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Well is it time for conference picks?

I think Monett should be alright. You go 0-10 you only have one way to go now. That's only the third time we have ever done that in our history...

As for Seneca we could see them go on a Tom Hodge like run in the conference. Those younger Classes have all been either really good or decent. I don't see a weak link in the chain yet. I just remember back when I was young you would think no way can Seneca be as good as they were because they would graduate everybody, But that next class up here they come.
Yeah, they have a great system currently without a doubt.

The big 8 is always more fun with Monett being a force.
 
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The new COC looks tuff. I was just looking them over that will be a brutal conference.

West I would say Webb, Carthage, Republic, Joplin, Neosho, and Willard.
East, Nixa is loaded, Lebanon, Kickapoo, Waynesville Ozark and Glendale,

The new Big 8 is going to be really brutal too, might be pretty hard to come out unbeaten.

Mt, Vernon, Seneca, Nevada and Lamar have to be the top dogs.
cAssville, Monett, Mac County, Aurora and East Newton are up and coming.
I am not sure what to think about the new COC. The schools themselves are OK but the league is too big and there is too much travel - for football but especially in other sports. I've talked to parents in both WC and Carthage who are not fond of this new conference at all for a multidude of reasons.

Has anyone heard how or if there will be an actual COC champ since not all schools play each other? Or just an E/W champion? Or does anyone even care really?

I was thinking about doing the COC Pick game this season but there are too many schools and not all of them play each other. Could do just a COC West one because those are really the ones I care most about. Or just a collection of more interesting games from SWMO that vary week to week not just COC?
 
I am excited about CJ and Seneca playing this year. It has been a while and I think most people in CJ are more excited to play Seneca than they ever were to play Nixa and Ozark
 
I am excited about CJ and Seneca playing this year. It has been a while and I think most people in CJ are more excited to play Seneca than they ever were to play Nixa and Ozark
I remember some really good battles between CJ and Seneca. I really wish CJ would have moved back over to the Big 8. Really they are a natural fit.
 
I remember some really good battles between CJ and Seneca. I really wish CJ would have moved back over to the Big 8. Really they are a natural fit.

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I am excited about CJ and Seneca playing this year. It has been a while and I think most people in CJ are more excited to play Seneca than they ever were to play Nixa and Ozark
I think it's a good move for CJ at least for football. The travel is worse in conference but there are more competitive games and it leaves room to schedule good games like this one. If I were a CJ parent I'd be excited. I'd rather travel a little more and play competitive games than go on a tour of the 9 largest schools in SWMO and maybe win a game or two, getting beat up in the process.

The new COC doesn't seem to be very popular in Webb or Carthage so I'm interested to see how long it lasts. It's probably the best option for the moment and the ADs probably like it because they have little to no out of conference games to figure out in any sport. But from what I'm hearing parents don't like the travel and the fewer number of winnable games in many sports other than football. Webb parents don't like even the football schedule because injuries have become such a problem the last couple years and adding Kickapoo, Glendale, Lebanon will only increase the chances of season ending injuries during the regular season.

Webb tends to punch above their weight in terms of performance/enrollment but I think Carthage Joplin and Neosho are going to have a hard time in most sports and lose a lot of games and I wonder if participation will suffer.
 
I remember some really good battles between CJ and Seneca. I really wish CJ would have moved back over to the Big 8. Really they are a natural fit.
That will not happen. Playing Seneca or Lamar in football is great buy playing East Newton isn't in the cards.
 
I think it's a good move for CJ at least for football. The travel is worse in conference but there are more competitive games and it leaves room to schedule good games like this one. If I were a CJ parent I'd be excited. I'd rather travel a little more and play competitive games than go on a tour of the 9 largest schools in SWMO and maybe win a game or two, getting beat up in the process.

The new COC doesn't seem to be very popular in Webb or Carthage so I'm interested to see how long it lasts. It's probably the best option for the moment and the ADs probably like it because they have little to no out of conference games to figure out in any sport. But from what I'm hearing parents don't like the travel and the fewer number of winnable games in many sports other than football. Webb parents don't like even the football schedule because injuries have become such a problem the last couple years and adding Kickapoo, Glendale, Lebanon will only increase the chances of season ending injuries during the regular season.

Webb tends to punch above their weight in terms of performance/enrollment but I think Carthage Joplin and Neosho are going to have a hard time in most sports and lose a lot of games and I wonder if participation will suffer.
I don't see what other choice those schools have.
 
I don't see what other choice those schools have.
They don't really have another choice which is why they are now in a conference with schools 2+hrs away and SPS.

What I personally would like to see is these schools break away and schedule less with that group and more with the likes of Nevada, McD County, Pittsburg KS, CJ maybe Seneca. I doubt those schools would want to play us at least in football but in my mind that would be better overall.

Really what I think needs to happen is separate football from other sports. COC has sort of done that but only to the benefit of SPS.

If Joplin had elected to rebuilt their HS as two Webb City sized schools instead of one 2,300 student campus, that would give them and the others better options to maybe form their own conference but that ship has sailed. So as it stands they basically will get told what to do by SPS and Nixa.
 
