Columbia Tribune letter to Sports Editor...It's TIME for a Central Mo Large School Conference

[Graphic Edge Guy]

Letter makes a lot of sense....with three HS's in Columbia now and soon to be two In Jeff City (plus possibly Helias?)...thoughts?

http://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/20170806/its-time-for-large-area-schools-to-form-conference

 

[BearsCountry]

Makes way too much sense.

Battle
Hickman
Rock Bridge
Jefferson City #1
Jefferson City #2
Smith-Cotton

Still gives them enough OOC games to schedule the Rockhursts, DeSmets, etc. of the world as well.

 

[1960]

Smith-Cotton can't compete at that level. They are a Class 5 school, but with not one Class 5 school on their schedule this year. Last year they had one Class 5 school on their schedule I think. I believe they finished the regular season 4-5. Loved the letter to the editor in The Trib, maybe Hellas will finally play JC after a second public high school is built in Jeff? It would be great to have a new CEMO. What about Hannibal? Weren't they one of the last four schools in the old CEMO? Their football program has seems to have surged in the decades since then…

 

[Graphic Edge Guy]

Smith-Cotton can't compete at that level. They are a Class 5 school, but with not one Class 5 school on their schedule this year. Last year they had one Class 5 school on their schedule I think. I believe they finished the regular season 4-5. Loved the letter to the editor in The Trib, maybe Hellas will finally play JC after a second public high school is built in Jeff? It would be great to have a new CEMO. What about Hannibal? Weren't they one of the last four schools in the old CEMO? Their football program has seems to have surged in the decades since then…

Hannibal and Helias might both make sense in this league...they would be challenged but not totally over-matched imo. The tough competition likely would make both schools better in the long run...no?

 

[Treadmill]

Hannibal and Helias might both make sense in this league...they would be challenged but not totally over-matched imo. The tough competition likely would make both schools better in the long run...no?

Hannibal would have to be dragged kicking & screaming into that league. They've enjoyed being the biggest kid on the block for several years.

 

[BearsCountry]

Smith-Cotton can't compete at that level. They are a Class 5 school, but with not one Class 5 school on their schedule this year. Last year they had one Class 5 school on their schedule I think. I believe they finished the regular season 4-5. Loved the letter to the editor in The Trib, maybe Hellas will finally play JC after a second public high school is built in Jeff? It would be great to have a new CEMO. What about Hannibal? Weren't they one of the last four schools in the old CEMO? Their football program has seems to have surged in the decades since then…

I think Smith-Cotton would be fine.
http://ksisradio.com/smith-cotton-tigers-advance-in-districts-after-45-14-win-over-kewpies/

 

[USArmyMike]

These schools, Along with the NCMO, and Tri-County, with North and South Callaway should just become one and split into 3 divisions based on enrolment.

 

[Graphic Edge Guy]

These schools, Along with the NCMO, and Tri-County, with North and South Callaway should just become one and split into 3 divisions based on enrolment.

Interesting idea...

 

[1960]

I think Smith-Cotton would be fine.
http://ksisradio.com/smith-cotton-tigers-advance-in-districts-after-45-14-win-over-kewpies/

Interesting that you find one of the only exceptions. Hickman's first winless season in how many decades? Hickman's first stint (after being in Class 6 forever) in class 5 ever? SC's first football win over Hickman in how many decades? For a more accurate comparison, put up SC's football record (as a Class 4 and 5 school) against all their classification peer schools only, since the CEMO dissolved. (Even) If you include the Ozark Conference era, and the transformational Mark Johnson era, the overall SC football record will pale in comparison to even Hannibal. If you are wagering that SC could consistently compete against the public schools of Columbia and Jeff City in football, I think you would lose that bet. I also don't think that SC football has ever beaten Helias, dating to the days it was known as St. Peters HS (ca.1950s?). Also, all of those schools (even Battle) have won a State Champoinship in football, SC won one district title under Johnson, right? I don't know what conference will work for SC, but I would try for another Mark Johnson type coach, laying a better winning foundation, before I tried to compete with much larger schools, who have much stronger football pedigrees than SC.

 

[BearsCountry]

Interesting that you find one of the only exceptions. Hickman's first winless season in how many decades? Hickman's first stint (after being in Class 6 forever) in class 5 ever? SC's first football win over Hickman in how many decades? For a more accurate comparison, put up SC's football record (as a Class 4 and 5 school) against all their classification peer schools only, since the CEMO dissolved. (Even) If you include the Ozark Conference era, and the transformational Mark Johnson era, the overall SC football record will pale in comparison to even Hannibal. If you are wagering that SC could consistently compete against the public schools of Columbia and Jeff City in football, I think you would lose that bet. I also don't think that SC football has ever beaten Helias, dating to the days it was known as St. Peters HS (ca.1950s?). Also, all of those schools (even Battle) have won a State Champoinship in football, SC won one district title under Johnson, right? I don't know what conference will work for SC, but I would try for another Mark Johnson type coach, laying a better winning foundation, before I tried to compete with much larger schools, who have much stronger football pedigrees than SC.

New times for the Columbia and Jefferson City schools. They keep splitting them up, the talent gets thinned out. See the Springfield schools for what is going to happen. Do I see Smith-Cotton being a powerhouse no. I see them as a mid-tier to bottom most seasons, but competitive in the new league. This isn't the old days.

 

[1960]

New times for the Columbia and Jefferson City schools. They keep splitting them up, the talent gets thinned out. See the Springfield schools for what is going to happen. Do I see Smith-Cotton being a powerhouse no. I see them as a mid-tier to bottom most seasons, but competitive in the new league. This isn't the old days.

It is still the old days when the culture of losing takes a hold of a school. SC has never won state championship in football or basketball, all of those other schools have (including Class 4 Hannibal &
Hellas). I believe SC has had many more losing seasons (outside of the Mark Johnson era), than they have had winning seasons. Basketball is probably worse. Back in the 1990s KOMU did a special report on SC sports because every single (boys?) sport was winless (in 1993?). Every sport. My money says SC would routinely be a cellar dweller because the culture of losing has not been rooted out of the school/community. They have not competed against Class 4 or 5 schools on a regular basis for many years. Their football schedule this year is a great example.

Interesting that you bring up the Springfield schools, because I think Central is in a similar situation. They are Class 5, but haven't regularly played larger class schools in football, for many years. I think they got blown out by JC 87-0 last season. They are set to re-join the Ozark Conference next (?) year. My prediction for them is similar to that for SC if SC would choose to join a modern CEMO with the schools listed here. They need to take the time and effort to build winning traditions before trying to compete with mostly larger and much more successful programs. I think Central is going to flounder and flop. I think they won't be able to compete in the OC. Time will tell.

 

[PlayerTwo]

We have struggled to compete regularly against the Jeff City or Columbia schools in pretty much all sports excluding baseball.

Smith-Cotton would struggle, but its the only thing that makes sense for them at this point when the WCC closes.

 

[millerbleach]

Bolivar needs a home. Long ways away but closer than any other option they have.