Reclassification

[#EagleStrong]

Leaving 3A: West Fork (4A), Booneville (4A), Flippin (2A), Camden-Harmony Grove (2A), Danville (2A), Lavaca (2A), Cotter (2A)

Entering 3A: Clinton, Newport, Junction City, Gurdon, Tuckerman, Riverside, Walnut Ridge, Kipp Delta

That leaves the conferences as:

1-W (Lost West Fork and Lavaca)
Cedarville
Elkins
Greenland
Haas Hall
Mansfield

1-E (Lost Cotter and Flippin)
Bergman
Green Forest
Marshall
Melbourne
Mountain View
Valley Springs
Yellville-Summit

2 (No Change)
Bald Knob
Barton
Cedar Ridge
Harding Academy
Marianna Lee
Rose Bud

3 (No Change)
Corning
Hoxie
Manila
Osceola
Piggott
Rivercrest

4 (Lost Booneville and Danville)
Atkins
Charleston
Lamar
Paris
Two Rivers

5 (No Change)
Bismarck
Episcopal Collegiate
Benton-Harmony Grove
Glen Rose
Jessieville
Mayflower
Perryville

7 (No Change)
Centerpoint
Cossatot River
Fouke
Genoa Central
Horatio
Prescott

8 (Lost Camden Harmony Grove)
Drew Central
Fordyce
Lake Village-Lakeside
McGehee
Smackover



Closest 3A Schools to Incoming Schools

Clinton: Mountain View (35 mi), Marshall (28 mi), Mayflower (49 mi), Perryville (53 mi)

Newport: Tuckerman* (18 mi), Hoxie Walnut Ridge* (38 mi), Riverside* (59 mi), Bald Knob (30 mi)

Junction City: Smackover (28 mi), Fordyce (64 mi), Prescott (84 mi), Fouke (104 mi)

Gurdon: Prescott (16 mi), Benton-Harmony Grove (57 mi), Centerpoint (34 mi)

Tuckerman: Newport* (18 mi), Hoxie, Walnut Ridge* (27 mi), Bald Knob (39 mi), Riverside* (49 mi)

Riverside: Manila (19 mi), Hoxie (40 mi), Walnut Ridge* (41 mi), Osceola (38 mi), Piggott (49 mi)

Walnut Ridge: Hoxie (1 mi), Tuckerman* (27 mi), Corning (40 mi), Newport* (38 mi)

Kipp Delta: Barton (11 mi), Marianna Lee (26 mi), Harding Academy (109 mi)

[WPWells]

Great list. Thanks

[Basketballfan13]

3A-3 will add riverside which will be a big addition to both boys and girls

[#EagleStrong]

*Edited Conference Prediction Below*

[bluegrassboy75]

Remember when thinking about these conferences, that in every sport except football that the 3A will be paired with 4A to make conferences (up to 10 teams).

[#EagleStrong]

I'd need some help with the other conferences, but for the 4, it would likely be Atkins, Charleston, Lamar, Paris, and Two Rivers from 3A, with Booneville, Dardanelle, Dover, Ozark, Pottsville, and Subiaco Academy in discussion for 4A. But that's more than 10, so I don't know.

I imagine we could see a reshuffling where Atkins, Dardanelle, Dover, Lamar, Mayflower, Perryville, Pottsville, and Two Rivers make up one conference and Booneville, Cedarville, Charleston, Mansfield, Ozark, Paris, Subiaco Academy, and Waldron comprise another.

It's kinda fun to speculate this, but I really want to know for sure.

[#EagleStrong]

Remember when thinking about these conferences, that in every sport except football that the 3A will be paired with 4A to make conferences (up to 10 teams).

OK, I can't tell you how much time I've poured in to try and figure this out.

