The N.C. High School Athletic Association is in the process of realigning schools, which will take effect in the 2025. The new plan is to reclassify the schools into eight classifications.
Today, the schools are divided into only four classifications. Although nothing is set in stone yet, the picture is becoming clearer on what the new classifications will mean for the schools playing in the Smoky Mountain Conference.
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The NCHSAA is pushing for a plan that will take the top 32 schools in the state, ranked by Average Daily Membership – number of students in grades 9-12 – and make that the 8A classification. Then the board would equally divide the rest of the schools into seven classifications, with one exception – all the remaining six classifications would have 54 teams in each, except for 1A, which would have 58 schools.
A problem arises in 1A when it comes to football. If the NCHSAA uses Average Daily Membership numbers only to put a school in a classification, which is what the amendment the board adopted says, there would only have 19 schools in the new 1A classification that play football, according to HighSchoolOT.com.
There have been all kinds of rumors about what the playoffs would look like in this scenario. Do you have a three-game state championship in 1A, with 16 of those 19 teams participating, or do you combine the 1A and 2A state championships?
Another rumor circulating was that football would be seeded in a different way than other sports; you would take all the football-playing schools, divide them equally and seed teams that way. However, that is not going to be the case.
“While the NCHSAA has not finalized its plans for reclassification just yet, as it has always been in the past, classifications will not vary by sport,” said Brandon Moree, director of media relations for the NCHSAA. “So whether or not a school fields a football team or basketball or lacrosse, will have no bearing on the new classifications.”
The NCHSAA Board of Directors at its May 23, 2023, passed bylaw VI meeting, which reads, “When at least 25 percent of the total number of member schools, or at least half the schools in a classification, participate in a sport sanctioned by the NCHSAA, that sport shall culminate in a state championship for that classification. When less than half of the schools in a classification participate, those schools shall be grouped with schools from the next largest classification(s) not having 50 percent participation in that sport to create a state playoff bracket culminating in a multi-class state championship.
“If only one classification has less than 50 percent of schools participating in a sport, the schools in that classification shall have a reduced playoff bracket by one round. If that is not possible, then the schools of that classification shall be placed in the state playoffs of the next highest classification.”
What does that mean for the Smoky Mountain Conference, which includes Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties? If the proposal is finalized the way it is today, the conference would be divided. Murphy, Swain and Cherokee would be 2A, while Robbinsville, Andrews and Hayesville would be 1A. And this would not be the first time the conference has been split.
From the mid-1960s until 1984, the Smoky Mountain Conference was divided, with then members Sylva-Webster (Smoky Mountain today). Franklin. Murphy and Swain in the 2A classification, and Robbinsville, Hayesville, Cherokee and Andrews in 1A.
The NCHSAA did a realignment in 1985 that put Murphy and Swain in 1A and moved Smoky Mountain and Franklin into the 3A classification, prompting the latter two schools to leave the conference. From 1970-84, Robbinsville ripped off 11 state 1A championships, while 2A members Sylva-Webster, Murphy, Franklin and Swain accounted for seven state titles.
The difference between then and now is there were many more 1A schools playing football during this period, so the 1A classification had no problem having enough teams for playoffs. However, school consolidations across the state has diminished the number of 1A schools that field a football team. Under the new proposal using 23 ADM numbers, only 19 of the 58 1A schools would be on the gridiron.
Under the adopted proposal, those 19 teams will break the 25 percent requirement for having a state championship. With a 16-team field, that championship would be decided in three games.
Looking at the members of the 1A classification, Robbinsville would be a clear favorite to win every year. The Black Knights may need a bigger sign for their scoreboard.
The 2A division would look much like it did before the current realignment. To get out of the western division, the primary obstacles for Murphy, Swain or Cherokee would be Mitchell, Albemarle, Starmount and parochial schools. Even if they get out of the west, a football behemoth, Tarboro, would be waiting in the east. It’s going to be a very competitive classification.
While the bylaws and statement from the NCHSAA makes it seem like this will be the scenario starting next year, the statement also says, “The NCHSAA has not finalized its plans for reclassification just yet,” so things could still change.