Why doesn't the COC split in 2?

[kipschips]

In sports, the games that are most exciting are rivalries, and games when you play unfamiliar opponents. How boring is it playing the exact schedule every year? Where the conference is located, there's alot of different places you can go for out of conference games. Geographically, it's easy to split the conference up, you have an eastern cluster, and a western cluster of schools.

If you're in the COC you could play your 4 conference games, then a Kansas City school, a NW Arkansas school, maybe potentially an Oklahoma school, and if you need closer games, you can schedule schools in the other cluster or Springfield.

 

[503_Maple]

Dude Kip that makes sense stop it.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

In sports, the games that are most exciting are rivalries, and games when you play unfamiliar opponents. How boring is it playing the exact schedule every year? Where the conference is located, there's alot of different places you can go for out of conference games. Geographically, it's easy to split the conference up, you have an eastern cluster, and a western cluster of schools.

If you're in the COC you could play your 4 conference games, then a Kansas City school, a NW Arkansas school, maybe potentially an Oklahoma school, and if you need closer games, you can schedule schools in the other cluster or Springfield.

If you’re talking exclusively football, the SPS schools are locked with their schedules. All they play are OC games. COC would never do this. Football is the toughest schedule to make, and the current structure solves that for the ADs.

 

[Cheetah King]

From a WC perspective 10 or so years ago WC was in a 5 team league with Carthage, Neosho, Nevada and McDonald county and had to scrape to find non conference games.

I would like to be able to play 1-2 non conference games like the series with Pittsburg but now with Joplin and CJ in the league along with Carthage and Neosho it is so much better now for scheduling.

 

[sw5890]

I do like interesting non con games but before Joplin and CJ joined, Carthage ended up with home/home with the likes of Springfield Central and St Joe Lafayette, neither were close or very good games so I'm very content with the current setup. The 5 large schools in the Joplin area plus a few around Springfield are easy trips. Branson is a bit far but it's fun to make a weekend of it when it's a road game.

At some point it's possible that McDonald Co might make more sense to play with the COC than the big 8 but we're not there yet. Nevada used to be in the old SW conference with these schools (minus joplin) and closer than Springfield so it would be kind of funny to end up full circle if they continue to improve and grow.

 

[AC100]

I don't think McDonald County would be interested in the COC. Not sure about Nevada. I have heard East Newton wants to drop down from the Big 8 and Neosho wants to take their place.

 

[carthagefan2006]

I don't think McDonald County would be interested in the COC. Not sure about Nevada. I have heard East Newton wants to drop down from the Big 8 and Neosho wants to take their place.

Who does the COC pick up as its 10th team if Neosho drops? Kickapoo? Glendale? Lebanon? Bolivar?

 

[AC100]

I haven't heard any names but to me Kickapoo seems like the most COC type school. I don't know if the Big 8 would take a class 5 team though.

 

[Cheetah King]

Who does the COC pick up as its 10th team if Neosho drops? Kickapoo? Glendale? Lebanon? Bolivar?

If we have to have 10 teams then Kickapoo makes the most sense. There is nothing wrong with a 9 team league and one non-conference game it that happens though.

 

[HBL Pirates fan_1990]

Could formed a New Conference with Branson, Bolivar, Central (Springfield), Hillcrest, Logan-Rogerville, Neosho, Nevada, Marshfield

OC COC and a New conference would have 7 conference and 2 Non-Conference games.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

If we have to have 10 teams then Kickapoo makes the most sense. There is nothing wrong with a 9 team league and one non-conference game it that happens though.

No way SPS splits the conference affiliation with it's real high schools.

 

[AC100]

No way SPS splits the conference affiliation with it's real high schools.

I doubt the Big 8 would take Neosho but if they did the COC would probably stay at 9.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I doubt the Big 8 would take Neosho but if they did the COC would probably stay at 9.

Agreed. That's the most logical scenario probably. 9 teams really isn't all that different from 10 teams.

 

[BearsCountry]

My plan for southwest Missouri big conferences:

Ozark West
Branson
Carl Junction
Carthage
Joplin
Neosho
Nixa
Ozark
Webb City

Ozark
Glendale
Hillcrest
Kickapoo
Logan-Rogersville
Parkview
Republic
Willard
*Central all sports but football

Ozark East
Bolivar
Camdenton
Lebanon
Marshfield
Rolla
Waynesville
West Plains

Football Schedule would be:
Week 1 - OOC
Weeks 2-8 - Conference Games (Works out for crossover games for the odd games in Ozark and Ozark East or the CMAC if they wanted to go that route)
Week 9 - OOC

 

[Eagles_Ball]

My plan for southwest Missouri big conferences:

Ozark West
Branson
Carl Junction
Carthage
Joplin
Neosho
Nixa
Ozark
Webb City

Ozark
Glendale
Hillcrest
Kickapoo
Logan-Rogersville
Parkview
Republic
Willard
*Central all sports but football

Ozark East
Bolivar
Camdenton
Lebanon
Marshfield
Rolla
Waynesville
West Plains

Football Schedule would be:
Week 1 - OOC
Weeks 2-8 - Conference Games (Works out for crossover games for the odd games in Ozark and Ozark East or the CMAC if they wanted to go that route)
Week 9 - OOC

Just a hunch...but I'm guessing the ADs at Nixa and Ozark would think your new conference alignment is hot garbage.