Here's v1 with a disregard to 3A/4A balancing:

Northwest
Elkins
Gentry
Gravette
Greenland
Haas Hall
Lincoln
Pea Ridge
Prairie Grove
Shiloh Christian
West Fork

North
Bergman
Berryville
Clinton
Green Forest
Huntsville
Marshall
Valley Springs
Yellville-Summit

North Central
Cave City
Highland
Hoxie
Melbourne
Mountain View
Pocahontas
Walnut Ridge

Northeast
Brookland
Corning
Gosnell
Harrisburg
Jonesboro-Westside
Manila
Osceola
Piggott
Rivercrest
Trumann

East
Barton
DeWitt
Dollarway
Dumas
Helena-West Helena
KIPP Delta
Marianna Lee
Star City
Stuttgart

South
Crossett
Drew Central
Fordyce
Hamburg
Junction City
Lake Village-Lakeside
McGehee
Monticello
Smackover
Warren

Southwest
Ashdown
Centerpoint
Cossatot River
Fouke
Genoa Central
Horatio
Mena
Nashville

West
Booneville
Cedarville
Charleston
Mansfield
Ozark
Paris
Subiaco Academy
Waldron

Central
Arkansas Baptist
Bauxite
Benton-Harmony Grove
Central Arkansas Christian
Episcopal Collegiate
eStem
LISA Academy
Lonoke
Mayflower
Pulaski-Robinson

West Central
Atkins
Dardanelle
Dover
Lamar
Perryville
Two Rivers

East Central
Bald Knob
Batesville Southside
Cedar Ridge
Harding Academy
Heber Springs
Newport
Riverview
Rose Bud
Tuckerman

South Central
Arkadelphia
Bismarck
Fountain Lake
Glen Rose
Gurdon
Jessieville
Malvern


Did I miss anyone? Any tweaks?

[Head Lion]

This my be the dumbest of the many dumb ideas the AAA has come up with. Coaches will vote on seeding for postseason tournament. I cant imagine this will get the least bit political or shady. We had teams actually "throwing" games in NEA for seeding, now I want the gate receipts on the first coaches seeding meeting. In our part of the world I could see a UFC, MMA type event breaking out at the meeting! I know the AAA is doing this all for the larger classifications, but just how stupid can they be??? We don't need 7 classifications in a state as small as ours, 4 or 5 is plenty.

[HorseFeathers]

This my be the dumbest of the many dumb ideas the AAA has come up with. Coaches will vote on seeding for postseason tournament. I cant imagine this will get the least bit political or shady. We had teams actually "throwing" games in NEA for seeding, now I want the gate receipts on the first coaches seeding meeting. In our part of the world I could see a UFC, MMA type event breaking out at the meeting! I know the AAA is doing this all for the larger classifications, but just how stupid can they be??? We don't need 7 classifications in a state as small as ours, 4 or 5 is plenty.

it was needed for football but not the other sports..

[#EagleStrong]

This my be the dumbest of the many dumb ideas the AAA has come up with. Coaches will vote on seeding for postseason tournament. I cant imagine this will get the least bit political or shady. We had teams actually "throwing" games in NEA for seeding, now I want the gate receipts on the first coaches seeding meeting. In our part of the world I could see a UFC, MMA type event breaking out at the meeting! I know the AAA is doing this all for the larger classifications, but just how stupid can they be??? We don't need 7 classifications in a state as small as ours, 4 or 5 is plenty.

Agreed. Trust me, from trying to make this list, I can tell you even in the redistricting, it's not going to make things easier. 3A and 4A teams aren't evenly distributed across the state, but sort of in pockets, so the conferences are going to look weird. Add this counter-intuitive voting system and I'm not sure what it's going to look like. I do like the matchups it will create. In my part of the state, Paris and Subiaco Academy are 5 miles apart but don't play each other. Now they will. That's fine, but the postseason stuff is going to be a mess.

[Head Lion]

I would like the old 5 divisions. With 244 districts, I would go 5A-top 24 4A-next 48, 3A-bext 48, 2A next 64 and class A would be the rest. It seems pretty simple to me, but I am just a dumb ole redneck from the delta.

[bluegrassboy75]

Remember when thinking about these conferences, that in every sport except football that the 3A will be paired with 4A to make conferences (up to 10 teams).

