MSH football: Owls again have tough grid district

Whoever winds up with the Marshall head football coach's job is going to have his work cut out for him in getting to the playoffs.

Under the 2010-11 biennial district assignments released by MSHSAA last week, the Owls will retain only one of their former foes, that being two-time Show-Me Bowl loser Helias.

Gone are NCMC rivals Hannibal and Kirksville, replaced by 2009 Central Ozarks Conference champion Bolivar and former district partner Warrensburg -- like Marshall, a program which has struggled to win the past couple of years.

The Owls open their 2010 schedule with three straight home games, starting -- as it has the past two seasons -- with Chillicothe. They leap into a six-week NCMC schedule before heading down south to meet the Liberators for the first time.

Two of Marshall's three districts games next season will be on the road, including the finale at Warrensburg.

There was no change in the line-up for Slater's Class 1, District 11 -- where the Wildcats will again battle Lewis and Clark Conference rivals Fayette, Salisbury and Westran.

While Santa Fe remains in the same group as Concordia, Class 1, District 6 is an all-I-70 Conference affair with Sweet Springs and Crest Ridge in the mix. For the Greyhounds, it is the first time in six years that they haven't had to face perennial district champion Tipton.

Marshall remains in the hunt for a head coach following the decision not to renew Paul Thomas' contract after 10 years.