Sports-Webb City and Carthage invited to COC

The Southwest Conference appears to be on its last legs.

Carthage and Webb City have both been officially invited to join the Central Ozark Conference Nevada superintendent Craig Noah said Wednesday.

Noah said the two Southwest Conference schools were officially invited Monday, and that there was an immediate counter-proposal made by Carthage and Webb City to include Neosho in the move.

The invitation is the first real action after months of speculation that Webb City would be leaving the Southwest Conference, which could set in motion the addition of Nevada and McDonald County to the current Big 8 Conference.

"As of this morning, the McDonald County superintendent and I have sent letters to the Big 8 (asking for formal acceptance)," Noah said. "By the invitation alone, we kind of see this as the end of our conference."

Noah also expects nothing to change until the Southwest Conference schools hear back from the COC on the potential addition of Neosho.

"I still don't see the Big 8 moving (to add Nevada and Mac) until there's an acceptance by the COC of the other three schools."

Details are still developing.