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Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 5:06 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Wed Sep 16, 2020 2:10 pm
Two of the three schools that joined the Lewis & Clark after the dissolution of the Tri-Rivers Conference are now at risk of falling out of the LCC. Knox County will be switching to eight-man football next year, going against the LCC's requirement that schools participate in 11-man. Schuyler R-I made the switch this year but still remains in the LCC for other sports. Like Schuyler, Knox's quiz bowl team has been fairly active.
The LCC recently voted against removing Knox and Schuyler. Some by-law changes will need to take place later this year.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 6:21 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
A bit late in learning about this (as well as posting), but Stockton has moved from the Mid-Lakes Conference to the Southwest.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2022 8:31 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Fire up the carousel again! Clinton's school board recently discussed an invite from the Ozark Highlands Conference at their most recent board meeting. If the Cardinals do make the move, they'd be in a more tight-knit conference with schools closer to their size, rather than being the smaller member of the MRVC West, not to mention furthest away from the Missouri River.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 10:49 am
by L-Town Expatriate
And the carousel's cranking up! Versailles is on its way to the Ozark Highlands; a decision from Clinton is still pending.

Meanwhile, Marceline's decided to make its way west to the Grand River Conference in 2024. A majority of Lewis and Clark members have included MOQBA tournaments in their schedules; here's hoping that the Tigers will share that enthusiasm with their future GRC compatriots.

As usual, it's football driving the bus. Both Paris and Princeton announced plans to move to eight-man football, throwing off the lineups of the LCC and GRC. In turn, it could have a ripple effect to Clarence Cannon, NCMC, EMO, and possibly even the CMAC?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2022 5:12 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
And now The Bell Game will be a conference battle. Brookfield will follow neighbors Marceline to the GRC. Interestingly, it wasn’t football but wrestling that sealed the deal.

(addendum 25th Dec, 2100p)
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Tue Dec 20, 2022 10:49 am
Versailles is on its way to the Ozark Highlands; a decision from Clinton is still pending.
Clinton's school board voted 5-2 last week against pursuing membership in the Ozark Highlands.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:14 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Another nugget that slid right past me: Excelsior Springs rejoined the GKCSA, ending a 14-year stint in the MRVC. As a result, the 28 schools are now split into five divisions.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:45 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Tue Dec 20, 2022 10:49 am
In turn, it could have a ripple effect to Clarence Cannon, NCMC, EMO, and possibly even the CMAC?
The ripple effect has reached Fulton, with its school board voting unanimously this week to apply for membership in the Tri-County Central beginning in the 2024-25 school year. A special meeting has been scheduled for February 27th, possibly to follow-up on their application.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:05 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:45 pm
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Tue Dec 20, 2022 10:49 am
In turn, it could have a ripple effect to Clarence Cannon, NCMC, EMO, and possibly even the CMAC?
The ripple effect has reached Fulton, with its school board voting unanimously this week to apply for membership in the Tri-County Central beginning in the 2024-25 school year. A special meeting has been scheduled for February 27th, possibly to follow-up on their application.
And enough Tri-County Central schools said "Thanks, but no thanks" to kibosh Fulton's desired move.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 9:56 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Thu Dec 22, 2022 5:12 pm
And now The Bell Game will be a conference battle. Brookfield will follow neighbors Marceline to the GRC. Interestingly, it wasn’t football but wrestling that sealed the deal.
And now the GRC is splitting into two this summer. One league will have nine (eight-man football) schools, while the other will have seven schools next year, then nine in 2024-25 with the addition of Brookfield and Marceline.

An 18-team conference was going to be real difficult to handle conference titles for most anything, so this ended up being logical.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 2:40 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
A major shake-up in Northeast and Central Missouri will unfold after next year, as seven schools will form a new conference. Fayette and Harrisburg will join from the Lewis & Clark, while Eugene, Linn, New Bloomfield, Russellville and South Callaway will join from the Show-Me Conference. To my knowledge, five of these schools are presently, or about to start playing, 11-man football. (South Callaway had been playing 11-man as an affiliate member of the EMO.)

