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Sports

2011-10-20 09:40:17

Changes in classifications

Q: How will the recent changes in classifications impact area high school sports teams?

A: The Kansas High School Activities Association recently released new classifications in football for the 2012 and 2013 seasons and in all of the other sports for the 2011-12 school year. In football, which is based on enrollment of the freshman, sophomore and junior classes, several area teams were affected. The largest 32 schools play in Class 6A, the next 32 play in 5A, the next 64 play in 4A and the next 64 play in 3A. Up to the next 64 schools can compete in 2-1A, but the schools with an enrollment of fewer than 100 students can choose to compete in 8-Man Division I. The state’s smallest schools play in 8-Man Division II. The Frontenac Raiders, which have been a 3A school for more than a decade, moves to 4A for the 2012 and 2013 football seasons. With an enrollment number of 199, Frontenac will be the second smallest school in 4A. Frontenac previously had been among the largest 3A schools. This is a particularly difficult jump for the Raiders as 4A has the widest school range of any of the classifications. For instance, 4A’s largest school is Maize South with an enrollment number of 564 and the smallest is Goodland with 197 students. That means the 4A’s biggest schools are more than two-and-a-half times as large as Frontenac. It is the only classification where the gap is even double. However, Frontenac will be in one of the classification’s smaller districts with the likes of Independence (425), Parsons (285), and Girard (264). With two teams making the playoffs out of each district, those odds are in no way insurmountable. The St. Mary’s Colgan Panthers will make the jump to 3A after being a perennial contender in 2-1A for decades. With an enrollment number of 120, Colgan will be the smallest school in 3A. The largest school will be Burlington with an enrollment number of 195. The good news for Colgan is that this means it should be able to compete in the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League again. The past two seasons, the Panthers have had to play five 2-1A district games. Since none of those teams are in the CNC, they have been unable to play more than four league games and have been ineligible for the conference title and individual league honors. For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Colgan will compete in a district with three other CNC teams in Southeast (193), Riverton (189) and Galena (166). That means Colgan will be able to play the league requirement of five games. Colgan also will play new opponents like Columbus, the CNC’s newest member, and Anderson County. The Northeast Vikings drop back to 2-1A after playing the past two seasons in 3A. With an enrollment number of 116, Northeast will be 2-1A’s second largest school. The Vikings have bounced back and forth between the two classes in recent years but have struggled to compete on both levels. The lack of Colgan in its district should help. Northeast will now be paired with Lyndon (115), Jayhawk-Linn (114), Oswego (107) and Olpe (72). Several area schools also are changing classifications for the 2011-12 school year in all of the other sports, which are based on enrollment for the entire high school. The Pittsburg Purple Dragons drop from 5A to 4A with 717 students. Pittsburg will be 4A’s largest school, while Haven will be the classification’s smallest school with 258 students. The Dragons will remain in 5A for football. While Frontenac moves to 4A in football, the Raiders will remain in 3A for all of the other sports. However, Colgan will move up to 3A in all sports. The Panthers will be one of the smallest schools in 3A with 166 students. Typically a baseball and basketball powerhouse, Colgan could have extra competition statewide with the likes of Silver Lake in baseball and Scott City in basketball. Northeast, with 155 students, will drop to 2A in all the sports. The Vikings will be among the largest schools in 2A. Brought to you by GMG Team Sports and Vietti Auto Body & Alignment.