CIML Changes a Good Thing for Johnston Football

If all goes as planned, the football team will continue a rivalry with neighboring Urbandale.

Earlier this month changes to the Central Iowa Metro League football conference put several metro rivalries in question.

Johnston found itself in Division 2 along with Ames, Ankeny, Fort Dodge, Des Moines North and Sioux City North.

Under the new division system, four divisions of six teams each will compete throughout the football season with the top team in each division advancing to the state playoffs, said Johnston athletic director Gary Ross.

The changes came about after the conference realized that Ankeny would soon split into two schools. Configuring conferences for other sports came easily, but football was a different story.

In addition to all the central Iowa schools, the division includes schools in western Iowa.

"We couldn't get football figured out, coupled with the fact that you qualify differently than other sports," Ross said. "You qualify by how you do during the year. All other sports have a play in sub-state."

Because there was a feeling of inequity in the balance of the divisions, the state athletic association got involved.

"We had a processing time and talked about what we liked and what limitations there were," Ross said.

What came about was a system of divisions.

Each school was ranked in one of three tiers, with eight schools in each tier. The ranking was based on past performance, the top tier being the best performing teams. Johnston was ranked near the top of tier two.

"It was determined that each division would take two teams from each tier and combine for six school divisions," Ross said. "That would balance the competition and the travel out."

Each team will play five divisional games that will be the only factor in determining who makes the playoffs, Ross said.

The top team in each division will advance to the playoffs.

"The first four games of the year give the opportunity to play teams outside the division and keep rivalries," Ross said.

To determine the first four games, each team will rank who they want to play outside their division.

While no match-ups are guaranteed, teams that rank each other first will likely play.

Ross said Johnston and Urbandale will name each other the number one team to face.

"The biggest thing from our standpoint is we want to have teams that we think will be very competitive and draw crowds," Ross said.

The match-ups are expected to be announced Feb. 14.

Ross is optimistic about the new divisions.

"Obviously, Ankeny is in there and that's been a good rival for us and they are close. It's a good balance," Ross said. "They (divisions) have a similar type of travel and competition."

In two years, the division will change again to allow teams to play other schools and create new rivalries.

In the meantime, the Johnston athletic department is gearing up for a great fall 2012.

"From an athlete standpoint, if you do something different it's exciting," he said.