Six Kansas-based high school teams have broken away from the Missouri Scholastic Lacrosse Association and will form their own league starting in 2008.

The Lacrosse Association of Kansas will include Blue Valley West, Olathe East, Shawnee Mission South, Shawnee Mission East, St. Thomas Aquinas and Wichita this season, according to St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Chris Berger. The six teams were forced to form their own league after being thrown out of the MSLA.

Rockhurst Jesuit head coach Jay Coleman said Missouri teams are shooting to get lacrosse sanctioned as a varsity sport, and shedding the Kansas teams from the league was an unfortunate necessity. Berger said he wasn't surprised.

"It's been something that's been coming for a while," Berger said. "The St. Louis teams were never too hip on playing the Kansas teams. It's been something that we've been expecting."