On the quiz bowl front, the new league (with a name to be determined) should have some great promise with solid squads Eugene and South Callaway regularly going up against a growing Harrisburg program. New Bloomfield has fielded teams at tournaments in the region, while Russellville has been active on the middle school front, and Fayette has had some brought spots over the years. However, this will splinter two solid conferences.

Lewis & Clark has done a great job simultaneously embracing the Tri-County North's triad setup and tougher tournaments as they've appeared in the region. With three schools heading to different conferences in 2024, and possibly followed by two others (Salisbury and Westran) if they want to keep playing 11-man football, the Lewis and Clark will have a significantly different look after next year, most likely by way of a resurrected Tri-Rivers league that was a lynchpin in the formative years of Missouri quiz bowl. That'll likely be a home for North Shelby and possibly even Canton, provided the Tigers add an eight-man football program.

As for the Show-Me Conference... this league has produced two Class One champions (2015 Tuscumbia & 2022 St Elizabeth) and a good number of state-caliber teams. The smaller schools of the Show-Me Conference will need to reload, and it's plausible that they may merge with the Cooper County Activities Association. If that does come to fruition, it would bring those two champs together with a third longtime power, Calvary Lutheran. Also, Bunceton, Jamestown, and Prairie Home. Fatima... could find themselves on the outside looking in?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 7:19 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Thu Jun 15, 2023 2:40 pm
. . . That'll likely be a home for North Shelby . . .
And the Lewis and Clark will be North Shelby's next home, possibly this year for some activities?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:08 pm
by MKCoachAD
Tipton is leaving the Kaysinger Conference and joining the new (still unnamed as of now) conference with Eugene, Fayette, Harrisburg, Linn, New Bloomfield, Russellville, and South Callaway beginning in the 2024-25 school year.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:04 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
MKCoachAD wrote:
Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:08 pm
Tipton is leaving the Kaysinger Conference and joining the new (still unnamed as of now) conference with Eugene, Fayette, Harrisburg, Linn, New Bloomfield, Russellville, and South Callaway beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
And this conference will be known as the Central State 8.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2023 4:28 pm
by Reklaw
Shakeups as the Big 8 loses 3 to the Mid-Lakes. Hollister, Reeds Spring, and Springfield Catholic will join the Mid Lakes next year.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2023 4:36 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Reklaw wrote:
Fri Sep 22, 2023 4:28 pm
Shakeups as the Big 8 loses 3 to the Mid-Lakes. Hollister, Reeds Spring, and Springfield Catholic will join the Mid Lakes next year.
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Wed Dec 21, 2016 6:47 pm
Eight isn't Big enough for Southwest Missouri's Big 8. Try 14:
http://www.ozarkssportszone.com/2016/12 ... 4-schools/
Turns out 14 is too big for the Big 8, then. Any sign of another departure, or might they take their lumps and make Bolivar a 12th member?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:18 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
It would appear that elements of the Ozark, Central Ozarks, and Big 8 are planning to break off and form a six-team conference called the Ozark Mountain Conference. League is expected to involve Bolivar, Branson, Carl Junction, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield, and West Plains.

(Addendum 11th Oct 2023 @ 1035a) It's official.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:24 am
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:18 pm
It would appear that elements of the Ozark, Central Ozarks, and Big 8 are planning to break off and form a six-team conference called the Ozark Mountain Conference. League is expected to involve Bolivar, Branson, Carl Junction, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield, and West Plains.

(Addendum 11th Oct 2023 @ 1035a) It's official.
And Neosho's made public that they along with Willard have received inquiries about joining this new conference. This also follows a report that Hillcrest and Glendale are pushing for membership, which would really make things interesting with the remaining SPS schools, as well as the remaining non-Springfield schools in the Ozark Conference. Paging CMAC?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 2:02 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
And if this report from a Republic sports writer is confirmed, the Ozark Conference is on the verge of imploding with Kickapoo and Glendale offered invites to the COC.

