The Executive Committee of the Virginia High School League adopted a plan on Thursday, Sept. 23, for assigning member schools to district, region and group classifications effective with the 2005-06 school year for a two-year period.

The plan presented by the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee was amended and approved 26-0 following several appeals from member schools and regions that had concerns with the proposal sent forward by the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee.

The Executive Committee granted two appeals and denied six, but to provide possible relief for four schools whose appeals were denied approved two amendments that would permit regions to submit by Oct. 11 proposals for combination districts that could be considered by the Executive Committee at a special meeting on Oct. 13.

Combination districts permit schools assigned to two different groups to play in the same district for regular season competition, but then advance in tournament play to regions in different group classifications using formulas developed by the regions and approved by the Executive Committee.

“The committee carefully considered these appeals and even extended additional time for schools to reach a satisfactory compromise through the combination district formats,” said Ken Tilley, VHSL executive director. “We will never be able to accommodate every request, but members of the committee did the best they could to meet the needs of young people and schools across the state.”

The attached chart shows the district, regional and group assignments for all VHSL schools for 2005-07, subject to any modifications approved on Oct. 13.

One combination district might provide relief for Lee High School and Virginia High School in Southwest Virginia. Citing significant travel problems, Lee had requested to play down in Group A rather than Group AA, Region IV, Highlands District to which it has been assigned. Virginia had requested to be assigned to the Hogoheegee District in Region C, Group A instead of the Lonesome Pine District in Region D, Group A but said that if the move to Hogoheegee were denied, they preferred to play up in the Highlands District in Region IV, Group AA.

Lee and Virginia are charged with working with Region C, Region D and Region IV in developing a combination district plan.

The other combination district might provide relief for Loudoun Valley High School and Stone Bridge High School in fast-growing Loudoun County. Both schools will be Group AAA in size during the next cycle and have been assigned to the Northern Region, Loudoun Valley to the Concorde District and Stone Bridge to the Liberty District.

Both requested to play down in the Dulles District, Region II, Group AA where they play now against other Loudoun County schools. The Dulles District supported their request to play down and both the Northern and Northwest Regions requested that they be permitted to play down, but Region II opposed the move.

Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge are charged with working with Region II, Northern Region and Northwest Region in developing a plan.

Unless the Executive Committee approves plans for combination districts on Oct. 13, Lee High School will play in Group AA, Region IV, Highlands District; Virginia High School will remain in Group AA, Region IV, Highlands District; Loudoun Valley will play in Group AAA, Northern Region, Concorde District; and Stone Bridge will play in Group AAA, Northern Region, Liberty District.

The Executive Committee did approve two appeals.

Prince Edward County High School will be assigned to the Southside District rather than the Battlefield District in Region I, Group AA; and Chancellor High School will be assigned to the Battlefield District, Region I, Group AA instead of the Commonwealth District, Northwest Region Group AAA. The Southside assignment is the more logical assignment for Prince Edward and was supported by all districts and regions involved. Because of the opening of Riverbend High School this year, Chancellor High School’s enrollment for the 2005-07 cycle will fall to Group AA range, and the districts and regions involved supported the request.

Two other requests to play down, both by schools that fall on the bubble and move frequently between Groups A and AA, were denied. Both schools project Group AA enrollment for the next cycle, forcing a move up from Group A, and both anticipate ongoing gains in enrollment. James Monroe will play in the Battlefield District, Region I, Group AA, instead of the Northern Neck District, Region A, Group A as requested. Central-Woodstock will play in Northwestern District, Region II, Group AA, instead of Shenandoah District, Region B, Group A as requested.

In other action related to the redistricting and reclassification report, the Executive Committee approved a request for Group AA to develop a “wild card” proposal that would permit proportional representation for the four regions in an enlarged state playoff system.

The specific proposal, subject to approval by the Executive Committee in December, could permit four schools from Region II, three schools from Regions I and III and two schools from Region IV to advance to a 12-team state playoff, rather than two teams from each region in an eight-team field as is the system now. The concern is over inequities in the size of the four Group AA regions, making it much more difficult for some schools to advance to state than for others. Under the assignments approved Thursday, there will be 30 schools in Region II, 25 schools in Region I, 19 schools in Region III and 15 schools in Region IV.

In one other major decision, the Executive Committee voted to adopt a 12-week football schedule beginning next year. VHSL schools may schedule 10 games and two open dates, with the first play date set for Aug. 26. The extended schedule permits schools that start before Labor Day to open the season earlier and those that start after Labor Day to play a later schedule.

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For a classification by classifcation look at the NEW A, AA and AAA alignments as approved Thursday, please visit the VirginiaPreps.com V. I. P. Club messageboard.