LOWER MERION – After months of discussion, Lower Merion and Harriton High School will merge their football programs into a single, cooperative team beginning with the 2027–28 academic year.
Lower Merion School District Superintendent Frank Ranelli made the announcement in a letter to the community earlier this week.
“I wanted to let you know that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), at their October meeting, approved LMSD’s application to form a cooperative Lower Merion and Harriton (merged) football team, beginning with the 2027 football season,” Ranelli wrote in his letter.
The decision follows a push by parents and a petition signed by more than 300 community members to address shrinking rosters, declining competitiveness, and student-athlete safety. Concerns peaked in September 2026 when Harriton abruptly suspended its varsity season because of low participation after an opening 53-0 loss to Pottstown before the decision to cancel.
In May, the Lower Merion Board of School Directors held a special meeting to discuss what to do with the district’s football programs.
At that meeting, board member Anna Shurak moved to add an agenda item to create a cooperative football program.
At the May meeting, Shurak explained that a cooperative program is legal language in PIAA rules that allows the district to apply to combine the teams.
Ranelli said he will meet in the coming weeks with school principals, athletic directors, and football coaches to work out the merger details.
“We will look at all the relevant logistical topics and the impact on related activities such as cheer and pep band,” Ranelli wrote.
Ranelli said the district will update the community on the process in the coming weeks and months.
“While thoughtfully implementing this change to our high school football programs will require a lot of work, the goal is to create a sustainable program that prioritizes the safety of our student athletes while preserving their opportunities to participate,” Ranelli wrote.