Newberry, St. Ignace to change classes next year

Courtesy of the MHSAA

EAST LANSING, Mich. – March 24 – Classifications for Michigan High School Athletic Association elections and postseason tournaments in traditionally classified sports (A, B, C, D) for the 2014-15 school year have been announced, with enrollment breaks for postseason tournaments set up by divisions posted on the MHSAA Website.

Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second semester count date, which for MHSAA purposes was Feb. 12. The enrollment figure submitted for athletic classification purposes may be different from the count submitted for school aid purposes, as it does not include students ineligible for athletic competition because they reached their 19th birthday prior to September 1 of the current school year and will not include alternative education students if none are allowed athletic eligibility by the local school district.

After all the counts are submitted, tournament-qualified member schools are ranked according to enrollment, and then split as closely into quarters as possible. For 2014-15, there are 749 tournament-qualified member schools with 187 schools in Class A, B and C and 188 schools in Class D.

Effective with the 2014-15 school year, schools with 882 or more students are in Class A in MHSAA postseason tournament competition. The enrollment limits for Class B are 424-881; Class C is 215-423; and schools with enrollments of 214 and fewer are Class D. The break between Classes A and B decreased 11 students from 2013-14, the break between Classes B and C decreased five students, and the break between Classes C and D is nine students fewer than the current school year.

The new classification breaks will see 21 schools move up in class for 2014-15, while 26 schools will move down.

Schools were recently notified of their classification. MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said schools may not subsequently lower their enrollment figure. However, if revised enrollment figures should be higher and indicate that a school should be playing in a higher class, that school would be moved up.

Schools have the option to play at any higher classification for a minimum of two years, but must exercise the option by April 15 for fall sports, August 15 for winter sports and October 15 for spring sports.

MHSAA tournament sports that will be conducted in traditional classifications for 2014-15 are Basketball and Girls Volleyball. Football will use traditional classifications to determine playoff points.

Sports which will compete in nearly equal divisions are: Baseball, Bowling, Girls Competitive Cheer, Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Lower Peninsula Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Lower Peninsula Soccer, Skiing, Softball, Lower Peninsula Swimming and Diving, Lower Peninsula Tennis, Lower Peninsula Track and Field and Wrestling.

Visit the respective sport pages on the MHSAA Website to review the divisional alignments.

The divisions and qualifiers for the MHSAA Football Playoffs will be announced on Selection Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014.

A complete list of school enrollments used to determine classifications for the 2014-15 school year can be found on the Enrollment & Classification page of the MHSAA Website. (Here is a direct link to the page –http://www.mhsaa.com/portals/0/documents/AD%20Forms/1415enroll.pdf).

Here is a complete list of schools changing classification for 2014-15. (Note: This list does not include schools opting up in class/division for tournaments, which can be found on the Administrators page of the MHSAA Website under Enrollment and Classification):

Moving Up From Class B to Class A

Fruitport
Hazel Park
Romulus
Stevensville Lakeshore

Moving Down From Class A to Class B

Detroit Denby Tech & Prep
Detroit Osborn
Haslett
South Lyon East
Warren Regina

Moving Up From Class C to Class B

Detroit Benjamin Carson HS for Science & Medicine
Detroit Consortium College Prep
Detroit Henry Ford Academy School for Creative Studies
Hamtramck Frontier International Academy
Harper Woods
Hemlock
Kalkaska
Lakeview
Southfield Bradford
Wyoming Lee

Moving Down From Class B to Class C

Capac
Detroit Plymouth Educational Center
Ferndale University
Grand Rapids Wellspring Prep
Jackson Lumen Christi
Mason County Central
Millington
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
Napoleon
Roscommon
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

Moving Up From Class D to Class C

Detroit University YES Academy
Eau Claire
Lutheran Westland
Marcellus
Rogers City
Taylor Preparatory
Traverse City Grand Traverse Academy

Moving Down From Class C to Class D

Detroit Universal Academy
Detroit Winans Academy of Performing Arts
Flint International Academy
Kimball Landmark Academy
Mendon
Mio-Au Sable
Newberry
Pittsford
St. Ignace LaSalle
Three Oaks River Valley

New Postseason Eligible Tournament Schools in 2014-15

Inkster Peterson Warren Academy
Lapeer

*Detroit Public Safety Academy will be tournament eligible in 2015-16.

Enrollment Breaks by Classes – 2014-15

(Number of schools in parentheses)

Class A: 882 and above (187 schools)

Class B: 424 – 881 (187)

Class C: 215 – 423 (187)

Class D: 214 and below (188)

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.