OK, I can't tell you how much time I've poured in to try and figure this out.

Here's v1 with a disregard to 3A/4A balancing:

Northwest
Elkins
Gentry
Gravette
Greenland
Haas Hall
Lincoln
Pea Ridge
Prairie Grove
Shiloh Christian
West Fork

North
Bergman
Berryville
Clinton
Green Forest
Huntsville
Marshall
Valley Springs
Yellville-Summit

North Central
Cave City
Highland
Hoxie
Melbourne
Mountain View
Pocahontas
Walnut Ridge

Northeast
Brookland
Corning
Gosnell
Harrisburg
Jonesboro-Westside
Manila
Osceola
Piggott
Rivercrest
Trumann

East
Barton
DeWitt
Dollarway
Dumas
Helena-West Helena
KIPP Delta
Marianna Lee
Star City
Stuttgart

South
Crossett
Drew Central
Fordyce
Hamburg
Junction City
Lake Village-Lakeside
McGehee
Monticello
Smackover
Warren

Southwest
Ashdown
Centerpoint
Cossatot River
Fouke
Genoa Central
Horatio
Mena
Nashville

West
Booneville
Cedarville
Charleston
Mansfield
Ozark
Paris
Subiaco Academy
Waldron

Central
Arkansas Baptist
Bauxite
Benton-Harmony Grove
Central Arkansas Christian
Episcopal Collegiate
eStem
LISA Academy
Lonoke
Mayflower
Pulaski-Robinson

West Central
Atkins
Dardanelle
Dover
Lamar
Perryville
Two Rivers

East Central
Bald Knob
Batesville Southside
Cedar Ridge
Harding Academy
Heber Springs
Newport
Riverview
Rose Bud
Tuckerman

South Central
Arkadelphia
Bismarck
Fountain Lake
Glen Rose
Gurdon
Jessieville
Malvern


Did I miss anyone? Any tweaks?

Only one I can think of is Riverside.  So u would move Corning to North Central and replace them with Riverside in Northeast.

[RedWolf275]

This my be the dumbest of the many dumb ideas the AAA has come up with. Coaches will vote on seeding for postseason tournament. I cant imagine this will get the least bit political or shady. We had teams actually "throwing" games in NEA for seeding, now I want the gate receipts on the first coaches seeding meeting. In our part of the world I could see a UFC, MMA type event breaking out at the meeting! I know the AAA is doing this all for the larger classifications, but just how stupid can they be??? We don't need 7 classifications in a state as small as ours, 4 or 5 is plenty.

Head Lion has hit the nail directly on the head here. If you think the all conference and all state votes are political(which they are), wait until automatic regional bids are decided by votes. What a lousy way to determine a teams post season hopes.AAA needs to be totally rebuilt from the ground up.

[HorseFeathers]

you guys do realize that this was approved by the schools right?

[RedWolf275]

I definitely realize how the AAA works.Some Supers actually keep up with what's being votes on and others just go along with the AAA recommendations. From fans I talk to from smaller classifications, these superintendents better brace for the backlash when this system kicks in.

[SouthpawSensation]

Remember when thinking about these conferences, that in every sport except football that the 3A will be paired with 4A to make conferences (up to 10 teams).

Let's make a clarification on this one ...
They will be paired to make up "Districts" of up to 10 teams. They will play each team in their district twice during the regular season.
The teams then will return to their respective conference, whether they are in 3A or 4A, for the postseason tournaments.

[Head Lion]

Mark my word, I see someone challenging this legally in the courts. I am just saying, if I feel like our kids are getting the shaft & success in postseason is not determined on the court. You can bet your life vs a penny, that I will "lawyer up" on the AAA. That is not a threat but a guarantee. We already have so many social issues to deal with, with the games be decided on the court. This just adds to an already "heated" mix.

