The Kansas State High School Activities Association released its new classifications for sports and activities for the 2018-19 season and just one area team is on the move.
These classifications do not include football which has its own separate classification, assigned last September.
The figures are based on enrollment of ninth-, tenth-, eleventh- and twelfth-grade students as of Sept. 20 of this year. The classifications are determined annually for all sports except for football which is determined every two years.
This was also the first year in a while that KSHSAA sorted the classes with a consolidated 4A and 1A. Because of that, 6A, 5A and 4A all have 36 member schools, 3A and 2A move up to 64 member schools and 1A has 117 member schools.
Due to the consolidation, a large number of schools moved down a class including Humboldt, which had been a mid-sized 3A school and is now the second-largest 2A school in the state with an enrollment of 171 students.
The move makes them one of two schools in the Tri-Valley league to be relegated to Class 2A (Leon-Bluestem).
Iolas class shifted from 4A-II where they were once one of the larger schools to just 4A where they are among the bottom third of the class with 366 students.
The bigger change for the Mustangs and Fillies is the competition around them as the consolidation jettisoned many of their area opponents to 3A including Pioneer League foes Prairie View, Burlington and Santa Fe Trail.
Former 4A school Frontenac hosted Iola for the postseason of both basketball and baseball last season and was moved to 3A. Softball traveled to Prairie View for their regional and wrestling and cross country competed at the Burlington. Iola volleyball had their sub-state at Burlington last season as well. All of that will change starting this year.
For other schools around the area, Yates Center will most likely see some heightened competition in Class 2A after the class swaps out the 20 smallest 2A schools for the 20 smallest 3A schools.
The postseason for 1A will also be completely revamped thanks to its size but as of now, those details have yet to be released.
