By Staff
EAST LANSING – Classifications for Michigan High School Athletic Association elections and post-season tournaments in traditionally classified sports (A, B, C, D) for the 2007-08 school year have been announced, and the enrollment breaks for post-season tournaments set up by divisions will be announced soon on the MHSAA Web site.
Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second semester count date, which for MHSAA purposes was Feb. 21.
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 Sept. 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, the 762 tournament-qualified member schools were ranked according to enrollment, and then split as closely into quarters as possible. For 2007-08, there are 190 schools each in Classes A and B, and 191 schools each in Classes C and D.
Effective with the 2007-08 school year, schools with 1,055 or more students are in Class A in MHSAA competition. The enrollment limits for Class B are 507 to 1,054; Class C is 249 to 506; and schools with enrollments of 248 and under are Class D. The break increased two students between Classes A and B; dropped one student between Classes B and C; and the break between Classes C and D increased by four students.
The new classification breaks will see 18 schools move up in class for 2007-08, while 19 schools will move down.
Schools were recently notified of their classification. MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts said that 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 conducted in traditional classifications for 2007-08 are Basketball, Girls Gymnastics, 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, Cross Country, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Skiing, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, and Wrestling. Soccer will have 20 percent of sponsoring schools in Division 4 and the remaining schools divided equally into Divisions 1, 2 and 3. The division breaks of those sports will be announced soon.
The eight divisions of the MHSAA Football Playoffs will be announced on Selection Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007. A complete list of school enrollments used to determine classifications for the 2007-08 school year can be found on the Administrators page of the MHSAA Web site.
Here is a complete list of the schools changing classification for 2007-08 (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 Web site.
Moving Up From Class B To Class A
Flint Southwestern
Gibraltar Carlson
Lansing Sexton
Orchard Lake St. Mary's
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore
Warren Woods-Tower
Moving Down From Class A To Class B
Bloomfield Hills Andover
Detroit Northern
Escanaba
Grand Rapids Central
Jackson Northwest
Lansing Waverly
Moving Up From Class C To Class B
Buchanan
Detroit Community
Detroit Old Redford
Inkster
Oak Park Academy of Michigan
Vermontville Maple Valley
Wyoming Kelloggsville
Moving Down From Class B To Class C
Albion
Beaverton
Cass City
Detroit Communication Media Arts
Hillsdale
Mason County Central
River Rouge
Moving Up From Class D To Class C
Holland Black River
Howell Kensington Woods
L'Anse
Mendon
New Buffalo
Moving Down From Class C To Class D
Big Rapids Crossroads Academy
Deckerville
Detroit Winans Academy
New Lothrop
Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary
New Post-Season Eligible Tournament Schools in 2006-07
South Lyon East (Class C)
Detroit West Village Academy North (Class D)
Greenville Grattan Academic (Class D)
Coldwater Pansophia Academy (Class D)
Kentwood West Michigan Lutheran (Class D)
Warren Conner Creek Academy West (Class D)
Academy of Inkster (Class D)
Detroit Universal Academy (Class D)
Enrollment Breaks By Classes – 2007-08
(Number of schools in parenthesis)
Class A – 1,055 and above (190)
Class B – 507 to 1,054 (190)
Class C – 249 to 506 (191)
Class D – 248 and below (191)