Conference Shake-Up Continues

The last month has seen announcements of southwest Missouri High Schools shifting conferences with more possible realignment announced late last week.

At the end of the week, Springfield Public Schools Athletic Director Josh Scott told Ozarks Sports Zone that first, Hillcrest and Parkview had applied to join the new Ozark Mountain Conference which includes Branson then followed up with the news that two other Springfield Schools, Glendale and Kickapoo, had been invited to join the Central Ozark Conference. 

It was also reported that Neosho and Willard had considered leaving the COC for the Ozark Mountain but decided to stay in the current conference.

The whirlwind of announcements began in September when Hollister, Reeds Spring, and Springfield Catholic announced they were leaving the Big Eight Conference and joining the Mid-Lakes Conference, which includes Forsyth. That move was in anticipation of Logan-Rogersville and Marshfield leaving the Big Eight which was announced a couple of weeks later with the formation of the new Ozark Mountain Conference, which includes those two schools and Branson along with Bolivar, Carl Junction, and West Plains. 

If the moves of the four Springfield Schools are approved, it would leave only Camdenton, Lebanon, Rolla, and Waynesville in the current Ozark Conference. 

The new conference alignments would go into effect for the 2024-25 school year.