The identity of small midwestern towns often coincides with their high schools.

In eastern Doniphan County, that mind set has always prevailed.

The Trojans reside in Troy, the Wildcats in Wathena and the Panthers in Elwood, but the rekindling of consolidation talks threatens that existence. A hypothetical “Doniphan East High School” would forge a new identity.

It’s a problem that hasn’t cropped up yet but eventually will rear itself, as three school boards toy with a monumental proposal.

“There’s a real concern that if you lose your school, you lose your town,” said Troy principal Don Cash, who has been in the district for more than 30 years.

But the possible consolidation of the Elwood, Wathena and Troy school districts goes beyond identity.

Talks of consolidation go back to Cash’s early days as an educator at Troy, but even he admits the talks have taken on a more serious tone this time around. Although athletic discussions have not come about in the early stages, competition, venues and unification of athletic teams would certainly present problems.

For an example that joint athletics can work, officials in eastern Doniphan County only have to look west down U.S. Highway 36. Highland and Midway-Denton have operated as Doniphan West for the past four-plus years.

“It was pretty smooth for us at the time, but each situation is different,” said Doniphan West football coach Mark Martin, who went from coaching 8-man at Midway-Denton to 11-man at Doniphan West. “You certainly have a faction that’s pro and a faction that’s not pro. It depends on what leadership you have.

“If each district is ready to move forward, it could be a good thing.”

In 2003 when Highland and Midway-Denton agreed to combine school services, the newly formed Mustangs jumped from 8-man to 11-man in football but only to 2A in other sports, a small jump in enrollment.

The combined enrollments of Elwood, Troy and Wathena would jump a consolidated district to a Class 4A school, moving up with the likes of Atchison, Hiawatha and Holton.

A monumental shift like that would likely take the consolidated school out of the Delaware Valley League, which is dominated by Class 1A-3A schools. A move to the Big 7 or independent circuit like Atchison would be possibilities.

“Tradition is the Delaware Valley League and the K-36 league before that,” Cash said. “That’s your tradition. It would have to be a new tradition. We’ve never been a big school.”

Each school also has its own gymnasium and football field.

With the location of a consolidated high school not yet proposed, the location for varsity athletics remains a conversation for down the road. Doniphan West locates its high school in Highland but plays varsity football at the middle school in Denton.

So location doesn’t necessarily preclude athletic venues.

“Nobody wants to give up a school,” Cash said. “That’s part of the discussion. Who gives up something and what do they give up? How do we give everyone equitable treatment?”

Beyond numbers and locale, a nearly 100-year rivalry — even bitter at times — exists between Wathena and Troy, specifically in football. Elwood and Wathena have also operated under a general rivalry in some sports, most noticeably basketball.

Early discussions haven’t involved athletics and rightfully focus on educational opportunities. But at some point, those concerns will come up.

Cash noted one issue that always arises in the nearly 30 years of talks about consolidation. What happens when a starter from one school is a junior varsity player after consolidation — especially if the player taking his spot is from a rival school?

“I would hope they could look past the rivalries and what have you,” Newman said, “because with expanded curriculum, you look at advanced athletic programs. That’s all more opportunities than the students have right now.”

Working together among these bordering Doniphan County schools isn’t unheard of during the previous two years. Wathena and Troy have formed cooperative baseball and softball teams with the baseball team earning one of eight state berths in last year’s Class 1A tournament.

“With the parents, it’s a bigger deal than it is with the kids,” Cash said. “The parents don’t want to lose their identity. The kids work together.”

Talks of consolidation will continue with the school boards from Elwood, Wathena and Troy meeting on the fourth Monday of each month until the talks cease or a consolidation agreement can be reached.

But unless the parents and school board members can work together to reach that agreement, the schools will remain separate — their own identities intact.

Assistant sports editor Ross Martin can be reached

at rossmartin@npgco.com