Mississippi Valley Conference welcomes two new programs for 2021 spring football season
The Collinsville Kahoks and Granite City Warriors football teams will have a new conference home when the revamped IHSA season kicks off in February.
But it’s only a temporary one.
The Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 Board officially approved the move of its football team to the Mississippi Valley Conference for the 2021 spring season only during its monthly meeting Monday.
Collinsville, which left the Southwestern Conference in football only following the 2018 campaign, will be joined by former SWC rival Granite City in the MVC this spring. The Warriors left the Southwestern Conference in all sports following the 2017-18 season and have been competing as an independent the last two years.
The move to the MVC by Collinsville and Granite City to join Triad, Jerseyville, Waterloo, Civic Memorial, Highland and Mascoutah for the 2020 season was brought about when the Illinois High School Association unveiled its Return to Activities schedule in July as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the Return to Activities schedule, the 2020 football season was moved to the spring and will be held Feb. 15-May 1.
But on Monday, Collinsville officially joined the MVC for football only in the upcoming season.
“The Collinsville High School football team is excited to join the MVC for the 2020-2021 football season,” Collinsville Athletic Director Clay Smith said. “Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has become obvious that scheduling a seven game football season as an independent football school within our COVID region will be extremely difficult.
“Joining the MVC for one season will allow us to create a full schedule, guaranteeing a seven game regular season for all of our football teams (freshman, junior varsity and varsity), which is in accordance with current IHSA guidelines. This schedule will further allow Collinsville High School to participate in athletics as safely as possible with minimal travel involved. Collinsville High School will still compete in the SWC for all other sports.”
Granite City, which earned a playoff bid in the ‘18 season, is also pleased to join the MVC, said Warriors Athletic Director John Moad.
“Granite City would like to thank the Mississippi Valley Conference for allowing the addition of Granite City football to their conference schedule for this school year. With COVID, the in-region scheduling is very difficult being an independent. Granite City was scheduled to play three Missouri schools this year which cannot be played,” Moad said.
“This arrangement allows Granite City and Collinsville as well as all MVC members to fill their seven week football schedule. Granite City is excited to work with an amazing group of schools and athletic directors. This schedule also keeps all games local and provides our athletes with the safest conditions we can provide in these uncertain times.”
Conference schools welcome new additions
The news of Collinsville and Granite City joining the MVC for one season brought positive responses from league athletic directors.
Always a high quality football conference with perennial playoff contenders Triad, Mascoutah and Highland leading the way, the MVC has raised its level the past few years.
Mascoutah reached the Class 5A state semifinals a year ago and Highland was a Class 5A semifinal team in 2017.
“I think this adjustment made a ton of sense with the limitations this revised season has placed on high school football in our state. Granite City and Collinsville are two programs that fit well into our league geographically, and, while their enrollments are much larger than our league average, on a one year basis, this was a good move for all parties involved,” Mascoutah Athletic Director Scott Battas said.
“The decision to add these two programs makes scheduling much easier and allows our MVC teams to stay fairly local for all seven games on their schedule. We have a great relationship with the administrators at both schools and are excited for this new look in the spring of 2021.’’
Each MVC school will play all seven conference rivals.
“I am excited to welcome Collinsville and Granite City for the spring 2021 football season. It is a sigh of relief to have a full seven games. Working within our COVID region is a challenge for all of us, so to have our schedule set as a conference is very important,” said Highland Athletic Director Amy Boscolo.
“Adopting Collinsville and Granite City helps to fill the games we lost against Mt. Zion, Marion, and Charleston. Only being able to play seven games causes us to lose Belleville East from our schedule, even though they are in our COVID region, and we are disappointed with that as we expected East to push us this season. I am thankful that we have two teams willing to join the MVC so that Jerseyville is able to have a full schedule as well.”
Challenges for the new coach
Both new MVC members have first year coaches as Joe Bevis takes over at Collinsville while Jake Janek is the new coach at Granite City.
Bevis, an Edwardsville graduate and former standout linebacker at the University of Illinois, knows the Kahoks will be pushed in the MVC. Collinsville will take on Mascoutah, Triad and Highland early in the season.
“We open with Triad then Mascoutah and then we get Highland in week three. There are no slouches in this league any time, but we pull three of the perennial powers right out of the gate,” Bevis said. “It’s going to be a tremendous challenge for our kids and we’re looking forward to getting on the field in February. It couldn’t have been a better fit for us.”
