It now appears that because of some issues with the bidding process, the planned McCracken County High School won't be open until the fall of 2013.

 

If so, that means that Lone Oak, Reidland and Heath will remain separate schools and separate football programs for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, which will save some scheduling headaches throughout western Kentucky.

 

The new Class 6A alignment will be affected ... McCracken won't be competing in 6A until 2013, which means that District 2 will also certainly be a three-team district when Nelson County splits in 2012.

 

Before now, there was the possibility that McCracken could move into District 1 in 2012, with maybe Muhlenberg County sliding into District 2. That could eventually occur in 2013, but not before then.

I guess that's good and bad. The good is that the KHSAA appears to have put all three McCracken County schools into 5-team districts, so whenever they close it won't affect much. It's also good that scheduling will be affected minimally.

 

The bad is the possibility of a three-team district in 6A. Do you think it's possible that the KHSAA might keep Nelson County and Thomas Nelson in 6A for 2012 to hold down the fort, before shifting them out to either 3A or 4A in 2013, just in time to replace them with McCracken County High School?

I guess that's good and bad. The good is that the KHSAA appears to have put all three McCracken County schools into 5-team districts, so whenever they close it won't affect much. It's also good that scheduling will be affected minimally.

 

The bad is the possibility of a three-team district in 6A. Do you think it's possible that the KHSAA might keep Nelson County and Thomas Nelson in 6A for 2012 to hold down the fort, before shifting them out to either 3A or 4A in 2013, just in time to replace them with McCracken County High School?

 

The Nelson split is going to be a gradual one, with only sophs and frosh at TNHS for 12-13, then adding juniors the next year and seniors the following year. They won't play a varsity schedule the first year, and may not play varsity until 14-15. My guess is NCHS stays in D2 the first two years of the new alignment, then petitions to drop after that.

The pain of losing school identity often seems greatest when a school is really making its mark on the field / court / etc. Heath and Reidland haven't been competitive in the more visible sports (basketball, football, etc.), but Lone Oak has been a player in football for the last few years.

 

Consolidation becomes so bittersweet in such a case...