 

[CalvinCandie]

WEST

Joplin
Webb
CJ
Carthage
Mac
Nevada
Neosho

EAST

Nixa
Republic
Ozark
Branson
Willard
Bolivar
Rogersville

Could play a couple crossover games a year, and find some good non conference games to keep things interesting. The Webb/Pittsburg game needs to happen again...

 

[sw5890]

WEST

Joplin
Webb
CJ
Carthage
Mac
Nevada
Neosho

EAST

Nixa
Republic
Ozark
Branson
Willard
Bolivar
Rogersville

Could play a couple crossover games a year, and find some good non conference games to keep things interesting. The Webb/Pittsburg game needs to happen again...

I don't see that split happening - no point to it. The only way I see something like the "west" happening is if SPS (minus Central), Bolivar, and the east COC members decided they wanted to conference together (which would make entirely too much sense). Good group of 10 with very little travel for anyone.

But as I have said before I really like the current COC config. Decent travel. Generally good competition across all sports. Nice facilities to visit.

 

[AC100]

I doubt Nixa, Ozark and Republic want to be in the same league as some of the Springfield schools. Hillcrest and Parkview struggle at a lot of sports.

 

[CalvinCandie]

I don't see that split happening - no point to it. The only way I see something like the "west" happening is if SPS (minus Central), Bolivar, and the east COC members decided they wanted to conference together (which would make entirely too much sense). Good group of 10 with very little travel for anyone.

But as I have said before I really like the current COC config. Decent travel. Generally good competition across all sports. Nice facilities to visit.

Less travel and opening up a couple fridays to play high level non conference opponents is the point. I'd rather see Webb/Carthage/Joplin playing some good out of state competition rather than watching them roll 6 out of the 7 teams on the would be East side that are just bad. (Nixa being the exception)

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I doubt Nixa, Ozark and Republic want to be in the same league as some of the Springfield schools. Hillcrest and Parkview struggle at a lot of sports.

Carthage and Neosho don’t? I’m betting if given the choice, the ADs and admin at those three schools would jump at the chance to have a conference alignment of…
Nixa
Ozark
REPMO
Willard
L-R
Bolivar
Kickapoo
Glendale
Parkview
Hillcrest

Heck, toss in…
Central
Lebanon
Marshfield

Break it up into large and small. But like someone above said, this makes way too much sense to ever happen.

 

[hitch_and_go]

I wish the coc would go down to 8 teams. Kick out neosho and Willard because they can't compete in football . I miss watching Webb play Bentonville , Har-Ber, Rockhurst , St. Thomas Aquinas, Pittsburg etc . It's also hard to say how good the coc is (and imo they are very good) without any non conference games

 

[COCguy]

It wasn't that long ago that Neosho and Willard were competitive though. Neosho had some strong teams 5 or so years ago. Willard was consistently better than Republic/Ozark/Branson for a while, and beat Nixa 3 or 4 times in 5 or 6 years. It is all cyclical outside of Webb and Carthage. Heck, Willard beat Joplin just last year.

And while football is very important, there are a lot more conference sports than just football.

 

[sw5890]

I don't blame Webb fans at all for wanting to back to the days of playing big names instead of a couple easy routine games. But their being able to schedule football teams from Arkansas isn't really a concern for the rest of the conference. I hated the non conference games at Carthage. They were either far away, non-competitive, or small schools or all.

Plus the "easy" games do change over time. It wasn't that long ago that Joplin was struggling to win in a mediocre OC conference. Neosho fielded one of the better teams in COC not that long ago and Willard has as well. Branson was once very good, then a doormat, now they seem to be improving just like Republic. Ozark has been everything from great to awful. Nixa has been both a state runner up and bottom feeder in recent years.

Also football is only one of many sports.

 

[AC100]

I wish the coc would go down to 8 teams. Kick out neosho and Willard because they can't compete in football . I miss watching Webb play Bentonville , Har-Ber, Rockhurst , St. Thomas Aquinas, Pittsburg etc . It's also hard to say how good the coc is (and imo they are very good) without any non conference games

Willard won a volleyball state title last year.

 

[J. Kane]

Willard won a volleyball state title last year.

 

[503_Maple]

Willard won a volleyball state title last year.

Baseball too.

