NCHSAA releases school classifications for 2021-25 realigment

December 4, 2020, 1:17 pm | by Tim Hower

The N.C. High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) released classification information for the 2021-25 realignment on Friday afternoon.

Each member school was given a final realignment score based on a formula that included ADM (Average Daily Members), State Cup Points and ISP (Identified Student Percentage). The state was split into Eastern and Western regions with 55 counties and 209 schools making up the East and 45 counties consisting of 216 schools making up the West.

Those schools were then split into four classifications. In the East, the 1A classification will have 53 schools and 2A, 3A and 4A will have 52 school.

The final numbers pushed New Hanover and Topsail up to the 4A classification, where they will join Ashley, Hoggard and Laney. The three other teams in the Mideastern Conference – North Brunswick, South Brunswick and West Brunswick – will remain 3A.

A draft proposal of conferences will be released to member schools on Dec. 10 and they will have until Jan. 8 to submit concerns or adjustments desired to initial draft. A second draft will be distributed to schools for review on Jan. 14 and a third draft will be issued on Feb. 4.

The NCHSAA Board of Directors will hear any final appeals based on procedural errors and vote on the realignment plan in March.

It seems likely the Mideastern Conference will remain intact. For the past four years, it has consisted of three 4A schools and five 3A schools. That would flip under the new realignment if all eight schools are retained.

New Hanover and Topsail were close to remaining in 3A, but both were impacted by the new formula.

New Hanover’s drop in classification lasted only one realignment cycle. The Wildcats’ success in the State Cup gave them a score of 60.833, which was the 10th highest among 4A schools. The Wildcats did have the lowest ISP percentage score at 391.842.

Topsail had the second-lowest ADM score at 744.500, but they were near the middle of the pack in State Cup points (36.667) and ISP percentage (572.271).

The Pirates were in the Coastal Plains 1A Conference during the 2008-09 school year before making the jump to the East Central 2A Conference from 2009-13. They joined the Mideastern Conference as a 3A program for the 2013-14 seasons and will now complete the incredible leap.

Here are the lowest final realignment scores for the 4A classification.

West Brunswick came in with the eighth highest final realignment score among 3A schools. South Brunswick had the ninth lowest score.

Pender remained 1A, but just barely. The Patriots had the highest final realignment score (435.7125) among 1A schools, but their lack of success in the State Cup (21.875) helped keep them in the state’s lowest classification. The lowest 2A final realignment score was East Bladen with 442.6134.

Trask will remain 2A, but will likely be searching for a new conference along with Pender. For the past four years, they have been members of the Coastal 8 Conference that also includes Croatan, Dixon, East Carteret, Lejeune, Richlands and SW Onslow. It seems very unlikely the league will continue as is since Croatan, Dixon and Richlands all head to 3A.

Here is all the final data for all 10 area schools.