CJ’s choices are get creamed in the COC (for the most part) or play 3-4 competitive games (depending on CJ talent) and play in the Big 8 it seems.
 
That will not happen. Playing Seneca or Lamar in football is great buy playing East Newton isn't in the cards.
LOL really??? They have Rogersville and Marshfield in that conference, those two are pretty much the same as East Newton in football, that makes no sense at all, CJ will get nothing more out of playing and beating those two other than another hour and a half drive. The Newt even in their worst years always played those two really tight.
 
Come on, EN is not the same as Rog and Marshfield. While the have both been way down, neither are to the level of East Newton. I believe EN went 0fer against them and both Rog and Marshfield got max points (13+) every time they played.
 
Come on, EN is not the same as Rog and Marshfield. While the have both been way down, neither are to the level of East Newton. I believe EN went 0fer against them and both Rog and Marshfield got max points (13+) every time they played.
I stand by it. And the Newt has had a lot in the past too if that is your measuring stick, and lot of those kids are now in the youth program and Junior high, I think they will be better maybe never to the rise of winning the big 8, but they will get better. I would much rather drive 20 Minutes to the Newt than 2 hours for Marshfield or Rogersville. Two years ago we rolled into Rogersville with just 3 wins one was a really hard fought battle with the Newt. We left Rogersville with a very easy Victory they looked horrible.
 
They beat East Newton by two TDs earlier that same year... The big difference is that their QB tore his ACL and they went 1-3 the rest of the way, beating only Aurora.
I totally agree with the distance factor, would love to make the short trip for sure. But totally disagree with the assessment of putting Rog and Marshfield with East Newton. Records and Head to Head both say different.
 
They beat East Newton by two TDs earlier that same year... The big difference is that their QB tore his ACL and they went 1-3 the rest of the way, beating only Aurora.
I totally agree with the distance factor, would love to make the short trip for sure. But totally disagree with the assessment of putting Rog and Marshfield with East Newton. Records and Head to Head both say different.
To me those three are a toss up, none of them besides maybe Points for district are going to help you. CJ is no better off today after so many years in the COC as far as being competitive in class 4 than they were before they left the big 8, in fact some might argue they are not even as good as they were. Mac County I would say has improved in class 4 since joining the Big 8, Nevada has too.
 
I think the OMC is good for all of the schools. The only issue is travel. If you look at CJ's non football schedules for this year they are playing Joplin, Webb, Carthage and Neosho in almost every sport anyway.
 
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I’ll bump this one up. As for the new COC, I’m not seeing it last as long as the previous version, but who knows. Unless military transfers start including more families with athletes, Waynesville could get their tailpipe handed to them each week. The mid-aughts was twenty years ago.
 
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I’ll bump this one up. As for the new COC, I’m not seeing it last as long as the previous version, but who knows. Unless military transfers start including more families with athletes, Waynesville could get their tailpipe handed to them each week. The mid-aughts was twenty years ago.
Beat Belton to win the 2007 C5 title. WOW that was my first season here!
 
Beat Belton to win the 2007 C5 title. WOW that was my first season here!
I was teaching just a bit down the road from Waynesville during that era. The war was still hopping, although getting old at that point, The military sure did bring some families in during those times. Folks were excited about Tiger football during and after that run.
 
Beat Belton to win the 2007 C5 title. WOW that was my first season here!
Your comment threw me for a loop, I was like 07 belton C5 no wayyyyy that's crazy. The reason I say that is in 07 GV was C3 and have no moved up to C5 and to see some of these teams having no movement in almost 20 years is crazy. My guess is they are like my alma mater and we're a bubble team back then sometimes 5 and sometimes 4 (we bounced between 3 and 4) I could be wrong and they may always been a solid C5. Looking into the results that year I see Fort O and Ray south also in C5.
 
Your comment threw me for a loop, I was like 07 belton C5 no wayyyyy that's crazy. The reason I say that is in 07 GV was C3 and have no moved up to C5 and to see some of these teams having no movement in almost 20 years is crazy. My guess is they are like my alma mater and we're a bubble team back then sometimes 5 and sometimes 4 (we bounced between 3 and 4) I could be wrong and they may always been a solid C5. Looking into the results that year I see Fort O and Ray south also in C5.
Belton had another strong team in 2003. Once upon a time their biggest local rival was Ray-Pec. Those two plus Park Hill (2003 C5 champs) were all very good back in those years.
 
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Since the bots are showing up in my feed and I'm out of ignores I have a crazy idea.
5 team conferences to cover 1st 4 weeks, 6 team districts to cover next 5 and then playoffs.
 
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I’ll bump this one up. As for the new COC, I’m not seeing it last as long as the previous version, but who knows. Unless military transfers start including more families with athletes, Waynesville could get their tailpipe handed to them each week. The mid-aughts was twenty years ago.
I kinda hope the new COC doesn't last but we'll see. Personally I think the arrangement just kind of happened without a ton of planning and strategy. I see it as basically a mad scramble for everyone to find a home and this was the quickest and easiest way to do that - just group everyone together and then sort out the details of scheduling later.

