The Pleasant Valley High School board of education "respectfully declined" an invitation to join the
, board president Tom Murphy confirmed in a text message tonight.
The motion was denied 6-0, with three board members absent.
Colonial League president Tom Moll admitted he wasn't surprised at the decision.
"I think over the last couple of weeks as a league we heard some stuff they were going to decline," said Moll, also the athletic director at Catasauqua. "We understand that and respect that. Everybody has to do what's in the best interest of their own school and that's what they had to do. We had heard they met with their coaches and their coaches were against it. ... It sort of makes sense since they're a AAAA school."
Last month the Colonial League made an effort to expand its members, so associate members Notre Dame of East Stroudsburg and Moravian Academy were promoted to full-time programs.
In an effort to further expand and include larger schools, the
to join beginning in the 2014-15 season.
Both programs are currently members of the Mountain Valley Conference. Lehighton is scheduled to join the Schuylkill League in 2014.
Moll said the Colonial League officers will meet Friday morning and discuss the contingency plan, which includes extending an offer to a third school, which he preferred not to name, and then wait on their response.
Sources earlier said Jim Thorpe was the backup school to be offered an invitation should Lehighton or Pleasant Valley reject the move.
"We had a third school on our list should one of the first two decline," Moll said. "We'll get in touch with them as soon as possible."