WP and Bluff were in the same district for dang near a decade before bluff bumped to 5 so they’re definitely not strangers.
And believe me, I had the same thoughts. If salem wasn’t so god awful it would be a no brainer. That was a big time rivalry.
Ozark Mountain Conference
- Thread starter AC100
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And believe me, I had the same thoughts. If salem wasn’t so god awful it would be a no brainer. That was a big time rivalry.
WC, Carthage and Neosho came in at the 08-09 school year after the Southwest Conference folded. Carl Jct. came in in 16-17.
Those two Har-Ber games rank pretty high on my best games list. Especially the first one at the old stadium. What an atmosphere.
Well at least from CJs perspective being competitive far out weighs travel. I’m sure it is for most but everyone likes to use travel as an easy excuse.
I can't decide if that Bolivar logo is brilliant or just plain atrocious.
CJ should look in the mirror first. Are they doing everything they can to give themselves the best chance to be competitive? Is hiring your Superintendent as Head Baseball Coach in the best interest of the district? Is having 2 part-time Athletic Directors in the best interest of the district? I give this 3 years max before parents complain about the travel and force a move.
The superintendent should not be the baseball coach but the original plan for baseball kind of fell apart let's say.
So for everyone complaining that this adds travel to Carl Junction. it does add a trip to West Plains every other year for each sport but currently for conference games they travel to Ozark Nixa Republic Willard Branson. They traded that for Bolivar Branson Rogersville Marshfield West Plains. Now they have to add nonconference to replace Webb Joplin Neosho Carthage but probably still play them in all sports except football. So explain how they travel is so much worse in the new conference?
And there you have it. Having to find...that's key. Sounds like too much work, huh?
I’ve heard the Joplin Metro Schools will not be playing CJ for at least 2 years. (That’s the “required” notice that teams are supposed to give if they are looking to leave the conference, which CJ did not)
I’ll be curious to see if that’s just a football blackball, or if all sports do that.
Being that my wife is from CJ and we still have a ton of family there, I don't see this being a long term solution. Many parents from CJ never wanted into the COC in the first place, but I think the admin at the time just didn't look long term when they went that direction, they were thinking short term and looking at the talent they had and possible growth that never came for them.
Now that they are in, several wanted out many still want back in the Big 8, could that happen...who knows. But I think this is doomed from the start if parents can't watch their kids play and travel times are going to certainly hinder that the administration is going to feel the heat. They were already feeling it from the COC but not sure this is exactly what parents wanted.
Now that they are in, several wanted out many still want back in the Big 8, could that happen...who knows. But I think this is doomed from the start if parents can't watch their kids play and travel times are going to certainly hinder that the administration is going to feel the heat. They were already feeling it from the COC but not sure this is exactly what parents wanted.
Har Ber is really, really down these days. I went to the 2012 in person it was a great one. 2013 watched on webcast another classic it was a shootout.
The two AR schools nobody seems to mention that I think make at least middle enrollment sense are Harrison and Mountain Home.
Could make non-conference scheduling difficult in the short term if Big 8 teams don’t want to play them either.
I’d guess Lamar, Nevada, Seneca wouldn’t mind playing them. And like we’ve mentioned. Pittsburg, Miami, fort scott, Grove etc… are all short drives
And like I said in that whole post, I'd as soon wish they would do the work to find those entertaining games, but that'll have to be decided by the ones doing that kind of thing. I'd really enjoy watching some unique matchups and not the same ole' same each year.
A shame Grove couldn't be a part of the league. A mascot like the Ridgerunners would be great in an Ozark Mountain thing.
Six area schools to form new Ozark Mountain Conference
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, Branson, Bolivar, Carl Junction, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield, and West Plains school districts will compete in the newly named Ozark Mountain Conference. The conference combines two former
www.ozarkssportszone.com
Most Big 8 schools play them in all other sports. I don't see that being any different for football, if you have an opening and it makes sense.
Pretty sure there is a school magazine at WP that is called “The Ridgerunner”
do what you will with that Kane…
That would be the only good football game that field sees all year. 😂
Isn’t Ozark, Nixa, Republic and Willard all shorter drives for CJ than West Plains, Bolivar, Rogersville and Marshfield?
Rogersville about same as Nixa Ozark Willard.
Bolivar and Marshfield 15 minutes farther than Nixa Ozark.
But that trade off is worth it because of school size to me.
I have no dog in the fight just makes sense to me. Will be interesting to see if this is the end of it or if there is further shakeup with the COC and Ozark Conferences.
Bolivar and Marshfield 15 minutes farther than Nixa Ozark.
But that trade off is worth it because of school size to me.
I have no dog in the fight just makes sense to me. Will be interesting to see if this is the end of it or if there is further shakeup with the COC and Ozark Conferences.
If I were a CJ football parent I would probably like this to be honest. Some extra travel for road games but your program instantly looks better and is more enjoyable. And I don't mean that as a jab. You aren't trying to take down class 6 schools and large class 5 schools week in and week out. And you aren't losing year in and year out to the teams all your coworkers support.
My biggest question is... why is Neosho not involved in this? Were they just out of the loop? I've been hearing for years they want out of the COC but haven't had any options. They are similar size to Branson and competition wise right there with them.
My guess is if they are doing the cross over with the OC Neosho thinks they are getting Parkview and Hillcrest so that is 2 wins.
Hillcrest is the only class 4 school left in the OC.
I don’t think this new conference will stay at six teams; the door may be closed for this go around, but I expect talk of teams considering the move to the OMC as we approach this same time next year 🤷🏻♂️
