Decermber 28, 2017 By Chris Varney
At the end of 2017, many local area schools faced a difficult question concerning their high school football programs — do you play 11 man or go down to 8 man? Many towns in the state grappled with this decision the last month or so. The Iowa High School Athletic Association originally gave everybody a deadline of December 4th to make their decision but some schools got extensions. North Mahaska was one of those schools that needed some more time to decide.
Two weeks ago, the North Mahaska school board in a narrow 3-2 vote, decided to stay in 11 man. It was not an easy decision. The Warhawks have a great football history, winning a state title in 2005. However, the numbers have been dwindling in recent years and the victories have come few and far between. There was promise in 2016 as the Warhawks went 4-5 but the team took a step backward last season, going 1-8. Athletic Director Steve Ehret says that the town of New Sharon was essentially divided down the middle in the debate but the 11 man folks won out and that’s where North Mahaska will stay.
Montezuma is going in a different direction. The Braves decided early but it was still close. The Montezuma school board voted 3-2 to go 8 man football and they will make the transition for at least the next two seasons. Monte actually had to forfeit a football this past fall because they ran out of players and could not field a team in week two against PCM. That was a wake-up call to the town — something that has not happened in New Sharon. Montezuma wants to play their games and never wants to be in a situation of having to forfeit anything ever again. Athletic Director Brian Moretz does not rule out going back to 11 man in the future but he will wait and see if his numbers go up.
Both Montezuma and North Mahaska have similar size schools, enrollment in the 70s for total students. Both schools are facing the same issue — low numbers and a lot of uncertainty surrounding its football team. The Braves and Warhawks have met on the football field many times but they won’t play each other in the conceivable future. The Braves join SICL rivals HLV, Iowa Valley, English Valleys and Tri County at the 8 man level. For North Mahaska, they hope their numbers will hold up and stay with BGM, Lynnville Sully, and Belle Plaine in the 11 man game. District assignments will be made by the IHSAA at the end of January.
We’ll talk with Steve Ehret, Brian Moretz, and Tri County AD Scott Edmondson concerning their football programs on tonight’s Extra Point at 6:00 pm on 1410 KGRN and myiowainfo.com.