The WIAA Board of Control granted final approval of a conference realignment plan that impacts 76 schools in 8 different conferences. Starting in the Fall of 2015, the Packerland Conference will include Southern Door, Sturgeon Bay, Sevastopol, Gibraltar, Algoma, Kewaunee, Green Bay NEW Lutheran and Oconto. The main concern with the 8 team conference is that Sevastopol, Gibraltar and NEW Lutheran play 8-man football, leaving only 5 teams to play 4 conference games. Algoma Principal and Athletic Director Nick Cochart talks about a possible solution….[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nick1.mp3|titles=Nick Cochart- possible solution]Cochart added that he had a conversation with WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson at Wednesday’s meeting in Stevens Point….[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nick3.mp3|titles=Nick Cochart- Super conference possible]While there is concern about how the 8 team Packerland would impact soccer schedules, Cochart says that football is usually the driving force behind realignment….[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nick2.mp3|titles=Nick Cochart- football realignment]Other football changes from the meeting include the highest seeded team will now host through Level 3 of the playoffs and a running clock with a 35 point differential after the first quarter. Another decision involved eight-player football. The Board agreed to implement a 16-team Tournament Series one year following a season with 30 or more programs sponsoring 8-player teams. There were 21 teams in 2013.
