Central Ozark Conference Expands to 14 Schools

While the dust hasn’t completely settled yet, the final pieces of the conference realignment puzzle are beginning to settle into place.

The Central Ozark Conference announces Monday the addition of Springfield Schools Central and Parkview along with Lebanon and Waynesville to the conference beginning next school year bringing the total number of schools into the league to 14. One exception would be in football, where Central and Parkview will schedule as independents.

Camdenton and Rolla had also been invited to join the COC put apparently declined to do so. KJEL Radio in Lebanon is reporting that Camdenton may be set to join the Central Missouri Activities Conference while Rolla is still pursuing other options. 

Branson and Carl Junction earlier this month announced they were leaving the COC to join the new Ozark Mountain Conference. The COC added Springfield Schools Glendale and Kickapoo to the league to keep 10 members but will now have 12 in football and 14 in other sports.

According to a previous release from the COC, the group looks to form two divisions and then cross schedule with the other divisions which would seem to exclude Branson from playing any current COC schools in football next year. That would leave Branson with three open dates on their football schedule to fill with non-conference games. Branson Activities Director Brandon Wilson, in a conversation with MOARK Sports prior to last Friday's Playoff Football game against Glendale, said they have visited with some schools about playing and hopes to finalize opponents after the conference announcements this week and a planned meeting with the schools in the new Ozark Mountain Conference.