(Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
There will only be one Aurora Public Schools boys lacrosse team starting next season, as the school district has opted to combine its two programs.
District athletic director Mike Krueger informed the CHSAA office of the change on Tuesday.
APS recently has fielded two teams, one at Gateway and one at Rangeview. For at least the next two-year cycle — which includes the 2017 and 2018 boys lacrosse seasons — those programs will combine and be housed at Rangeview.
Krueger cited a decrease in participation, as well as “an effort to create a program that allows for the development of younger players,” in combining the two programs.
The change means that boys lacrosse will now have 76 teams — a split of 41 in 5A and 35 in 4A. The South Suburban League, of which Gateway and Rangeview both were set to play in, will have seven teams in 2017 and 2018.
Rangeview boys lacrosse finished 1-14 in Class 5A last season, while Gateway was 1-12, also in 5A.
Rangeview also has a girls lacrosse program.