Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Tim Lewis is not campaigning for the state to adopt a district formula for Class 4A football, but he's not opposed to the idea either.

In fact, he thinks district football could be a change for the better.

"I'm for it, from the standpoint that the Mississippi Valley Conference is a grind," he said. "It really is."

If a district formula for 4A schools is adopted, it would spell the end of the MVC as a football conference in terms of league standings and all-conference performers.

The Board of Directors of the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) will discuss the topic at its next meeting in Boone on Oct. 13. The board will not vote on district football at that meeting, but it could vote in November or December to install 4A district football for the 2012 campaign.

Surveys were due to the IHSAA office this past Friday. All 47 schools that currently compete in Class 4A football were asked to express their opinion on whether districts should be adopted or not.

"I think it's a done deal, to be honest with you," Lewis said. "I just think it's a matter of time."

The athletic directors at Kennedy, Washington, Jefferson, Linn-Mar and Prairie all said they would vote against district football, but there seems to be growing support in other areas of the state for the new approach.

Under the current proposal, there would be eight Class 4A districts with a total of 43 teams for 2012. Each district would have five or six teams, and the top four teams in each district would advance to the playoffs, keeping the playoff field at 32 teams.

Lewis thinks a true state champion would be decided either way, whether the state keeps its current system or goes to districts.

"The final four teams are going to be the best teams in the state," he said. "How you get there, in my opinion, doesn't matter."

Lewis said athletic directors are concerned about gate receipts if Cedar Rapids schools are playing Davenport schools, because fans might not travel to games.

"But wins and losses are important too," he said. "Just the opportunity to play other teams is kind of fun."

Linn-Mar Coach Bob Forsyth compared the move toward district football with what's happening in major college football, with conference realignments obscuring old formulas.

"We'll have nine games to play, and we'll have to play well to get into the playoffs no matter how they decide to do it," Forsyth said. "I'm kind of a traditionalist. I like the idea of the Mississippi Valley.

"I played in this league (at Iowa City High) and now I've come back and coach in it. I like the idea of the league, but whatever the state decides to do, we'll still have to get ready for games, we're still going to try and win them and get into the playoffs.

"I'll just have to wait and see how it goes," he said. "I'm not all that worried about it, one way or the other."

Washington Coach Tony Lombardi hopes the Mississippi Valley Conference is left alone.

"I am not a fan of district play," he said. "I don't want to see it go to district play, where all the good teams are in the same district."

Under the current proposal, Washington would be placed in District 6 with Iowa City High, Iowa City West, Prairie, Burlington and Muscatine.

Burlington and Muscatine belong to the Mississippi Athletic Conference, while Washington, City High, Iowa City West and Prairie are from the Mississippi Valley.

Kennedy and Linn-Mar would be in District 4 with Jefferson, Hempstead and Dubuque Senior.

All of the other classes switched to district football in 1992. Class 4A is the only holdout, but Lombardi thinks the IHSAA is moving in that direction with 4A as well.

"I think it's because the state association is run by small-school people," Lombardi said. "And so it works for them."

Xavier would have the most at stake if the IHSAA installs a district formular for Class 4A, because the Saints would fall to Class 3A based on enrollment. They might have trouble keeping Class 4A Metro schools on their schedule, especially if non-district games count toward the playoffs in a points system.

"We play good competition every Friday night, there's no doubt about that," Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. "You would at the 3A level too, if that's where we're playing. There would still be competition, no matter what."

Schulte sees both sides of the district argument. It could help teams in some parts of the state with their schedules and travel budgets, but it also could damage existing leagues.

"It doesn't seem to be broken, but I think there's pros and cons either way," he said. "At least that's the way we look at it."

If the Class 4A schools are moved into districts, Xavier wouldn't have to tangle with Class 4A powers like Iowa City High and Cedar Falls. The Saints lost to No.2 City High, 52-24, Friday night and host top-ranked Cedar Falls this Friday.

Prairie Coach Mike Morrissey said he's not sure what's going to happen.

"Me being fairly new to this area, I'm really just going with the flow at this point," he said. "What's going to happen is going to happen.

"As coaches we'll adjust to it as it goes," he said. "Either way, football goes on and that's the beauty of it."