By Aaron Coe
Herald Writer
The Lynnwood and Meadowdale football teams may be playing in a different league next season.
The numbers from the first of three enrollment counts are in, and the two Edmonds District schools still have Class 3A numbers. Lynnwood and Meadowdale are competing in the 4A Western Conference in all sports this year, but play in the 3A postseason.
Shorecrest is also expected to fall under the Class 3A limit of 1,200 students next school year.
Coaches in most of the sports are relatively satisfied with the various ways teams qualify for the Northwest District playoffs, which is made up of the Northwest 3A League, Lynnwood and Meadowdale.
The football community, however, believes the standard for qualifying Meadowdale or Lynnwood is nearly unreachable. so the Edmonds District is looking into joining the Northwest 3A League for football only.
Football was the most difficult postseason to negotiate. It was agreed that the 3A Edmonds District teams would qualify with a 6-3 record in Western Conference play. Meadowdale finished 3-6 and Lynnwood was 0-9 this year – records identical to their respective 2000 seasons in the Western Conference 3A, which disappeared when most of the schools moved up to 4A after last year’s counts.
Travel time and expenses are the main reasons the two schools did not join a 3A league for this season, and why only football might switch for next year.
“We absolutely could not afford from a money standpoint to join the Northwest League across the board,” said Terri McMahan, Edmonds District athletic director. “It would be an extreme amount of time out of school. Geography is extremely important and keeping kids in school is even more important.”
McMahan said the Northwest League is “very receptive” to increasing to 10 schools for football, which would give teams nine league games and solve the problems some schools have had scheduling non-league games.
Shorecrest was four students under the Class 3A limit of 1,200 students with the recent count, and it is highly unlikely enrollment will increase enough for a bump to 4A. The Scots have not yet decided whether to remain in the Western Conference or look into joining a 3A league. Counts will be taken in November and December and averaged with the October numbers.
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