[RedWolf275]

+1 Lion

[bluegrassboy75]

Mark my word, I see someone challenging this legally in the courts. I am just saying, if I feel like our kids are getting the shaft & success in postseason is not determined on the court. You can bet your life vs a penny, that I will "lawyer up" on the AAA. That is not a threat but a guarantee. We already have so many social issues to deal with, with the games be decided on the court. This just adds to an already "heated" mix.

Instead of "lawyering up", I'd look into who did and didn't vote.  The vote on this agenda was 94-40 in favor of.  Out of 290 districts with votes, 156 of the schools didn't vote on this matter.  You can't blame the Executive Directors of the AAA on what the Governing Body (Superintendents) voted on.  Just my opinion.

[RedWolf275]

The people I blame are the ones who thought this soon to be mess up. There is no doubt,however, all superintendents should have cast a vote on such a radical change.

[bluegrassboy75]

The people I blame are the ones who thought this soon to be mess up. There is no doubt,however, all superintendents should have cast a vote on such a radical change.

I think the proposal came from one of the bigger districts (6 or 7A) that has to travel quite a bit to come up with a little relief.  Take Mtn Home for example, there is no other school their size in their area so they have to travel to Central Arkansas and Eastern Arkansas to play conference games.

[RedWolf275]

I understand the travel problems facing the larger classifications but don't see the need to mess with the smaller classes.

[Longfellow]

I don't have a problem with the inter-classification play, it cuts down on a lot of travel time for me. I just don't like coaches voting on postseason seeds, this is gonna cause a lot of problems

[bluegrassboy75]

I don't have a problem with the inter-classification play, it cuts down on a lot of travel time for me. I just don't like coaches voting on postseason seeds, this is gonna cause a lot of problems

I agree...I can see them voting on a system on how the seeds would be determined, but that's it.  And it should be the AD or who the AD specifies to vote for them for all sports.  Not different sports use different rules.

[HorseFeathers]

blind draw for seedings would be mich better haha...do it like the nba lottery...if you suck he more entries you have in the pot.... draw in reverse order

[Head Lion]

Mark my word, I see someone challenging this legally in the courts. I am just saying, if I feel like our kids are getting the shaft & success in postseason is not determined on the court. You can bet your life vs a penny, that I will "lawyer up" on the AAA. That is not a threat but a guarantee. We already have so many social issues to deal with, with the games be decided on the court. This just adds to an already "heated" mix.

Instead of "lawyering up", I'd look into who did and didn't vote.  The vote on this agenda was 94-40 in favor of.  Out of 290 districts with votes, 156 of the schools didn't vote on this matter.  You can't blame the Executive Directors of the AAA on what the Governing Body (Superintendents) voted on.  Just my opinion.

I thought we only had 244 school districts in the state. Do agree with you in fact no excuse for schools not to be vigilant & take care of business. Still needs to be a seeding process of regular season success.

[HorseFeathers]

Mark my word, I see someone challenging this legally in the courts. I am just saying, if I feel like our kids are getting the shaft & success in postseason is not determined on the court. You can bet your life vs a penny, that I will "lawyer up" on the AAA. That is not a threat but a guarantee. We already have so many social issues to deal with, with the games be decided on the court. This just adds to an already "heated" mix.

Instead of "lawyering up", I'd look into who did and didn't vote.  The vote on this agenda was 94-40 in favor of.  Out of 290 districts with votes, 156 of the schools didn't vote on this matter.  You can't blame the Executive Directors of the AAA on what the Governing Body (Superintendents) voted on.  Just my opinion.

I thought we only had 244 school districts in the state. Do agree with you in fact no excuse for schools not to be vigilant & take care of business. Still needs to be a seeding process of regular season success.

guessing the other 46 were the private schools...

[bluegrassboy75]

Mark my word, I see someone challenging this legally in the courts. I am just saying, if I feel like our kids are getting the shaft & success in postseason is not determined on the court. You can bet your life vs a penny, that I will "lawyer up" on the AAA. That is not a threat but a guarantee. We already have so many social issues to deal with, with the games be decided on the court. This just adds to an already "heated" mix.

