A long-standing gridiron rivalry with Osseo and Maple Grove cleared the first hurdle earlier this summer when the MSHSL placed them in the same district.
Now, they have another.
While the re-redistricting kept the two Northwest Suburban Conference powers together, the size of the new West Metro District warranted divisions. The MSHSL divided up the state into 18 districts for football to accommodate scheduling and will take effect in 2015.
The West Metro district committee divided up the new district into divisions in early August by North and South. Osseo and Maple Grove ended up in different divisions.
Maple Grove will join the South Division with Lake Conference teams such as Hopkins, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka and Wayzata. Shakopee and Prior Lake will also play in that division. Osseo will remain with NWSC teams in the North Division that consists of Totino-Grace, Champlin Park, Coon Rapids, Blaine, Centennial, Andover and Anoka.
With Osseo and Maple Grove in separated divisions, only the inter-division crossover game could keep their rivalry intact. Each team will play everyone in their division for seven games and play one game against a team in the other division.
“I will personally request the crossover game to be always be with Maple Grove,” Osseo coach Derrin Lamker said.
Maple Grove coach Matt Lombardi supports Lamker’s effort to keep the great Osseo-Maple Grove rivalry if scheduling allows it.
“I am with him. It’d be fun,” Lombardi said. “I think it’d be a great thing for the communities and a big bonus not only for the rivalry but because Osseo is a good team and coach Lamker does a great job. We want to play good programs.”
Lamker does like the geography of the new set-up. The North schools all have close proximity with none more than 20 minutes apart. Maple Grove and Prior Lake have the greatest distance disparity in the South Division, about 40 minutes apart.
“It’s not fair for a parent to have to drive out to Prior Lake for a four o’clock sophomore game on Thursday afternoon,” Lamker said. “It’s just crazy. I think they did it right with organizing it geographically.”
Lombardi welcomes the move into the South Division where Maple Grove will forge new rivalries with neighboring teams such as Wayzata, Minnetonka and Hopkins.
“I am excited,” Lombardi said. “I think we fit well into that division. I’ve been fortunate enough to have coached in the Lake Conference and the Northwest Suburban Conference. Both are great leagues in their own right but I think Maple Grove lends itself in a much better fashion in the Lake Conference.”
Lombardi welcomes the challenge to play in what is probably the toughest division in the state.
“It’s a new start and kids will get to see different teams,” he said. “I think it’s great (to play in such a tough division) because the only way we can get better is to play opponents that are reputable programs. I think for where our program is now it’s very good for us.”
However, Lamker sees demographics as being a challenge for the new set up. Not all programs have sustained the level of an Eden Prairie, a winner of the last three state titles in the largest class.
“Osseo ten years ago, out of the all talk of the last few years, has been pretty good,” Lamker said. “So, we’ve been placed in the top division. Is that always going to be? Who knows.”
The MSHSL instituted the change to help all teams get eight varsity football games scheduled locally. It had been a problem for many of the Lake Conference schools for years. Meanwhile, football teams such as the Orioles and Crimson will focus on 2014 and winning their last NWSC title.