Oak Park and River Forest High School football coach John Hoerster has deep roots in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division. Not only has Hoerster guided the Huskies’ program for the past 13 seasons, he is also an alumnus of York, one of OPRF’s conference opponents.
“I have friends that I’ve made through the years who I respect and enjoy competing against,” Hoerster said.
But the WSC Silver could become a thing of the past soon in football. IHSA schools have been voting over the past week on Proposal 18, which if approved would, beginning next year, replace conferences with geographically-based districts — for football only.
If it passes, there would be eight districts, consisting of eight schools in each of the eight classes, with the top four schools in each district qualifying for the state playoffs.
Voting ended Monday. Lyons Township High School coach Jon Beutjer and Nazareth Academy coach Tim Racki had no indication through their contacts which way the vote would go.
A similar proposal for football districts passed in 2018 by 17 votes and would have taken effect in 2021 but a second vote in 2019 soundly rejected it. In this instance, passage would mean districts for at least one season.
“I would think a majority of schools around here would probably be against it because we’re already in a conference,” Beutjer said. “Specifically in the West Suburban Silver and Gold, we’re kind of in a cool conference where there’s rivalries, good competition.”
Other areas of the state aren’t as fortunate. Racki noted scheduling as one of the factors that might make schools favor districts.
“We will adapt to the new schedule [as needed],” Racki responded.
When private schools left the Metro Suburban Conference after the 2022 season, Riverside-Brookfield was fortunate to play all seven teams in the Southland Conference to fill its schedule. The Bulldogs are joining the Upstate Eight Conference in 2024.
Proponents say that districts would create built-in, comparable opponents, and they have proven successful in other states.
Many teams are forced to search out of state for opponents. Some conferences have wide ranges of enrollment and teams must play opponents one or two class sizes larger. That can make victories, and qualifying for the playoffs, even harder.
“If I’m coaching at a school like that, maybe I’m for that,” Beutjer said. “I kind of like the way it’s set up for us now because of the rivalries we have. There’s tradition. It’s like the Big 10. Michigan versus Ohio State. Illinois versus Northwestern. Some of those rivalry games are cool. It’s fun for the kids. And the fans, too, and the kids growing up.”
Over the years, the WSC Silver has been one of the Chicago area’s strongest high school leagues. Downers Grove North reached the 7A final this fall, and York made the 8A semifinals the last two years.
Hoerster thinks a sense of camaraderie, along with some good rivalries, would be lost if Proposal 18 passes.
“[WSC Silver has] very similar numbers, demographics, challenges, and upsides that we have found a way to work with in a collegial way,” he said. “I’d hate to see that go the way of the dinosaur.”
Even with districts, there’s leeway for some rivalries to continue, but others may leave, not by choice. To balance the district groups, teams may be forced to play district opponents of significantly lesser quality or travel great distances.
Hoerster also wonders about what would happen with the current nonconference weeks 1 and 2. Proposal 18 would allow for schools to schedule non-district schools regardless of class in those weeks.
“Would those games matter? Would people treat them as scrimmages or pre-season games?” Hoerster said. “That’s not clear to me.”
