Prior Lake's move has little affect on Red Wing

Missota Conference member Prior Lake plans to join the new South Suburban Conference in the fall of 2010, the Star Tribune reported on its Web site Thursday.

However, the Lakers' decision has little affect on whether Red Wing will remain in the Missota, school officials said.

"Them coming or going doesn't really do much," Supt. Stan Slessor said. "If three schools or four schools jump certainly then you would have more of a bare bones conference."

Athletic director Matt Schultz agreed. He said little has changed since he spoke to the School Board July 13 about how Red Wing fits in its current conference.

"Regardless of what schools are in the conference we realize that suburban ring of schools has some advantages (over) where we are," Schultz said. "We also realize that playing them in a conference has some advantages (for) us."

Prior Lake and nine current members of the Lake Conference are scheduled to make up the new conference. The Lake schools opted out of their current home after the Minnesota State High School League placed Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Wayzata in the league.

There had been speculation that the two Bloomington public schools, Jefferson and Kennedy, would join the Missota. Instead, both schools are scheduled to be charter members of the South Suburban.

"I think that two Bloomington schools would have been good for some of our programs," Schultz said.

In particular, he mentioned the chance for the Red Wing boys hockey program to play Jefferson at the history-rich Bloomington Ice Garden.

"I also think some of our programs would have a difficult time competing with Jefferson and Kennedy," Schultz said.

There is one possible hiccup: Missota bylaws state a school must announce by Sept. 1 its plan to leave the next year, according to the Star Tribune.

Slessor said he would suggest the conference schools have a discussion about making an exception because the announcement came so close to the deadline.

The departure of Prior Lake, which has the largest enrollment in the Missota, would be the latest in a series of changes to the conference in 2010-11. Hutchinson will leave for the Wright County Conference next year while Chaska and Chanhassen will leave the Lake and join the Missota.

Tags: red wing, missota conference, prior lake, sports, wingers