in the second. BD has to find some answers on D. 

We've had good gates in boys basketball at BD in the last few years...especially for MIC games.

Not sure we watch the day game BD was able to kind of  get back in the game on a I would say very questionable call