The inevitable has, in all likelihood, arrived.
North Tama, the smallest public school in Iowa with 11-player football, is having a meeting tonight about dropping down to 8.
For 2021-22, North Tama had a BEDS number of 108 students in grades 9-11. Le Mars Gehlen, officially the smallest, had 107. Belle Plaine had 114. The maximum for 8-player is 120. North Tama was also the smallest in 2016 and 2018 (the two-year district setup has switched to odd/even after a COVID one-off).
The vast majority of schools that North Tama has played to the south and east over the past two decades have dropped to 8.
North Tama finished the 2022 season 2-7, with a win over Starmont in the optional ninth game for teams not in the playoffs. Here is a photo gallery from Starmont. The Redhawks were winless in district play.
I am not sure when schools have to declare for 8 or 11. Moving up a class has a due date of Dec. 1.