What better way to solve an issue of facing no league or competitive balance than create your a new league?
That has been the outcome after this week, as after USD 453's Board of Education's unanimous 7-0 vote on Wednesday night, Leavenworth High has opted to leave the Sunflower League after the upcoming 2017-18 school year. Leavenworth will join Shawnee Heights and Desoto - each which passed vote earlier this week to leave their respective leagues - along with Lansing, Basehor-Linwood and Turner in a new league, starting in the 2018-19 school year.
Lansing, Basehor-Linwood and Turner stood to be the remaining members of the Kaw Valley League left in the cold, after Bishop Ward opted out of the league for the Crossroads League, then Bonner Springs, Piper and Tonganoxie presented and were accepted by the Frontier League.
The remaining trio opted to pursue a new league of 5A-szied schools. In addition to the six aforementioned schools, other schools which were included in discussions and may consider a move to the league include Seaman, Topeka West,Highland Park, Spring Hill, Ottawa, Blue Valley Southwest and others.
The schools would start competition in 2018-19, the first year of the next football playoff cycle and scheduling.
Shawnee Heights had been a member of the Centennial League since 1975, after a four-year hiatus to the Big Seven league from 1971-1975. But recent disparity between the 6A schools and the 5As have led to Centennial League schools exploring options.
"I'm not on the board to win a state championship," Shawnee Heights school board member Rusty Doty stated during Monday's USD 450 Board of Education vote. "It's about competing with kids on the same level."
Leavenworth was the sole 5A school in the Sunflower League, otherwise comprised of 6A schools. Desoto was a growing 5A school in the 4A dominated Frontier League.
Meanwhile, Lansing, Basehor-Linwood and Turner needed partners for a league.
"For the trio of Kaw Valley schools, this has to be a major relief to administration and coaches," stated 810 Varsity's Chad Rader. "There was the imminent threat lurking of having to face numerous years as independent schools and scrambling for games. Now there is a solid core of schools with the same size and objectives of competitive balance, and other options ahead to create a viable, competitive league."
Below will be the adjusted league members in 2018-19:
Sunflower League | Centennial League | New League* | Frontier League | |
Free State | Emporia | Basehor-Linwood | Baldwin | |
Gardner-Edgerton | Hayden | Desoto | Bonner Springs | |
Lawrence | Highland Park | Lansing | Eudora | |
Olathe East | Junction City | Leavenworth | Louisburg | |
Olathe North | Manhattan | Shawnee Heights | Ottawa | |
Olathe Northwest | Seaman | Turner | Paola | |
Olathe South | Topeka | Piper | ||
Olathe West | Topeka West | Spring Hill | ||
SM East | Washburn Rural | Tonganoxie | ||
SM North | ||||
SM Northwest | ||||
SM South | ||||
SM West |