One of Leelanau County's fiercest rivalries may have played out for the last time, as Leland has declined to schedule prep boys' and girls' basketball games with Northport next season.

Wildcat athletic director Marshall Collins confirmed this week that Leland will not provide a date for the teams to meet during the 2008-09 regular season, at least temporarily ending a regular season rivalry that has bridged generations. The two teams could meet in the Class D district tournament, but even that meeting is dependent on the tournament draw.

Leland athletic director Ryan Knudsen said concerns over whether Northport would be able to field competitive basketball teams at all levels, including middle school, in coming years combined with a more extensive Northwest Conference schedule to force the change. Leland’s boys have already beaten Northport twice this season, 71-50 and 64-31. The Comet girls defeated the Wildcats in their only meeting, 53-39.

Those who have played in the rivalry and later watched Northport and Leland butt heads on the hardwood were disappointed at the news.

“Even before I was playing, I remember watching Leland and Northport,” said Gordie Wick, who graduated from Northport High School in 1970. He coached the Wildcats from 1985-96, leading them to the state Class D title in 1988.

“Leland has a great basketball team, but it doesn’t last forever. Those things come and go. I think they should play as long as each one has a team,” said Wick.

Leland attorney Larry Nelson’s family has played in the Leland-Northport rivalry for three generations. His father, Floyd, graduated in 1939, and Larry graduated in 1965 after playing on a Comet squad that advanced to the state Class D semifinals. Then his son, Ben, played for Leland.

“Northport was always a great rivalry,” said Nelson, who remembers beating Northport three times in his senior season. “There were a lot of families that played in that game from one generation to another.”

Leland AD Knudsen joins those lamenting the change, but said it was necessary.

“It was a very tough decision. But it was based on finding opponents able to field multiple teams at the middle school level, and those classes are moving up to the high school level,” he said.

Knudsen said a shortage of players has left him to question whether Northport can field separate seventh and eighth grade teams in the future. He also said middle school students may be forced to step up to the high school level to fill out rosters. Leland asked for estimates of future enrollment and participation in basketball, but “we did not receive those projections,” Knudsen said.

Complicating the issue is an expanded conference schedule. Leland moved this season from the Cherryland Conference to the larger Northwest Conference, which has eight teams. Playing each Northwest opponent takes up 14 regular season games, and an agreement was reached between Northwest and Lake Michigan Athletic conferences to play one “challenge” game next season.

High schools may only play 20 regular season games — and 15 of those dates were automatically determined for Leland. Knudsen filled remaining dates with home and away games against Traverse City Christian and Lake Leelanau St. Mary, and one match against northern Michigan powerhouse Bellaire.

Northport is scheduled to join the Greater Northwest Soccer Conference next season, assuring the two schools will meet twice on the soccer field.

Northport AD Marshall Collins has a more open basketball schedule that without Leland will require longer bus rides to fill. Northport plays in the four-team Cherryland Conference, which comes with only a six-game schedule.

“I’m going to try to fill my schedule. There are other schools available,” said Collins.

But Collins was unhappy at Leland’s decision on another level, having graduated from Northport in 1995.

“I still don’t know if I’d speak to some of those Leland players,” said Collins, with a half chuckle that left the door open as to whether he was serious. “You have to bring it to a Leland-Northport game. To me, it’s the longest rivalry on the peninsula.”

Collins said the future for Northport athletics is secure. “One year does not make a difference. Things are going to turn around here. I know they are.”