With Olathe West High scheduled to open in the 2017-18 school year, the Sunflower League wanted to add one more school to maintain an even number of teams. Gardner-Edgerton accepted the league’s invitation Friday, giving the league a total of 14 schools by 2017.

Gardner-Edgerton, which was previously in the Eastern Kansas League, will join the Sunflower League for all sports in 2017, except for football. For football, the school had committed to the EKL through the 2017 season, so the Trailblazers will wait until the following season to join the Sunflower League.

“The Sunflower League will continue to meet the needs of our students and provide an abundance of opportunities in athletics or activities,” GEHS principal Mark Meyers said in a press release. “The Sunflower League has a great reputation. We are honored and look forward to being its newest member.”

The league currently consists of Lawrence and Free State high schools, the five Shawnee Mission schools, four Olathe schools and Leavenworth.