 

[hitch_and_go]

I think they were top 4 in track as well

 

[J. Kane]

Baseball too.

 

[J. Kane]

I think they were top 4 in track as well

 

[AC100]

In college sports I get that only football matters but I don't see high school sports the same way. Maybe it is just me.

 

[J. Kane]

In college sports I get that only football matters but I don't see high school sports the same way. Maybe it is just me.

 

[Cheetah King]

In college sports I get that only football matters but I don't see high school sports the same way. Maybe it is just me.

Or junior high for that matter. I don’t think Joplin misses the long rides to and ftom West Plains or Rolla.

 

[sw5890]

Or junior high for that matter. I don’t think Joplin misses the long rides to and ftom West Plains or Rolla.

I honestly don't know how Joplin did that for so long. Football is one thing, one road game roughly every other week on a friday night but sports like basketball or volleyball that may have 2 sometimes 3 games per week usually week nights. Basically every non-home game was a MINIMUM of an hour and some change. That district has to be loving the COC more than anyone.

 

[86THS]

I don't blame Webb fans at all for wanting to back to the days of playing big names instead of a couple easy routine games. But their being able to schedule football teams from Arkansas isn't really a concern for the rest of the conference. I hated the non conference games at Carthage. They were either far away, non-competitive, or small schools or all.

Plus the "easy" games do change over time. It wasn't that long ago that Joplin was struggling to win in a mediocre OC conference. Neosho fielded one of the better teams in COC not that long ago and Willard has as well. Branson was once very good, then a doormat, now they seem to be improving just like Republic. Ozark has been everything from great to awful. Nixa has been both a state runner up and bottom feeder in recent years.

Also football is only one of many sports.

Agreed, scheduling is so much easier with the all conference slate. Outside of some very good games with Seneca, I think back on a trip to St Louis to play some charter school that no longer exists, a long bus ride to St Jo to play Lafayette, a one year series with some new program out of Okla City, playing Springfield Central and the hi-light of the evening was their drum and bugle corps performing (sorry, it wasn't the game), playing Miami, OK at the NEO field about 2 weeks after their facilities were completely flooded. The COC is a great conference and we're lucky to be part of it.

 

[COCfan1212]

Baseball too.

Last year Willard had one of the better athletic seasons of any COC team that I can remember.

Two STATE Champiomships in volleyball and baseball, and district and/or COC titles girls basketball and girls soccer. Boys track and field with a top 4 finish at state, and also had a state champion in shot put in boys track. They also have the best boys tennis player in the COC who finished the regular season 31-0 last year. This fall they have already won the COC title in girls golf.

And yes, Willard has had some solid football teams in the last decade as well and were about two inches away from winning the district title over Carthage in ‘15, finished 9-3 that year and beat the hell out of them just a couple weeks prior.

 

[503_Maple]

Tak your conference realignment nonsense and throw it in the trash. Last year Willard had one of the better athletic seasons of any COC team that I can remember.

Two STATE Champiomships in volleyball and baseball, and district and/or COC titles girls basketball, girls soccer. Boys track and field with a top 4 finish at state, and also had a state champion in shot put in boys track. They also have the best boys tennis player in the COC who finished the regular season 31-0 last year.

I know that for you guys on the western side football is king but there are other things out there that the rest of us care about too. And yes, Willard has had some solid football teams in the last decade as well and were about two inches away from winning the district title over Carthage in ‘15, finished 9-3 that year and beat the hell out of them just a couple weeks prior.

Bro you tagged the wrong guy. I’m giving props. Not sure why I’m tagged. Two titles in any year is amazing.

 

[COCfan1212]

Sorry about that

Bro you tagged the wrong guy. I’m giving props. Not sure why I’m tagged. Two titles in any year is amazing.

Sorry about that, wasn't my intention. Trying to post on my phone and mosports is one of the least mobile friendly message boards that I have used.

 

[503_Maple]

Sorry about that

Sorry about that, wasn't my intention. Trying to post on my phone and mosports is one of the least mobile friendly message boards that I have used.

I get ya man! It’s ok. I have some family in Willard.

 

[Rawlathaballa90]

Last year Willard had one of the better athletic seasons of any COC team that I can remember.

Two STATE Champiomships in volleyball and baseball, and district and/or COC titles girls basketball and girls soccer. Boys track and field with a top 4 finish at state, and also had a state champion in shot put in boys track. They also have the best boys tennis player in the COC who finished the regular season 31-0 last year. This fall they have already won the COC title in girls golf.

And yes, Willard has had some solid football teams in the last decade as well and were about two inches away from winning the district title over Carthage in ‘15, finished 9-3 that year and beat the hell out of them just a couple weeks prior.

You're misremembering some things, there.

 

[COCfan1212]

You're misremembering some things, there.

Oh you're right, they finished 9-2 in 2015, not 9-3.