By TOM LUCKIE III

OGDENSBURG -- The Ogdensburg City School District Board of Education continued discussion concerning the topic of sports mergers with other districts at Monday's meeting.

During the first review of the board's revised sports merger policy, discussion centered around the unique roster situations presented by each specific sport, including the number of student athletes necessary to field an adequate and competitive team.

Superintendent Timothy Vernsey stated that last year's wrestling team was unable to field enough participants to fill all of the weight classes and had to forfeit matches despite the addition of athletes from outside the district.

Board President Ronald Johnson suggested that the issue of mergers is a lot more complicated than it looks on the surface and a committee of several board members be formed to meet with coaches and athletes from each respective sport.

"We haven't talked to any athletes about this. I would like to know what the kids think," Johnson said.

Citing the board's recent denial of the request for a boys modified lacrosse merger from Lisbon Central School for the spring 2017 season, board member James King expressed concerns over the process of preemptively voting on a merger that is currently two sports seasons away.

While last year's boys modified lacrosse team fielded a large roster consisting of 30 students from OFA, along with one student from Heuvelton Central and another from Morristown Central, the projected roster size for the spring season is currently unknown.

"I think to deny the merger request this early without finding out the numbers just a little closer to the deadline would be a disservice to some of these kids that want an opportunity to play," King said.