(update @ 1550p, 20th Oct 2023): News-Leader confirms that SPS has received the invites for Kickapoo and Glendale. More crucially is this line:
Springfield News-Leader sports reporter Wyatt Wheeler (emphasis added) wrote:SPS is still in the process of a probable move for Hillcrest and Parkview to join the newly formed Ozark Mountain Conference. The school district petitioned for PHS and HHS to join the OMC but the process is still ongoing.
If the four Springfield schools go through with these new conference overtures, the OC will be left with Springfield Central, Camdenton, Lebanon, Rolla and Waynesville. That... might not be sufficiently viable.

(Addendum @ 1640p, 20th Oct 2023)
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:24 am
And Neosho's made public that they along with Willard have received inquiries about joining this new conference.
Neosho's staying put in the COC after weighing community input.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:57 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Looks like the maintenance crews will need to refit the carousel... there is quite the grinding noise from Springfield.

The Ozark Mountain Conference has accepted just one of the Springfield schools, Hillcrest. Inexplicably, Parkview was left with the short end of the stick. As a result, Kickapoo and Glendale are staying put, allowing the rest of the Ozark Conference (and some schools to the north) to catch their breath for at least the next couple of years... unless the non-Springfield schools stick a fork in it and bolt for the CMAC?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2023 2:31 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:57 pm
As a result, Kickapoo and Glendale are staying put, allowing the rest of the Ozark Conference (and some schools to the north) to catch their breath for at least the next couple of years...
OK, that break lasted 40 hours.

Kickapoo and Glendale are joining the COC.

The conference carousel has gone to plaid.

(update 27th Oct 2023, 1615p) And now it appears that the COC will absorb the Ozark Conference? Lebanon has accepted an invite to join the COC, who will be admitted provided Camdenton, Rolla and Waynesville also accept invites over the weekend. KJEL's report also notes that offers had been extended to the four by the CMAC.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2023 9:18 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
The next 18 hours are going to be interesting along I-44, as Camdenton, Rolla and Waynesville have until 2p to accept their invites to the COC.

According to the Phelps County Focus, it's COC or non-aligned for Rolla, as they've already turned down an offer to join the CMAC. However, potential rumblings to the north & east may be enough for Rolla to put the brakes on the COC's offer to absorb the OC.

Also of note from the article: Vienna is leaving the Gasconade Valley for the Show-Me as part of the latter's effort to shore up its numbers. (I still haven't heard if the reported plan to absorb the nearly century-old CCAA is actually happening.) The Four Rivers could expand, and let's not forget that Fulton's application to join the Tri-County Central was denied earlier this year... might the Hornets still be looking outside the NCMC, and is the Tri-County Central still content with seven if Fatima is still unwilling to start a football program?

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2023 4:32 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
It looks like Central and Parkview will join Kickapoo and Glendale in the COC. Parkview will join Central as a football independent.

SPS might find ways to keep their rivalries intact. The archrivalries along I-44, however, might be coming to a pause, as it's sounding like at least one of these four schools will not be making their way into the COC.

(update 1635p, 30th Oct 2023) Lebanon and Waynesville also to the COC. Camdenton and Rolla opting for other pastures. It's quite plausible that Camdenton will go to the CMAC with Smith-Cotton and the Columbia schools all 90 minutes away. Rolla, however, will probably go independent for a few seasons.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2023 7:09 pm
by Jason Loy
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Sun Oct 29, 2023 9:18 pm
The next 18 hours are going to be interesting along I-44, as Camdenton, Rolla and Waynesville have until 2p to accept their invites to the COC.

According to the Phelps County Focus, it's COC or non-aligned for Rolla, as they've already turned down an offer to join the CMAC. However, potential rumblings to the north & east may be enough for Rolla to put the brakes on the COC's offer to absorb the OC.

