Uniontown looking to go to 11-man football in 2016

Uniontown is likely to be playing 11-man high school football next year because of higher than projected enrollment.

Athletic Director Jim Mason gave a report during the USD 235 Board of Education monthly meeting Monday night.

"It seems to us, we are going to return to 11-man (football), and most likely 2A (classification) in our district," Mason said.

Projected enrollment numbers for the school were low when the school first started playing eight-man football.

"It turns out we've had enough increase in enrollment that we are back up to where we'll go 11-man next year," Mason said.

The classification of schools will be released on Sept. 25 he said.

"At that point we'll figure out who's 2A and who's 3A and start finalizing a schedule before KSHSAA (Kansas State High School Activities Association) releases the districts and throws us a curve and makes us have to start all over, which they did six years ago,"

Because of that KSHSAA process, Uniontown played some schools that were a long distance and had larger enrollment numbers, he said.

Mason said. "Using information they gave us, they start in a corner of the state and work their way out putting (schools) in pods."

KSHSAA serves students by providing leadership for the administration of education-based interscholastic activities, according to their website.

Mason said he and Coach Chad Stroud will be attending a KSHSAA meeting on Oct. 7.

The most probable district will include Uniontown, Oswego, Yates Center, Lyndon, Olpe and Remington, Mason said.

"Yates Center is asking to come into our league immediately," Mason said. "They are at a point now with scheduling and contracts they would be able to come to the league now."

Allowing Yates Center to come into the Three Rivers League requires board approval, Mason said. The board voted to approve the change.

Mason said non-district games possibly will be with Northeast, Jayhawk-Linn, Erie, Central Heights, Southeast and Humboldt.

"These are schools similar to what we deal with as a clientele," Mason said.

Mason said the football players have had a good year so far.

"Both of our opponents (in recent games) have complimented our coaching staff and players for sportsmanship and how they were treated in the game," Mason said. "Altoona-Midway even contacted (Interim Superintendent) Hedges and let her know that they appreciated that we didn't try to embarrass their kids."