Instead of "lawyering up", I'd look into who did and didn't vote.  The vote on this agenda was 94-40 in favor of.  Out of 290 districts with votes, 156 of the schools didn't vote on this matter.  You can't blame the Executive Directors of the AAA on what the Governing Body (Superintendents) voted on.  Just my opinion.

I thought we only had 244 school districts in the state. Do agree with you in fact no excuse for schools not to be vigilant & take care of business. Still needs to be a seeding process of regular season success.

I went by the number of schools on the 2016-18 Classification Numbers sheet.  I would "assume" that if they were on there, then they had a vote.

[HorseFeathers]

some of the smaller schools arent there own district anymore

[TheOfficial]

The people I blame are the ones who thought this soon to be mess up. There is no doubt,however, all superintendents should have cast a vote on such a radical change.

I think the proposal came from one of the bigger districts (6 or 7A) that has to travel quite a bit to come up with a little relief.  Take Mtn Home for example, there is no other school their size in their area so they have to travel to Central Arkansas and Eastern Arkansas to play conference games.

My understanding is Mt Home was one of the biggest pushers of this.

[TheOfficial]

I understand the travel problems facing the larger classifications but don't see the need to mess with the smaller classes.

Some of the smaller classes are having to travel just as far as the larger classes.  Take Cotter and Eureka Springs in the 2A for example.  There isn't another 2A school within 2 hours of Cotter.

[Moonshiner]

I think this helps put some purpose and meaning into what has been a pretty useless district tournament.  In most cases anyway

[rbhs8990]

I saw the tentative basketball conferences (and I'm assuming these are the same for baseball and softball also) for the next cycle.  I'm guessing this is the conferences teams will go back to when it comes district tournament time.  They haven't merged the 4A teams with them yet.  I also wonder how they will line these conferences up for regionals. 

3A-1 West - Cedarville, Charleston, Elkins, Greenland, Haas Hall, Mansfield
3A-1 East - Bergman, Clinton, Green Forest, Marshall, Melbourne, Mt. View, Valley Springs, Yellville
3A-2 - Bald Knob, Barton, Cedar Ridge, Harding, Kipp Delta, Marianna, Newport, Tuckerman
3A-3 - Corning, Hoxie, Manila, Osceola, Piggott, Rivercrest, Riverside, Walnut Ridge
3A-4 - Atkins, Jessieville, Lamar, Paris, Perryville, Two Rivers
3A-5 - Bismarck, Episcopal, Glen Rose, Benton HG, Lisa Academy, Mayflower, Rose Bud
3A-7 - Centerpoint, Cossatot, Fouke, Genoa, Gurdon, Horatio, Prescott
3A-8 - Drew Central, Fordyce, Junction, Lake Village, McGehee, Smackover

[#EagleStrong]

3A-8 looks tough. And Paris and Charleston are split up, so maybe we can restore some sanity. Sad to lose such a quality program though in our conference. 

[Head Lion]

I was looking at AAA numbers and Manila jumped 9 spots up in numbers. The positive is we have the last of 2 small classes coming through. It looks like only a matter of a couple of cycles until we are 4A.

[AmSycho]

Remember when thinking about these conferences, that in every sport except football that the 3A will be paired with 4A to make conferences (up to 10 teams).

OK, I can't tell you how much time I've poured in to try and figure this out.

Here's v1 with a disregard to 3A/4A balancing:

Northwest
Elkins
Gentry
Gravette
Greenland
Haas Hall
Lincoln
Pea Ridge
Prairie Grove
Shiloh Christian
West Fork

North
Bergman
Berryville
Clinton
Green Forest
Huntsville
Marshall
Valley Springs
Yellville-Summit

North Central
Cave City
Highland
Hoxie
Melbourne
Mountain View
Pocahontas
Walnut Ridge

Northeast
Brookland
Corning
Gosnell
Harrisburg
Jonesboro-Westside
Manila
Osceola
Piggott
Rivercrest
Trumann

