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I remember a while back someone talking about a merger of Duluth Denfeld and Central (couldn't find the thread).

Is this happening? If so, when?

Yes it is going to happen. I got confirmation from Denfeld's head coach and the teams will merge starting with the 09-10 season. They'll still just be known as Duluth Denfeld though - Duluth Central school is supposedly going to fold under the city's "Red Plan." So the city of Duluth will be cut down to just two public schools. This also means that some of the Central hockey players may end up at Duluth East, depending on where the city draws the boundary lines.

It would also mean Denfeld would have to move up to AA.

Question....As they redraw attendance boundaries, is there any chance part of the current east territory ends up in the Denfeld territory?

is the school closing in 09? or just the merger of of hockey teams? or is it all sports right away?

I assume Denfeld would be in 7AA and Anoka may move out to another section. And a possibility of Duluth Marshall going back to 5A to fill the void.

7A22A wrote:I assume Denfeld would be in 7AA and Anoka may move out to another section. And a possibility of Duluth Marshall going back to 5A to fill the void.

...Moving Marshall wouldn't serve much of a purpose...it would just take two 9-team sections and make an 8 team section and a 10 team section...

I don't know the exact year when it happens, but if the current plan goes through Duluth Central will be closed. To accomodate the larger enrollments, Denfeld will be added on to and East will move to what is currently Ordean Middle School, which will also be added on to significantly. And no, no kids in the current East zone will end up at the new Denfeld.

Seeing the present state of Central's hockey program, though, I doubt this will impact either Denfeld or East significantly, other than forcing both over the AA enrollment benchmark.

George Blanda wrote:

7A22A wrote:I assume Denfeld would be in 7AA and Anoka may move out to another section. And a possibility of Duluth Marshall going back to 5A to fill the void.

...Moving Marshall wouldn't serve much of a purpose...it would just take two 9-team sections and make an 8 team section and a 10 team section...

Blanda just dosen't want Marshall to move to 5A because his Crusaders would have a harder time getting to state.

Will the two schools (Denfeld and East) actually keep their school names? I wouldn't assume so as the city needs to identify these two schools as "new" to the students. You can't just close one school, erase all its history and tradition while telling current Central students that they're being forced to attend a school that has been a rival and expect them to enjoy it.
I see new names/logo's in the future as a way to build a sense of community for the new students. Thoughts?

George Blanda wrote:

7A22A wrote:I assume Denfeld would be in 7AA and Anoka may move out to another section. And a possibility of Duluth Marshall going back to 5A to fill the void.

...Moving Marshall wouldn't serve much of a purpose...it would just take two 9-team sections and make an 8 team section and a 10 team section...

Geographically, it would. Marshall would be the only Duluth area team left in 7A. The others are in 5A already. This would probably depend on other opt ups, mergers, and such around the state when the new sections are drawn out for the 09-10 season. There are murmers on the east end of the Iron Range that Mesabi East is considering re-starting their high school hockey program (these are just rumors - so it may never really happen), and if that were to happen, Marshall for sure would be moved - although that may put Eveleth-Gilbert's program in jeopardy, so who knows. But with the new mining projects over there, it is a very real possibility.

HasBeen17 wrote: You can't just close one school, erase all its history and tradition while telling current Central students that they're being forced to attend a school that has been a rival and expect them to enjoy it.

Tell that to the kids who used to go to Bloomington Lincoln. Did they change Jefferson's and Kennedy's name after Lincoln closed? Granted, it wasn't in conjunction with new high schools being constructed, but since when does what the kids think or want determine a school's naming?

East will remain East. Denfeld will remain Denfeld. (The latter is more certain). Central kids will get used to it and be fine.

Lee

It also didn't happen when Duluth folded Morgan Park into Denfeld. "Huntercats" never quite made it................................

GoldenElbow wrote:It also didn't happen when Duluth folded Morgan Park into Denfeld. "Huntercats" never quite made it................................

Nor Wild Hunters?

Lee

From what I've heard the plan is to get new names and mascots for the schools, but I have doubts about this happening. Denfeld will throw a fit if they try to change anything, and if Denfeld is allowed to keep theirs, East will be justifiably angry and fight to keep their name too.

ttt