FIRST AND SHORT

Links of interest: Wausau East conference departure will get interesting

JR Radcliffe
jr.radcliffe@jrn.com
Wausau East's proposal to be an independent football program received support of the Wausau School Board Monday.

Tim Johnson of the Wausau Daily-Herald wrote last night that Wausau East, a struggling program in the Valley Football Association, has voted to leave its conference and play as an independent in future years, a move that's sure to create some statewide interest.

The issue is fascinating for a number of reasons. East is leaving because it doesn't feel it can compete in football against bigger schools (and its enrollment has been dropping, so it's citing a safety issue). The Valley was a controversial creation by the WIAA a few years ago, creating two divisions with teams from the northern part of the state with the Fox Valley, located in the mideast part of the state. It created some substantial drive times between teams that aren't geographically friendly.


But more than the specific example, it speaks to a larger issue that has impacted southeastern Wisconsin, where a number of programs felt they haven't been served by the new realignment structure set to go into effect next year. Could other programs, such as Wauwatosa East or Waukesha North and South, follow suit and elect to leave the Classic 8?

There's a built-in four-year period where a program is not permitted to compete in the football postseason if they voluntarily leave a conference, and it's easy to surmise that programs in distress would struggle to get there in four years, anyway. But this article also suggests the WIAA could elect to enact other penalties impacting other sports, which is the first time we've heard of something like that. The Valley is a football-only conference, and the construct is different for East in other sports.

East appears undaunted by the prospect of a lawsuit should the WIAA act further. It could be a huge looming battle.

Elsewhere, check out Steve Tietz's story on Homestead's win over Whitefish Bay on Friday, one that meant an outright North Shore title again for the Highlanders. They've won or shared the crown every year since 2001.

Brookfield East and Marquette engaged in the battle of the week, one won by the Hilltoppers in overtime via crazy circumstances.

Hamilton High School has a number of football players on the UW-Whitewater team, and several were involved in the big win over Oshkosh on Oct. 8.