DES MOINES — Led by the five metro Des Moines schools a new conference has emerged, one that will begin play in the 2022-2023 school year.
The Iowa Alliance Conference will be an 11-team league divided into two divisions. Most of the schools are currently members of the Central Iowa Metropolitan League (CIML).
Larger, wealthier suburban districts like Waukee, Ankeny, West Des Moines Valley, Dowling Catholic and others, including Urbandale and Johnston, have dominated their competition in most sports.
The disparity led the five metro schools — East, Hoover, Lincoln, North and Roosevelt — to seek greater balance in numbers and economic base. The quintet will be joined by Ottumwa in forming the new Iowa Alliance South.
The Iowa Alliance North will include Ames, Forth Dodge, Mason City and Marshalltown along with Waterloo East.
The moves leaves the CIML, which includes Southeast Polk, Ankeny Centennial and Waukee Northwest along with the aforementioned teams, with nine teams, 10 having departed. How the league reorganizes has not been decided.
