Waverly-Shell Rock’s (WSR) extra year in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) came a little closer to becoming official this week.
In December, reps from schools in the NEIC, plus mediators from the Iowa Department of Education, Drake Law School, the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, drafted an agreement to allow the Go-Hawks to remain in the NEIC through the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Last spring, WSR was voted out of the NEIC by the other league schools, including Charles City, New Hampton, Cresco-Crestwood, Decorah, and Waukon, with the Go-Hawks scheduled to leave the league by the end of this school year on June 30, 2023. However, they were unsuccessful in finding a new conference and the mediation agreement was developed.
Monday night, the school boards for Waverly-Shell Rock, Decorah and Charles City all voted to approve the one-year extension for the Go-Hawks.
Charles City School Board President Pat Rottinghaus noted again that WSR’s growth in size was creating competitive imbalance with other NEIC schools, which also was prohibiting league expansion.
The mediation agreement includes a stipulation that any new NEIC members will not be required to compete against the Go-Hawks, other than conference championships. WSR can also not seek another extension..
The New Hampton, Cresco-Crestwood and Waukon school boards are expected to take up the measure during their meetings next week.
