AURORA — The final draft that will designate the next two seasons of high school football will be open for discussion today for coaches and administrators.
After a series of meetings and proposals, the state’s football committee, which operates on a two-year scale, will submit its ultimate recommendation to be ratified in late January.
Among the criteria: geography-league alignment (when possible); competitiveness; balancing numbers of teams in leagues; and maintaining traditional leagues.
Of the recommended changes, Class 5A would grow from 45 schools to 52; 4A would drop from 47 to 33; and 3A would be up to 51 from 40; 2A through 6-man would have only minor differences from current class numbers.
The number of big-school leagues would grow from six to nine and incorporate more of a geographical outlay, including removing all non-Cherry Creek District members from the Centennial League that would be known as the Creek League. On the midrange level, former 2A powers Erie and Holy Family would be in 3A.
Also, schools that have struggled in recent seasons will be permitted to play down in class for a cycle.
However, enrollment designations would remain the same, including the 1,641-and-more-student cutoff for 5A that has been considered to be the major problem in upper classes that has held back reasonable realignment.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Summit Event Center, 411 Sable Blvd.
Proposed football conferences for 2010-2012:
CLASS 5A
Enrollment: 1,641-and-up
Number of schools: 52
Big 6 – Arvada West, Boulder, Fairview, Legacy, Pomona, Ralston Valley.
Colorado Springs Metro – Doherty, Fountain-Fort Carson, Palmer, Rampart.
Creek – Cherokee Trail, Cherry Creek, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Overland, Smoky Hill.
Denver – Abraham Lincoln, East, George Washington, Lakewood, Montbello, South, Thomas Jefferson.
East Metro – Adams City, Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Northglenn, Rangeview, Thornton, Westminster.
Front Range – Fort Collins, Fossil Ridge, Horizon, Mountain Range, Poudre, Rocky Mountain.
Southern – Chaparral, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Mountain Vista, Regis, ThunderRidge.
Southwestern – Central (G.J.), Fruita Monument, Grand Junction.
West Metro – Arapahoe, Bear Creek, Chatfield, Columbine, Heritage, Mullen.
CLASS 4A
Enrollment: 1,201-1,640
Number of schools: 33
Foothills – Air Academy, Falcon, Liberty, Pine Creek, Sand Creek.
North Metro – Brighton, Dakota Ridge, Golden, Green Mountain, Monarch, Prairie View, Standley Lake, Wheat Ridge.
Northern – Broomfield, Greeley Central, Greeley West, Longmont, Loveland, Niwot, Thompson Valley.
Pikes Peak – Cheyenne Mountain, Mesa Ridge, Pueblo South, Pueblo West, Widefield.
South Metro – Castle View, Legend, Littleton, Ponderosa, Rock Canyon, Valor Christian.
Southwestern – Durango, Montrose.
CLASS 3A
Enrollment: 601-1,200
Number of schools: 51
Metro North – Alameda, Arvada, Centaurus, D’Evelyn, Holy Family, Jefferson, North, Skyview.
Metro South – Conifer, Elizabeth, Englewood, Evergreen, John F. Kennedy, Ridge View Academy, Summit.
Northern – Berthoud, Erie, Frederick, Roosevelt, Silver Creek, Skyline.
Plains – Fort Lupton, Fort Morgan, Mountain View, Northridge, Sterling, Windsor.
South Central – Classical Academy, Discovery Canyon, Lewis-Palmer, Mitchell, Palmer Ridge, Vista Ridge, Wasson, Woodland Park.
Southern – Cañon City, Coronado, Harrison, Pueblo Centennial, Pueblo Central, Pueblo County, Pueblo East, Sierra.
Western Slope – Battle Mountain, Delta, Eagle Valley, Glenwood Springs, Moffat County, Palisade, Rifle, Steamboat Springs.
CLASS 2A
Enrollment: 276-600
Number of schools: 43
Colorado – Bennett, Kent Denver, Manual, Platte Canyon, Sheridan, West.
Flatirons – Bishop Machebeuf, Faith Christian, Mead, Middle Park, The Academy, The Pinnacle.
Mountain – Alamosa, Bayfield, Buena Vista, Centauri, Montezuma-Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Salida.
Patriot – Brush, Eaton, Estes Park, Platte Valley, Strasburg, University, Valley, Weld Central.
Tri-Peaks – C.S. Christian, Dolores Huerta, Florence, La Junta, Lamar, Manitou Springs, St. Mary’s, Trinidad.
Western – Aspen, Basalt, Cedaredge, Coal Ridge, Grand Valley, Gunnison, Olathe, Roaring Fork.
CLASS 1A
Enrollment: 126-275
Number of schools: 40
Metro North – Clear Creek, Cornerstone Christian, Denver Christian, Denver Lutheran, Front Range Christian, Lyons, Nederland, Resurrection Christian.
North Central – Akron, Highland, Holyoke, Wiggins, Wray, Yuma.
Santa Fe – Crowley County, Custer County, Ellicott, John Mall, Las Animas, Rocky Ford, Rye.
South Central – Burlington, Byers, Calhan, Cripple Creek-Victor, Limon, Lutheran (Parker), Peyton.
Southern Peaks – Center, Del Norte, Dolores, Ignacio, Monte Vista, Sargent.
Western Slope – Hayden, Hotchkiss, Lake County, Meeker, Paonia, Rangely.
CLASS A 8-MAN
Enrollment: 76-125
Number of schools: 45
East (I-70 Division) – Cheyenne Wells, Genoa-Hugo/Karval, Miami-Yoder, Simla, Stratton.
East (Black Forest Division) – Elbert, Kiowa, Maranatha Christian, R.M. Lutheran, Silver State Christian.
North (Plains Division) – Caliche, Dayspring Christian, Haxtun, Longmont Christian, Merino, Sedgwick County.
North (Central Division) – Gilpin County, Justice, North Park, Soroco, Vail Christian, West Grand.
South (Arkansas Valley Division) – Granada, Holly, McClave, Springfield, Walsh, Wiley.
South (Southern Division) – Fowler, Hanover, Hoehne, Primero, Manzanola, Swink.
West (Mountain Division) – Antonito, La Veta, Sanford, Sangre de Cristo, Sierra Grande, South Park.
West (Western Division) – Dove Creek, Mancos, Norwood, Nucla, Plateau Valley.
CLASS A 6-MAN
Enrollment: 1-75
Number of schools: 25
Central – Deer Trail, Idalia, Liberty (Joes), Lone Star, Otis, Woodlin.
North – Briggsdale, Fleming, Pawnee, Peetz, Prairie, Weldon Valley.
South East – Bethune, Cheraw, Eads, Flagler, Hi-Plains, South Baca.
South West – Aguilar, Colorado D&B, Cotopaxi, Edison, Hilltop Baptist, Mountain Valley, Pikes Peak Christian.
Independent – Arickaree.
