FREELAND -- Long regarded as one of the top athletic conferences in Mid-Michigan, the Big Nine will disband, following the announcement that the four remaining schools will join the Saginaw Valley League for the 2012-13 school year.

Carman-Ainsworth, Davison, Flushing and Flint Powers will be joined in the SVL by current independent Flint Northwestern, making the SVL a two-division power league.

"There's been a process to the whole thing. Until you have the vote in hand, you never know," said Saginaw Valley League Executive Director Pete Ryan on Tuesday.

Current SVL athletic directors expressed concern about added travel with the new league, but in the end they voted to accept the five schools.

The new Saginaw Valley League will be divided up into two divisions.

Despite the loss of schools such as Swartz Creek, Owosso and Kearsley in recent years, the Big Nine had remained relevant on a statewide level.

Flint Powers won a division 4 state football championship in 2005, and the Chargers basketball program has become a state powerhouse under head coach Tim Herman, capturing a class B state championship in 2009.

The Davison football program reached the 2008 state semifinals as well.