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Marion/Peabody Warriors form baseball, softball teams

School districts pair up to create combined teams

Staff writer

High school ball players from Marion-Florence USD 408 and Peabody-Burns USD 398 will combine this spring to form baseball and softball teams.

Members of the Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education approved a cooperative agreement Monday morning between the school districts to form baseball and softball teams.

Peabody-Burns USD 398 board members approved the agreement in November.

Tod Gordon, USD 408 athletic director, said the combined teams would play as the Marion/Peabody-Burns Warriors. Both Marion High and Peabody High schools use the Warriors as their mascots.

Gordon further noted that during regional and/or state competition the team would probably play in the 4A enrollment category.

"We believe the combined enrollment of both schools will put us in 4A," Gordon said. "But we ordinarily see some 4A schools in our usual league competition. So that shouldn't be an issue."

Marion High School currently has a head baseball coach and a position is open for an assistant. Gordon hopes that assistant position will be filled by an individual from Peabody-Burns

"We're hoping to have a staff member from Peabody take this on," Gordon said. "It would be good to have someone on board who knows the kids."

Two coaches already have been hired for the softball squad.

Peabody-Burns district will have the responsibility of transporting its students back and forth from Marion to Peabody for practices and games.

Gordon said approximately 12 Peabody-Burns boys have expressed an interest in baseball while 10 girls are planning on playing softball.

He said the larger numbers may mean a junior varsity schedule will be needed.

"Currently, I have a varsity schedule," Gordon said. "My only concern is where we're going with JV."

The cooperative agreement between the two schools is a two-year agreement.

Last spring, the continued existence of the Marion High School baseball and softball squads was in question because there were barely enough players to field teams.

Vocal parental involvement during several public meetings led the USD 408 board to reconsider terminating the program and led to a search for other county districts interested in fielding combined programs.

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