East
Barton
DeWitt
Dollarway
Dumas
Helena-West Helena
KIPP Delta
Marianna Lee
Star City
Stuttgart

South
Crossett
Drew Central
Fordyce
Hamburg
Junction City
Lake Village-Lakeside
McGehee
Monticello
Smackover
Warren

Southwest
Ashdown
Centerpoint
Cossatot River
Fouke
Genoa Central
Horatio
Mena
Nashville

West
Booneville
Cedarville
Charleston
Mansfield
Ozark
Paris
Subiaco Academy
Waldron

Central
Arkansas Baptist
Bauxite
Benton-Harmony Grove
Central Arkansas Christian
Episcopal Collegiate
eStem
LISA Academy
Lonoke
Mayflower
Pulaski-Robinson

West Central
Atkins
Dardanelle
Dover
Lamar
Perryville
Two Rivers

East Central
Bald Knob
Batesville Southside
Cedar Ridge
Harding Academy
Heber Springs
Newport
Riverview
Rose Bud
Tuckerman

South Central
Arkadelphia
Bismarck
Fountain Lake
Glen Rose
Gurdon
Jessieville
Malvern


Did I miss anyone? Any tweaks?

Only one I can think of is Riverside.  So u would move Corning to North Central and replace them with Riverside in Northeast.

Prescott

[Head Lion]

I saw what looked to be the final draft today by the AAA. I often wondered just how stupid they are. This restructuring shows me that there may be no depth to the idiocy.

[RedWolf275]

Totally agree Lion. I bet Corning and Piggott are thrilled about it. They have trips to Highland, Cave City and Melbourne to look forward to.

[TheOfficial]

They should have left the 1A-4A as it was. 

[ballmember]

I do not know why they bothered 1A thru 4A  , could have combined 5 and 6A as they have and all would have been ok.   After all, the only reason anything was done is for the larger classifications.   So just do theirs and leave the rest alone.    I can see how this new realignment could help Mtn Home and keep them out of Little Rock all the time and the LR schools do not have to go there either, except for football.   Again, blanket discipline and approach.  It is for all to help a few!!    You have to understand those involved with state govt and education(at the upper levels) cant think outside the box----not allowed to nor do most want to.   this way all looks good on paper.     

[Missco]

Nothing wrong with the way they did it but kinda crazy. The fact remains that Arkansas could get by with four classes for all sports. Let these breakdowns be the new classes. Its crazy to have a state champion out of a class witg 16 schools or even 48 for that matter.

[ballmember]

I agree that we could do 4 classifications. who do you think would be opposed to this??

[RedWolf275]

Four classifications won't happen due to $$$ the AAA would lose due to less playoff and championship games. Something has to pay for those six figure salaries.

[HorseFeathers]

I agree that we could do 4 classifications. who do you think would be opposed to this??

I say leave football where it is...but.combine 1a/2a, 3a/4a, and 6a/7a for basketball and the other sports....

[Head Lion]

Four classifications won't happen due to $$$ the AAA would lose due to less playoff and championship games. Something has to pay for those six figure salaries.

Exactly, we could easily do 4 & really have no need for more in a state our size. Top 24-4A, next 48-3A, next 64-2A & 1A the bottom 110.

[ballmember]

Dont the superintendents make up the decisions of the AAA???  Maybe they need talked with about having only 4 classifications??

[Moonshiner]

4 classifications is too few.  5 would be ideal, but I bet we are stuck with it. Nobody is gonna want the bigger schools in their classification to vote for that.

[Eagle20]

Why would the superintendents vote for fewer classifications.  That means fewer chances for their schools to be successful and that is what they care about foremost.

[Head Lion]

4 classifications is too few.  5 would be ideal, but I bet we are stuck with it. Nobody is gonna want the bigger schools in their classification to vote for that.

I could go with 5, top 18 AAAAA, next 32 AAAA, AAA next 48 or 64, AA next 64 and A the rest. Problem solved.

[RTF]

5 is all you need....