Nevada awaits final chance for conference acceptance

Most everyone in the area is cognizant of the fact the Southwest Conference is disbanding after this school year and Nevada appears to be without a conference for the next two school years, beginning next fall.

Since February, Nevada has been denied admission by the Central Ozarks Conference, West Central Conference, the Show Me West Conference and most recently the Big 8.

"MSHSAA then gave Mr. Noah a list of 10 or 11 items that needed to be completed before they would become involved," Nevada High School Athletic Director Kevin McKinley said. "And we completed all of those requirements with the exception of the two-year wait period."

That's where State Rep. and Nevada alum Barney Fisher became involved.

"There is a legislative commission on MSHSAA reform and Barney wrote this letter to the MSHSAA Commission, asking them to reexamine the fairness of Nevada. Nevada didn't leave any conference, the conference left Nevada," McKinley said. "And our sister school so to speak, and I have a lot of close friends there, McDonald County, they are in the same boat. I am sure their state representative did the same thing."

That meeting with MSHSAA provided Nevada with at least a hint of optimism.

"Out of that legislative meeting held about two weeks ago, MSHSAA agreed to meet with the Big 8 Superintendents and for them to explain the reasons we were denied and to reconsider that."

That meeting is scheduled to take place sometime prior to Thanksgiving.

"The different scenarios are: it makes sense, we'll take Nevada in; MSHSAA says the only fair thing to do is for you to take Nevada in; or the third thing, nothing happens," McKinley said.

"I can't even begin to tell you or predict how that will shake out other than the fact the school is very appreciate of Barney taking up this cause for us."

MSHSAA forcing the Big 8 to take Nevada and McDonald County is the most likely way for the Tigers to be conference affiliated next school year.

Precedent indicates that it's possible.

"Back in the mid to late 70s, MSHSAA, back when we were the Big 10 ... the state said you will take McDonald County, Seneca and East Newton. So we did and we became the Big 13."

In the 1981-82 school year, the conference split into East and West divisions. Shortly thereafter, the teams splintered into two separate conferences, known today as the Big 8 and Southwest conferences.

One of the reasons the Big 8 gave for denying Nevada admission is the fact they wanted to uphold tradition. That notion doesn't sit well with McKinley.

"Our affiliation dates back to 1982 when I was a student here. I have an uncle (Raymond) who is about 90, who played in the conference (at Aurora) in the 30s. Nevada had been a charter member of the conference in 1929.

The issue surrounding Nevada's admission appears to be two-fold.

"Number one, they didn't like the fact we were so much farther North, which is interesting. When you take into account they didn't have four-lane highways, which didn't exist obviously in the 20s, 30s and 40s, it's a lot easier to travel today than it was back then," McKinley said. "Secondly, it seemed to be resentment on the part of Monett and Mount Vernon that the conference disintegrated in the 80s."

McKinley got that feeling after talking with as many Big 8 administrators as possible before September's vote shot down Nevada.

McDonald County's issue is size. They are not only big -- McDonald County has more than 1,000 kids in their school -- it's going to continue to grow due to some of the rapidly expanding Northwest, Ark., population spilling over into McDonald County.

Size isn't an issue with Nevada, which had around 800 high school kids when McKinley graduated in 1982 and currently has right around 795.

McKinley said a meeting with Butler and El Dorado Springs of the Show Me West Conference, which is disbanding after this school year, and Lamar and Warsaw was held. However, the schools couldn't reach an agreement to form a new conference.

The admission to a league would need to take place immediately for Nevada, because McKinley has to plan Tigers' schedules two years ahead.

"You schedule for two years down the road. We're not only scheduled to play Fort Scott on a September Friday next fall here in Nevada, that's also a September Friday in 2009 at Fort Scott.

"You do two-year home-and-away contracts and that's in all sports ... We are wrapping up most of our fall scheduling through the fall of 2009 and I'm presently into our winter schedules for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years. If it's not fixed immediately, it's a two-year thing because you are committed to people two years down the road."

Nevada football's 10-game schedule next year also includes a game with Parsons, Kan.

McKinley has needed to entertain several interesting possibilities regarding football scheduling, such as playing on Saturdays and neutral fields. A school in St. Louis even called him to discuss a possible matchup.

"We'd have to travel more to find opponents. There is a possibility of more open dates in the schedule. A lot of times you are left with the teams that no one else wants to play," McKinley said.