The North Carolina High School Athletic Association released its latest realignment model to member high schools last week, and while the alignment is far from set in stone, it’s clear that area conferences will look very different in the 2013-2017 realignment.
The NCHSAA hired the Cary-based SAS firm to use a mathematical algorithm to realign state conferences using the new ADM numbers and geography of the schools for the initial draft. The formula grouped schools in groups of 6-8, with no split conferences in the initial plan. NCHSAA spokesman Rick Struck was quick to note that these numbers are a base for the more formal discussions for the rest of the year.
The second draft of the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s realignment plan offered some changes for Yancey, Mitchell and Avery County high schools.
In the draft released this week, 1A Mitchell and Avery County would be in an as yet unnamed league with 2A schools Mountain Heritage, Draughn, East Burke and West Caldwell.
In the first draft, Heritage was put in a 2A league with Brevard, Hendersonville, Owen, Smoky Mountain, Madison and Franklin, and Mitchell in a six team 1A conference which included Avery County, Alleghany, East Wilkes, Elkin and Starmount,
Another option that was being considered was a ten team pure 1A league including current WHC members Mitchell, Avery and Thomas Jefferson as well as Bessemer City, Highland Tech., Pine Lake Prep., Community School of Davidson, Christ the King and Lincoln Charter School. Those ideas are now apparently dead.
Average Daily Membership numbers for the new proposed league shows much disparity between the top 2A school and the smallest 1A school. The largest school, West Caldwell, has an ADM of 985 students while the smallest, Mitchell High, has an ADM of just 565.
The new alignment would take effect August 2013 and the schools now will have until March 1 to respond to the latest plans. The committee will finalize the conference assignments March 15. The NCHSAA board of directors will consider any appeals and finalize the alignment in May.
Mountain Heritage and Mitchell High athletes will be competing in a new conference beginning in 2013 but the details of that new league are still up in the air. The Cougars and the Mountaineers currently compete in the split 1A-2A Western Highlands Conference which allows the two schools to stay relatively close to home for most of their athletic events. Redistricting plans currently being considered by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association puts 2A Heritage and 1A Mitchell in another split conference which would include 2A members Draughn, East Burke and West Caldwell as well as 1A Avery County. Another option being considered is a ten team pure 1A league including current WHC members Mitchell, Avery and Thomas Jefferson as well as Bessemer City, Highland Tech., Pine Lake Prep., Community School of Davidson, Christ the King and Lincoln Charter School. The NCHSAA initial draft placed Heritage in a seven team 2A league including Brevard, Hendersonville, Owen, Smoky Mountain, Madison and Franklin, and Mitchell in a six team 1A conference which includes Avery County, Alleghany, East Wilkes, Elkin and Starmount. Whether or not the Western Highlands Conference as it now exists will survive is a big question mark for participating members who want to keep long time rivals on their schedule for the sake of fan support and larger gate receipts. Following a regional meeting at Maiden High School on January 23, the NCHSAA will review alternative plans put forth by schools on February 15. New conferences will be finalized by the realignment committee in March.
Four athletes from the Western Highlands Conference were recently voted to the NCPreps.com 1A All-State football team. Mitchell High’s Justin Hughes, Avery Counties Alex Villanueva, Hendersonville’s D.J. Johnson and Thomas Jefferson Academy’s Travis Waldroup-Rodriguez were all named to the team along with five other players from Western North Carolina. Hughes was voted to the squad as a defensive back, Villanueva made the team as punter, Johnson earned the honor as a defensive lineman and Waldroup-Rodriguez made the offensive team as a wide receiver. Other area players voted to the team were - - Murphy- QB, Seth Curtis, Offensive Lineman Adam Burgess and Linebacker Tripp Ledford, - Cherokee-Wide Receiver Greg Tisho and Swain County- Defensive Lineman Lee Patillo.
