Storm Lake High School and Storm Lake St. Mary’s High School are taking their athletic partnership well beyond football.
Beginning this fall, the two schools will combine for all sports for students in grades 7-12, with dance the lone exception. The move expands on an existing arrangement at the high school level and now brings the programs together across the board.
The change has already been framed by St. Mary’s supporters as the end of a long chapter.
In a post on the St. Mary’s Athletic Boosters Facebook page, the school described it as the closing of “an era of 1A sports and long legacy of Panther athletics,” while also pointing toward what comes next.
“Those memories will never go away - but we look forward to a future where athletes have the opportunity to compete in 3A with larger teams (more teammates), more resources, opportunities for more friendships and unity with the greater Storm Lake Community.
“The time has come, and we are grateful for the administrations on both sides prioritizing the needs of our students above all else, no matter the difficulty. We know there has been extensive deliberation!”
The post also acknowledged the emotional weight of the decision.
“This comes with mixed emotions for us, grief or helplessness for some, followed by hope, relief, anticipation and excitement at what’s to come and the possibilities this will open for our students,” the social media post read. “From the bottom of our hearts - Thank you Panther Nation.
“We look forward to your support as future Tornadoes.”
Storm Lake and St. Mary’s have already been sharing football through a sharing agreement, and volleyball will be the first sport to move under the new setup this fall.
The Storm Lake Community School District said Storm Lake will be the host school for the programs. In a Facebook post, the district said, “By working together, we can expand opportunities for students and continue providing a positive athletic experience for all participants,” while adding that both schools will keep operating separately outside the shared sports.
“Outside of these shared athletic programs, both the district and St. Mary’s School will continue to operate independently and maintain their own identities, traditions, academic programs and mascots.”
The move comes as two other Iowa schools, Exira-EHK and Audubon, are also looking to consolidate more sports moving forward.
On the field, Storm Lake is coming off a 2-7 football season after winning seven combined games over the previous two years. The Tornadoes are set to bring back standout wide receiver David William, who committed to Wayne State during the offseason, along with Drew Hogrefe, Jay William, Ta Eh Soe, Kale Miller, Xavier Rosas-Mendez and Jorge Reyes.
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