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If the CNC approves Columbus' application, it will become the second school to decide to leave the Southeast Kansas League in as many years. Iola's school board voted last year to switch its high school to the Pioneer League beginning with the 2012-13 school year.
The move will leave the SEK, which was founded in 1927, with just seven schools. The remaining schools are Fort Scott, Chanute, Coffeyville-Field Kindley, Independence, Labette County, Parsons and Pittsburg.
The SEK has been a a very stable league for the majority of its history with few membership changes. According to records of Thomas "Mike" Goddard, Iola left the SEK for a brief period in the mid-1930s before returning near the end of the decade.
LCHS was admitted to the SEK in 1968 during a time when many small high schools in Kansas were forced to consolidate.
Ottawa was assigned to a position in the SEK effective with the 1987-88 school year when it petitioned the Kansas State High School Activities Association for a league assignment. Ottawa left the league following the 1990-91 school year to join the Huron League, which has since broken up. Ottawa is currently a member of the Frontier League.
Columbus will become the largest school in the CNC with the change while Iola will be the largest in the Pioneer League when it joins. Currently Columbus is the smallest school in the SEK and Iola is the third-smallest. According to 2010-11 KSHSAA enrollment figures, Iola had 293 students in grades 10-12 while Columbus had 240. Parsons was second-smallest with 288.
Iola will replace Jayhawk-Linn in the Pioneer League. J-Linn returned to the Three Rivers League this year -- it is playing out the second year of a two-year scheduling cycle in football -- after declining enrollment made it the only Class 2A school in a predominantly 4A and 3A league.