History of the Metro Conference

[Alum-Ni]

Some neat pieces in the OWH on the history of the Metro Conference

Link: http://www.neprepzone.com/football/pospisil-metro-still-a-gem-in-its-golden-year/article_a53ec55e-b75b-5e0b-96f3-718e861900fb.html

1964
League formed with the following charter members:

Bellevue
Boys Town
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson
Omaha Benson
Omaha Beveridge (Burke)
Omaha Central
Omaha Creighton Prep
Omaha North
Omaha Ryan
Omaha South
Omaha Tech
Omaha Westside

1966
Omaha Rummel (Roncalli) joins

1973
Omaha Bryan and Omaha Northwest join

1974
Boys Town withdraws

1975
Omaha Gross joins

1977
Millard, Ralston, Papillion and new school Bellevue West join; all-girls school Omaha Marian joins as an associate member

1981
New school Millard North joins

1983
Omaha Ryan closes

1984
Omaha Tech closes

1985
Omaha Roncalli withdraws

1995
Ralston, Omaha Gross, Council Bluffs Abe Lincoln and Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson leave for the new River Cities Conference; new school Millard West joins

2003
New school Papillion-LaVista South joins

=====================================

2003 was the last membership change of the league, which now has 17 members:

Bellevue East
Bellevue West
Millard North
Millard South
Millard West
Omaha Benson
Omaha Bryan
Omaha Burke
Omaha Central
Omaha Creighton Prep
Omaha Marian
Omaha North
Omaha Northwest
Omaha South
Omaha Westside
Papillion-LaVista
Papillion-LaVista South

 

[4norsemen]

Loved that article and would have lost a bet on Beveridge being a charter member.. I had thought Beveridge came on in 66. They had some guys I recall. Al Underwood and Budge Givler I think. Always missed the loss of TeeJay and AL. Boystown joining the league was quite a deal having played a national schedule for so many years. Took a couple years to cull those guys with no birth certificates off the rosters for BT. They of course became a great member of the Intercity and Metro leagues.
I can also recall a collected sigh of relief when Bishop Ryan closed. With respect. The Knights had programs in FB , BKB, & BB no one looked forward to playing . Always just a bunch of tough athletes from South O. When Rummel came in they picked it up right away. While they were class A they were trouble in about every sport. Gross and Ralston played great in their short Class A stays.

The Metro Holiday Tourney at the civic was a real event through the 60's and Seventies. Semis and Finals often filled the 9000 seats.

It was so different then. Metro teams rarely faced an "out state " teams until State Basketball. Many times over they were reminded that sports were played quite well outside of the city.

In my 3 years at North our longest road trip was Bellevue High. Maybe AL. Didn't have GPS then. We did play Lincoln Pius X in 69 which I recall was a loss.

The Metro today is a paper conference so to speak. Championships are only held for Golf, Tennis, Swimming, Wresting, & Volleyball and go unnoticed for the most part because the emphasis is on State.

Thanks Alum-Ni and Stu for the reminder and letting my mind drift back.

This post was edited on 10/6 6:39 PM by 4norsemen