Move to Class B means changes for Libby

Libby High Athletic Director Jim Germany does not believe his school’s transition into Class B sports will automatically equate to success on the field. His new peers, however, argue otherwise.

“The move will certainly benefit them big time,” Rich McElmurry, Troy High School’s athletic director said. “For the kids sake, it is really a positive.”

Libby High School sports teams will compete in Class B starting in 2015 following a decision Monday by the Libby School District Board.

Libby will likely join fellow Lincoln County schools Troy and Eureka in District 7-B. Dwindling enrollment numbers led to the change; Libby counted an average of 338.5 students during the last two years.

According to McElmurry, Troy’s enrollment is 137. Class B schools enroll 120-339 students.

“We’re at the bottom of that list,” McElmurry said. “Things are going to be a lot more difficult for football.”

During Germany’s presentation before the Libby school board Monday, he cautioned against the belief that a step down in class is the same as a step down in competition level.

“People need to be careful saying we are going to win championships by moving to Class B,” Germany said. “It always depends on the athletes.”

Many prep sports observers point to Bigfork’s undefeated basketball season as an example of Class B teams proving their mettle against Class A squads. Bigfork beat Class A champion Columbia Falls twice during their perfect season.

“That was a once in a lifetime team,” Josh Downey, Bigfork’s basketball coach and athletic director, said of his team. Still, he believes Libby will improve, especially after winning just one basketball game last season. That lone win came in Troy, and the Trojans later returned the favor with a road win in Libby.

“Less enrollment means less athletes,” Downey said. “They have declining enrollment (in Libby).”

Chad Dunn, Eureka’s activities director, is excited about the addition to his district.

“It makes the Western B a stronger conference,” Dunn said. “It will help us with travel and make scheduling easier. Libby will be our shortest travel.”

As for an advantage in numbers — Eureka enrolls approximately 260 students —  Dunn is not so sure it makes that big of a difference.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know that it comes down to the kids you have in town,” Dunn said.

Plains Athletic Director Mike Cole agrees that small communities naturally see ebbs and flows.

“It’s just how it goes that some years you have better enrollment or talent,” Cole said.

Plains enrolls 135 students and Cole said his school needs to co-op, possibly with Thompson Falls, if there is going to be any kind of football team in a couple years.

“It is not competition, it is survival for us,” Cole said. “We need to find something within a year or that will be it for our football program. We are looking at possibly having 12 kids on our football roster in two years, based on our middle school enrollment and participation. It is hard to tell the kids we are playing for small victories in the big losses.”

That problem gets to the heart of fluctuating population centers in the state. While Cole is excited to add a team to his district, he said the expansion would be short lived.

“It is a matter of time until we go down to Class C,” Cole said.

In the long run, Germany believes the change will be a positive for his school. As a man who moonlights as an official, he does have a problem with the procedure behind the switch. Schools are allowed to enroll between 90 percent of the minimum threshold for their class and up to 110 percent of the maximum. Projecting a slight increase in enrollment a few years down the road, Germany believes his school will rely on the 10 percent allowance to stay down in Class B.

“That is not the intent of the rule,” Germany said. “I think we should have stayed in Class A until we were absolutely below the threshold.”

Looking at the glass half full, Germany says his school should embrace being the big kids on the block for a change.

“We are going to have a big target on our backs,” Germany said. “These other schools are going to say, ‘You think you are going to come down here and beat up on us? We’ll show you.’ That should make for good competition.”

Most Libby sports will compete in Class B beginning 2015. Greenchain wrestling will compete against B-C competition. Libby soccer, which includes Troy athletes, will continue playing A-B competition. Golf will compete in the spring, instead of the fall.