MHSA Approves Class Realignment For 2019-2020

At the annual executive board meeting which was held in Butt this year the Montana High School Association approved and finalized class realignment for the up coming year along.

As of the 2019-2020 school year their will be new schools that will be added to MHSA which in turn requires changes to how they classify their schools for sports purposes. Starting at the top, Belgrade will be moving from the Class A level to Class AA Eastern conference, the new East Helena school and Lockwood will be part of the Southeast conference in Class A , both competing at the varsity level in wrestling, track and field, golf, and tennis in the 2019-2020 season.

In addition to the Class changes the MHSA board announced that football classification will be looked at on a two year bases to coincide with reclassification of schools based on enrollment figures. Further more if a school petitions to play at level below the required enrollment they will be required to fit specific criteria.

One final piece of business the MHSA committee announced that it will appoint a a committee to study the possibility to add girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport by the Montana High School Association. The committee will work on the proposal over the next year and report their findings at the 2020 annual meeting.

Class AA
– Belgrade moves from Class A to Class AA Eastern Conference.

Class A
– Eastern Conference is split into two divisions
– Northeast: Miles City, Glendive, Lewistown, and Havre
– Southeast: Billings Central, Laurel, Hardin, Livingston, East Helena, and Lockwood

Class B
– Arlee from from District 14C to District 6B
– Mission from 6B to 7B

Football
– Thompson Falls from Class B to 8-Man
– 8-Man to 6-Man: Harlowton-Ryegate, Box Elder, and Hobson-Moore-Judith Gap
– 6-Man to 8-Man: Ekalaka and West Yellowstone

Volleyball
– Western C Division: District 1 will absorb District 3 to add Brockton, Lustre Christian, Saco-Hinsdale-Whitewater, and Scobey

Football Classification Enrollment Figures
– 1-65 students for 6-man
– 65-130 students for 8-man
– 130 or more students for 11 man

Petition To Play At A Level Below Criteria
– From Class B to 8-man enrollment can not exceed 140
– From 8-man to 6-man enrollment cannot exceed 70
– If the school can show their roster size is near or below the average of its current classification the above criteria are are not required