Conference Realignment Update - Armstrong, Hopkins & Wayzata Want In The Northwest Suburban Conference

Posted on January 7th, 2009 – 5:26 PMBy John Millea

The five Classic Lake Conference schools are looking for new homes with the impending dissolution of that league. Here’s what is happening…

–Armstrong applied to the Northwest Suburban but was turned down. Armstrong may turn to the North Suburban and apply there, but Armstrong officials don’t feel the North Suburban is a great fit for them.

–Hopkins and Wayzata have applied to the Northwest Suburban and are waiting to hear if that conference will accept their applications.

–Edina, Minnetonka and Wayzata have applied to the Lake Conference. Lake superintendents and principals will meet next week to consider those applications. If they are turned down by the Lake, expect them to apply next to the Northwest Suburban.

I get mixed reactions in talking with people from the Classic Lake schools. While an official from one school was optimistic today about being admitted to another league, someone from another school was very pessimistic, and others fell somewhere in between. The theme, I would say, is major uncertainty.

The Northwest Suburban is spearheading efforts to find a solution before the MSHSL has to step in, as mandated by the bylaws, and place the Classic Lake schools in new leagues. Representatives from eight metro conferences will meet for the second time later this month, and they will discuss realignment of several leagues.

Today I was told by someone from the Northwest Suburban that when the eight leagues meet again, they will consider an idea I proposed in the Star Tribune in late November. To read that column, CLICK HERE.