The latest dominos in a series of moves involving area high school sports conferences fell Tuesday night as the Bellwood-Antis school board voted 7-2 to approve a move to the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.

Hope Ray and Seth Sager voted against the move.

Tyrone Area High School’s school board also approved a move into the LHAC unanimously on Tuesday. Hollidaysburg previously approved the LHAC move in all sports except football in March.

“This was not a decision we took lightly at Bellwood-Antis,” B-A athletic director Charlie Burch said. “Significant thought and conversation went into this process from the school board, administration, coaches and community. In the end, this decision was thought to be the best for our student athletes. Now that the decision has been made, Bellwood-Antis will jump in head first and go all in to the Laurel Highlands’ newly expanded league. I will work closely with the athletic directors to get the best fit for Bellwood-Antis and all of the schools involved.”

The proposed LHAC super conference, which once included up to 28 teams before Conemaugh Valley opted to join the Heritage Conference, had been taking some hits recently.

Somerset County schools Meyersdale and Berlin Brothersvalley, which had previously been board-approved to join the new LHAC, changed course and recently voted to join the Inter-County Conference. North Star joined those two schools on a board vote Tuesday, and Conemaugh Township dropped plans to join the LHAC and announced it would be joining the Heritage Conference on Tuesday.

“The Heritage Conference not only provides our student-athletes competitive opportunities, but the Heritage also provides unique opportunities and the platform for all Conemaugh Township students to share and grow their talents in the academics and arts,” Conemaugh Township principal Jim Foster said. “Being inclusive, recognizing and celebrating all students made the decision to join the Heritage Conference the best decision for Conemaugh Township. We look forward to contributing to the continued success of the Heritage Conference.”

Windber, which approved a move to the new LHAC in February, appears to still be committed to the move.

“We look forward to working with all that decide to join the LHAC,” Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Executive Director Scott Close said. “Once it is determined who all will be joining the league, we will work on finalizing sections and schedules for the 2023-24 season.”

Bellwood-Antis has dominated the Inter-County Conference in many sports for decades but will be playing its final year in the conference in 2022-2023.

“Best of luck to them,” Inter-County Conference Executive Director and Northern Bedford athletic director Jeff Batzel said. “They need to do what they need to do for their student athletes.”

The Blue Devils’ anticipated move led to the ICC changing its stance on Meyersdale, Berlin Brothersvalley and North Star joining the league in all sports.

“They had applied to come into the conference,” Batzel said. “We shot back with a football-only proposal at one point, because we thought the numbers were too big in the other sports, but then with Bellwood leaving almost becoming a lock, we went back to all sports. We were pretty sure what Philipsburg was going to do, pretty sure what Bellwood was going to do and Conemaugh Valley had already announced they were going to the Heritage. Three schools were eliminated from the mix. At our winter meeting it was discussed, and we wondered if it was manageable now. We decided that it was and to be forward thinking and go with it. It was a group decision after a lot of discussion.”

Burch said Bellwood’s decision was a tough one.

“I will miss the friendships, connections and rivalries that myself and Bellwood-Antis have created with the ICC over many years,” Burch said. “I personally have been involved with the ICC as a coach for close to 30 years in football and track. This is my fourth year as athletic director, and I was welcomed with open arms my first day. In sports that allow out-of-league competition, I will be reaching out to my ICC friends and colleagues to compete when we can.”

Early plans for the LHAC expanded football conference would allow each team one “rivalry” week game out of conference. Hollidaysburg will not be part of the LHAC in football but could play member schools in non-conference games.

“There could be some sections in some sports that are slightly varied in other sports,” Burch said. “For example, football could look a little different than basketball. I am excited and looking forward to the new league. We will be getting together as athletic directors shortly.”

Portage is set to join the Heritage Conference as a full-time member next year while Conemaugh Valley and Conemaugh Township join the league in 2023-2024. Cambria Heights entered the Heritage starting this school year.

“Conemaugh Township is a great addition to our conference,” Heritage Conference President Jody Rainey said. “The values and goals of their leadership team mesh perfectly with the mission of our conference. We are excited to have them as a willing partner to create positive and enriching experiences for the students of our conference schools.”

The Mirror’s Andrew Mollenauer and Cati Keith contributed to this story.