Also of note from the article: Vienna is leaving the Gasconade Valley for the Show-Me as part of the latter's effort to shore up its numbers. (I still haven't heard if the reported plan to absorb the nearly century-old CCAA is actually happening.) The Four Rivers could expand, and let's not forget that Fulton's application to join the Tri-County Central was denied earlier this year... might the Hornets still be looking outside the NCMC, and is the Tri-County Central still content with seven if Fatima is still unwilling to start a football program?
According to this article, the CCAA is being absorbed by the Show-Me Central: https://www.gasconadecountyrepublican.c ... tch,100389

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2023 11:33 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2023 4:32 pm
Camdenton and Rolla opting for other pastures. It's quite plausible that Camdenton will go to the CMAC with Smith-Cotton and the Columbia schools all 90 minutes away.
KY3's Ozarks Sports Zone is reporting that Camdenton will announce a move to the CMAC later this week.
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2023 4:32 pm
Rolla, however, will probably go independent for a few seasons.
And Rolla is going independent for the next couple seasons.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:56 pm
by Reklaw
Just as Mid-Lakes hit a stride and went back up to 8, Skyline announces they’re moving to the Southwest conference. Several former MLC members are here, and the size matchup makes more sense, according to Skyline’s AD.

I won’t elaborate, but I expect Mid-Lakes will want to replace Skyline as they like 8 for a conference number.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 4:22 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Reklaw wrote:
Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:56 pm
Just as Mid-Lakes hit a stride and went back up to 8, Skyline announces they’re moving to the Southwest conference. Several former MLC members are here, and the size matchup makes more sense, according to Skyline’s AD.

I won’t elaborate, but I expect Mid-Lakes will want to replace Skyline as they like 8 for a conference number.
Skyline was starting to look like an outlier in the Mid-Lakes, but I'm a bit surprised they're still going south instead of taking on the likes of Sherwood and Warsaw in the Ozark Highlands.

Who'd be an option, if there's an eighth school available?

(addendum not long after posting) Looks like Buffalo's already school number eight. They're leaving the Ozark Highlands, which leaves that league at just five following their unsuccessful attempt to woo Clinton from the MRVC.

(another addendum, 1845p @ 22nd Nov 2024) On a whim I went ahead and checked Clinton's website. Apparently they had a discussion item at their November 8th school board meeting about conference realignment. Perhaps the Highlands are trying again to get Clinton? Their next school board meeting is November 27th.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:04 am
by Reklaw
And just as the Southwest started settling down on re-alignments, a new conference, the Greater Ozark Conference, decides to form and start upsetting more conference. Of particular note in this it seems the SWCL is losing 3 (Billings, Spokane, and Crane), dropping them to 5 members. Mark Twain and Southwest Conference each lose 1 (New Covenant and Pleasant Hope respectively).

Greenwood and Morrisville (Marion C. Early) are picking up conference alignments, coming off of independent status.

I'm curious to see if a conference alignment will help Marion C. Early start a Scholar Bowl program. They host a massive History Bowl each year, but their History Bowl sponsor (and AD) wasn't interested in coaching it himself. Some of these teams are active in the southwest circuit, and others simply "play the conference" and move on. I'll be interested to see how this conference decides to handle conference play. SWCL still had 4 or 5 meets of 2-3 games taking up tournament slots.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2023 8:29 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
Caruthersville’s membership in the Bootheel Conference has been suspended for the rest of the school year, following an incident at a basketball tournament last week.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 4:38 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
With the Ozark Highlands down to five members, there are rumblings that the five might make their way into the WEMO, with two divisions set up across most sports. (The document in the linked meeting agenda from Cass Midway suggests that Cole Camp and Windsor have been approached from the Kaysinger... but not Lincoln?)

However, it's also possible that some of the larger WEMO schools could instead go in the opposite direction? Along with the last three 11-man football programs in the Kaysinger??

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:41 am
by L-Town Expatriate
L-Town Expatriate wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 4:38 pm
With the Ozark Highlands down to five members, there are rumblings that the five might make their way into the WEMO, with two divisions set up across most sports. (The document in the linked meeting agenda from Cass Midway suggests that Cole Camp and Windsor have been approached from the Kaysinger... but not Lincoln?)

However, it's also possible that some of the larger WEMO schools could instead go in the opposite direction? Along with the last three 11-man football programs in the Kaysinger??
And one of those larger WEMO schools, Adrian, is going to the Ozark Highlands.

Re: Conference Carousel

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 11:57 pm
by L-Town Expatriate
The Jefferson County Activities Association just sent St Pius X of Festus packing.

And right after the conference wrapped up their quiz bowl series, which should have been Festus SPX’s first in recent memory.