High school sports across the Ozarks are entering a new era, and the shifts are already making noise. Chris Parker joins the Starting Lineup for all the local sports updates. From major conference realignment to standout performances across multiple sports, the landscape is changing fast. Central and Parkview’s move into a revamped Ozark Conference is set to reshape scheduling and rivalries starting in 2027, while also creating a more streamlined, geographically logical setup across the board.

 Catch the full breakdown and behind-the-scenes insight in the full interview:

That shift doesn’t just impact one conference, it ripples across the Central Ozark Conference too, where a cleaner round-robin format could bring more consistency to competition. Meanwhile, Central football is in a transition phase with a new head coach in place, but key decisions about the program’s direction are still unfolding.

On the track, the energy is building toward championship season. The SBU Relays delivered a preview of what’s coming, with athletes like Logan-Rogersville’s Gage Hale continuing to turn heads as a multi-sport standout, and distance runners like Wyatt Claybaugh setting up what could be must-watch postseason matchups. In the field events, there’s a noticeable surge in performance, fueled in part by the growing influence of elite-level talent pushing the bar higher across the region.

Across the rest of the spring slate, the competition is just as intense. Girls soccer is heating up with matchups that feel like early district previews, while high school baseball is entering its most strategic stretch of the season. With district play looming, pitching decisions are becoming a true chess match, and matchups like Miller vs. Ash Grove are already circled as can’t-miss. Add in Republic’s Keiran Govan committing to Mizzou and a loaded week of must-see events, and it’s clear: the Ozarks are stacked with storylines right now, and we’re just getting started.