In this year’s City vs. West football game, more than just “The Boot” was on the line. In addition to the town bragging rights a Mississippi Valley Conference Championship title was up for grabs. The Little Hawks came out on top but this year’s conference title could be the last MVC Division championship awarded to a football team.

Area schools’ athletic directors, athletes, coaches and fans are buzzing about the future of Conference football on the east side of the state. Earlier this week it was announced that two MVC schools, Cedar Rapids Xavier and Dubuque Wahlert, along with Davenport Assumption are dropping down from Class 4A to Class 3A football. If this were to occur, the state is looking at getting rid of conference football and changing to a district football schedule similar to the one used on the west side of the state. According to Athletic Director Terry Coleman, the state must decide by Friday whether or not move to District football for next season.

For City High this would mean having a new group of teams to face off with every year. The football team would also likely have to travel farther for competitions based on who is in their district. Coleman says personally he would like to see the MVC stay as is, for what he believes is the best competition and direction for its current programs.

“My opinion is that we should remain with the MVC in conference football,” Coleman said Tuesday. “It is, for us, the best solution. I think it provides the most competitive environment for our football team, it reduces travel time and it maintains the historical legacy.”

If a decision to change to District football is made by December 20th, the next two years’ current football schedules would have to be redone to fit the new districts. District makeup could be determined based on seeding using previous year’s records or by geographical locations. Coleman says he hopes the state takes their time and gathers more input before making a final decision on when or if to implement a new district football schedule.

“If we went to district football, as a program we would be fine,” he says. “I just don’t know that a district championship would have the same impact [as a conference championship]. I would really prefer to stay with the MVC Conference and work something out so that we can maintain that.”