Vikings leave South Coast Conference, join Mayflower

Beginning in September 2023, Wareham High School will be competing in the Mayflower Conference and leaving the South Coast Conference.

According to Athletic Director Edward Rodrigues, the Mayflower Conference will be more compatible with Wareham athletics “level, ability and size.”

Wareham has a smaller enrollment than other schools in the South Coast Conference, with the largest disparity being close to 1,500 students, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The enrollment differences between the schools within the conference was significantly lower 20 years ago, said Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino.

“What has happened over time is that the regional schools have gotten a lot bigger,” said Palladino. “The more students you have coming out for athletics, ultimately the more competitive your teams are.”

As Wareham’s competitors grew, the high school decided it was time for change to have a more “balanced athletic program,” said Palladino.

“We thought that it was in the best interest of our student athletes to switch to a league that is similar in size to our enrollment,” he said.

The Mayflower Conference consists of 16 schools, including Upper Cape Regional Technical High School, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School and Atlantis Charter School.

Every Wareham team will be a part of the Mayflower Conference with the exception of the boys’ basketball team, who will follow an independent schedule.

The boys’ basketball team were named the Division 4 State Champions in 2023 and South Coast Conference Champions in 2022. In the upcoming season, the team will be able to schedule opponents with similar standings.

Palladino said that the coaches and players are excited for the transition into the Mayflower Conference.

“We are optimistic that this league will be more competitive for our teams,” said Rodrigues.