Conference Realignment

Tom Brown of Maiden is proposing a new realighment to the state association.
go to
http://forums.prospero.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=kr-CltPreps&msg=586.1&ctx=0

 

Very interesting article homerun!

I agree that travel and expenditures have become a big problem for a lot of schools throughout the state especially with the state cutting more and more money that's intended for schools.

I think coach Brown's idea is definitely on the right track. I'm sure Rosman can sympathize with Maiden as far as travel goes especially with 2hr trips one way to Murphy,Andrews,Hayesville and Robbinsville. Swain County and Cherokee take about an hour and a half without a lot of traffic.

But make no mistake Rosman likes being in the SMC, and the SMC is a good fit albeit the travel is costly to the school.

If this plan is eventually implemented by the NCHSAA, it could look something like this in the mountains:


French Broad Valley Conference
----------------------------------------
Rosman(1A)
Hendersonville(1A)
Polk County(1A)
North Henderson(2A)
Madison(2A)
Mountain Heritage(2A)
Mitchell Co.(2A)
Brevard(2A)
West Henderson(2A or 3A)

Smoky Mountain Conference
------------------------------------
Murphy(1A)
Hayesville(1A)
Andrews(1A)
Swain County(1A)
Cherokee(1A)
Robbinsville(1A)
Franklin(3A)
Smoky Mountain(3A)
Tuscola(3A)
Pisgah(2A)

Mountain Athletic Conference
-------------------------------------
Asheville(3A)
North Buncombe(3A)
Erwin(3A)
Enka(3A)
East Henderson(3A)
T.C.Roberson(3A or 4A)
A.C.Reynolds(4A)
McDowell(4A)
Owen(2A)

I think this would work in both a "new" SMC or MAC, but the "new" French Broad Conference would take some convincing especially in Brevard and West Henderson because they would be giving up bigger gates with bigger schools, so they might not be eager to join a conference that excluded their rivals Pisgah or Tuscola, but they could still play these teams before the conference season begun especially with only 8 FBC(French Broad Conference) games, so maybe it wouldn't be as hard to convince those teams afterall.

I myself wouldn't mind playing in a conference with 2A teams North Henderson,Madison, Mt.Heritage, or even Brevard, but a trip to Mitchell County is nice in the summer, but it can be some tricky travel in the winter, but they've got to play in some conference, so that may be the only way to go.

Anyway, this idea might for sure become a reality in the near future if the state's budget woes continue.

 

Exciting Ideas and interesting realignment plans.................$$$$$$ rules again! lottery can help in more ways than One.

 

I like the idea of instead of starting in the west as Brown did and putting all schools 1A to 4A together to put 1A and 2A together and combining 3A and 4A. Although the difference in number of students would in sometimes be great it would be better than putting 1A schools with 4A schools as his idea does in some instances.
At the present time there is a difference of 1208 students if the top and bottom of 4A schools, 341 in the 3A, 278 in the 2A and 653 in the 1A divisions.

For the number of students in each school being used at this time go to and click on adm numbers

http://www.nchsaa.unc.edu/conferences.html

 

I think something like this could possibly be worked. Would you still seed your teams for the playoffs in their level based on their records in conference though? Or, would you have to look shortening the regular season in some sports and taking everyone to the playoffs in their level (1A, 2A, etc.), and do sectionals, and regionals that way.

I've heard rumors of Crest possibly coming back to the NW4A, and another team, which I've heard different ones. But personally, being from Watauga, I feel like one 2 hour drive in your conference is enough. I would like to see some alternative if possible. My biggest question is how would the playoffs work in all the sports.

 

This seems like it would be a great idea for a small school like Maiden that could improve by playing bigger schools in 2A and 3A.

But how would it help a school like Crest?
If realignment goes through and Crest enrollment stays the same they will be back in the NW4A. Sure the travel will be alot longer than playing in a combined Cleveland/Rutherford/Polk County league. But instead of playing the likes of East Rutherford (2A), Chase (2A), RS (3A), and Polk County (1A), Crest could be playing all 4A schools in McDowell, Freedom, East Burke, AC Reynolds, and Watauga. Crest would still play the Cleveland County schools in non-conference and then play the big schools during conference.

If Crest were back in the NW4A they will have to coordinate with Watauga on playing most of their games on Fridays like they do in basketball. It would take some work from both schools and the NW4A, but it could work.

 

Atten Tigertown Rick

Brown's conference proposals were as following

conference #1

9 schools from Graham Clay Cherokee Swain Jackson and Macon counties (he said 9 but only listed 8)

conference #2
8 schools from Henderson Transylvania and Haywood counties

Conference #3

11 schools from Madison Mitchell Yancey Bumcombe and McDowell counties

All schools in a county would be in the same conference with Guildford Mecklenburg and Wake each having two conferences

There would be a total of 36 conferces ranging from 8 to 11 teams

 

Thanks for the info homerun!

The conference #1 that you said coach Brown referred to would indeed include only 8 teams if neither Tuscola or Pisgah were part of the equation.

Here's the teams from the conferences listed in conference #1:

Clay County-Hayesville(1A)
Graham County-Robbinsville(1A)
Cherokee County-Murphy(1A) & Andrews(1A)
Swain County- Swain Co.(1A) & Cherokee(1A)
Jackson County-Smoky Mountain(3A)
Macon County-Franklin(3A)

Apparently under conference #2, this would be the teams included:

East Henderson(3A)
West Henderson(2A could be 3A next realignment)
Tuscola(3A)
Pisgah(2A)
Brevard(2A)
North Henderson(2A)
Hendersonville(1A)
Rosman(1A)

I personally don't like this alignment, this is the alignment that I personally would like to see "if" it ever did happen:

Conference #2 French Broad Conference(FBC)
--------------------
Brevard(2A)
North Henderson(2A)
Owen(2A)
Pisgah(2A)
Madison(2A)
Mountain Heritage(2A)
Mitchell(2A)
Hendersonville(1A)
Polk County(1A)
Rosman(1A)

But I personally would like to see Rosman remain in the SMC..lol!

Conference # 3 as listed would include these teams:

Madison County-Madison(2A)
Yancey County-Mountain Heritage(2A)
Mitchell County- Mitchell(2A)
McDowell County-McDowell(4A)
Buncombe County: Asheville(3A), A.C.Reynolds(4A),Erwin(3A)T.C.Roberson(3A or 4A),Enka(3A), North Buncombe(3A), Owen(2A).

I personally would like to see this conference look like this:

A.C.Reynolds(4A)
T.C.Roberson(3A or 4A)
Asheville(3A)
Erwin(3A)
Enka(3A)
North Buncombe(3A)
Tuscola(3A)
East Henderson(3A)
West Henderson(If classified as 3A school in next realignment.

Threre are 27 mountain schools if you don't include McDowell which is located down Old Fort Moutain which could be tough to navigate in the winter time.

I think the new look SMC could look something like this:

Murphy(1A)
Andrews(1A)
Hayesville(1A)
Robbinsville(1A)
Swain County(1A)
Cherokee(1A)
Pisgah(2A)
Franklin(3A)
Smoky Mountain(3A)

Just my opinion, but I do believe that it is inevitable that some type of mega-conference will be created in the future to reduce travel cost especially if the state budget crisis continues.