It's not an ideal conference for the former COC schools around here but I think this is a terrible conference for Waynesville and I also wonder if Neosho is wishing they had made a play on the OMC. Wouldn't surprise me if their unofficial plan is to see how this year goes and if they don't like what they see there is room in the OMC and I bet that group would take them unless Branson objects to having another underperforming C5 school in the mix.
 
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I kinda hope the new COC doesn't last but we'll see. Personally I think the arrangement just kind of happened without a ton of planning and strategy. I see it as basically a mad scramble for everyone to find a home and this was the quickest and easiest way to do that - just group everyone together and then sort out the details of scheduling later.

It's not an ideal conference for the former COC schools around here but I think this is a terrible conference for Waynesville and I also wonder if Neosho is wishing they had made a play on the OMC. Wouldn't surprise me if their unofficial plan is to see how this year goes and if they don't like what they see there is room in the OMC and I bet that group would take them unless Branson objects to having another underperforming C5 school in the mix.
Agreed… it did seem like a mad scramble and rash reaction. Hopefully this chaos returns to some order sooner rather than later. It may take a few schools that sound like they’re on a power kick (eg. Branson, etc) to chill a little.
 
I kinda hope the new COC doesn't last but we'll see. Personally I think the arrangement just kind of happened without a ton of planning and strategy. I see it as basically a mad scramble for everyone to find a home and this was the quickest and easiest way to do that - just group everyone together and then sort out the details of scheduling later.

It's not an ideal conference for the former COC schools around here but I think this is a terrible conference for Waynesville and I also wonder if Neosho is wishing they had made a play on the OMC. Wouldn't surprise me if their unofficial plan is to see how this year goes and if they don't like what they see there is room in the OMC and I bet that group would take them unless Branson objects to having another underperforming C5 school in the mix.
It is just as likely that Parkview and Central end up in the OMC.
 
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I kinda hope the new COC doesn't last but we'll see. Personally I think the arrangement just kind of happened without a ton of planning and strategy. I see it as basically a mad scramble for everyone to find a home and this was the quickest and easiest way to do that - just group everyone together and then sort out the details of scheduling later.

It's not an ideal conference for the former COC schools around here but I think this is a terrible conference for Waynesville and I also wonder if Neosho is wishing they had made a play on the OMC. Wouldn't surprise me if their unofficial plan is to see how this year goes and if they don't like what they see there is room in the OMC and I bet that group would take them unless Branson objects to having another underperforming C5 school in the mix.
We think of this conference realignment as being new, however over the last several years I have put together a ton of conference history and its funny dating all the way back to the 1920's this stuff has always gone on. The papers are just full of stories almost yearly of towns not being happy and moving conferences especially around here. In the 20's almost all of the SW schools belonged to one conference the SWinterleague high and it was broken down into sizes and sports. Then came the BIG whatever number of schools for years thru the 60's to 80's Then Webb and them broke off forming the Big 6 and later Memorial left and they took back the SWC.
Conferences will always change because towns will want to move up and down to competition it seems today. Going to become the have and have nots.
 
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It’d make more sense. Also bumping this.
I also am not sure West Plains wants another school near the Kansas border in the league. Rolla applied and was denied I think because of travel for CJ. I am not sure any schools more than a 2 hour drive from either WP and CJ will be accepted.
 
Conferences go away, required to find 1 upper class and 1 lower class game (6 required to find out of region/state game), 8 team districts to fill weeks 3-9.

Don't mind me I just hate typing bump
 
Conferences go away, required to find 1 upper class and 1 lower class game (6 required to find out of region/state game), 8 team districts to fill weeks 3-9.

Don't mind me I just hate typing bump
Very similar to what I have been favoring for years.... although we can go back to TEN games instead of nine and only the top four in each district make the playoffs.... I dont care if they play up or down with the games they schedule.... they still get their tenth game in.. and we get rid of those 1-8, 2-7 matchups etc...
 
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News-Leader had an article about all the conference shakeups. Basically described the new COC as 'the' conference to get excited about in SWMO and the OMC as a place for schools looking for more 'balance' in size and competition. It didn't note that Branson, one of the founding fathers of the league was middle of the pack in the COC and is significantly larger than everyone in the new league.

Understandably, being from the Springfield perspective the article was extremely favorable of the new COC mainly because of seeing Kickapoo play Nixa, Republic etc. I agree the new league is a big win for Kickapoo.
 
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Will Kickapoo actually be able to compete in it, at least football-wise?
We'll find out soon enough but I think they will do just fine. Glendale I'm not sure about but they shouldn't be any worse off than Waynesville, or maybe Willard and Neosho too.

Carthage I think will do OK for as long as Guidie is there but when he retires I could see football following a similar path as what happened to volleyball and some other sports as enrollment (and classification) has ballooned but talent pool has stayed comparable to a C4 school.
 
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