UHSAA: Nine schools will play in new places
by By Jay Drew, The Salt Lake Tribune
MIDVALE - A handful of Utah high schools that figured they wouldn't be shuffled around for at least two more years to improve the competitive balance of prep sports in Utah were hit with some surprising news Thursday.
The Utah High School Activities Association's Board of Trustees made some rather stunning changes that will take effect beginning with the 2007-08 school year.
Usually, the UHSAA realigns its 123 member schools every four years, except for some minor tinkering. This is just the second year of the current alignment period.
"We wanted to make as few changes as possible, at least for two more years, but certain parts of the state are growing so fast that [the board] felt it had to act now," said executive director Evan Excell.
All told, nine schools will play in new places next year.
Reacting to tremendous population growth in some parts of the state, most notably St. George, Lehi and Tooele, here's what the UHSAA did, and why:
* Lehi and Mountain View will swap places, with Lehi becoming a 5-A school in Region 4 and Mountain View becoming a 4-A school in Region 7. Lehi's Oct. 1 enrollment count was 1,877, well beyond the preferred 4-A "range" of 1,200-1,499 and is expected to grow by about 200 a year over the next few years. Mountain View (1,419) is currently the smallest 5-A school, just below Timpanogos (1,434) and Skyline(1,455).
* Waterford, a private school in Sandy, will move from 2-A to 3-A in all sports, despite having an enrollment (213) the low side of the 2-A range (150-499). Waterford requested the change, and will be placed in Region 10. Earlier requests had been denied.
* To make room for Waterford in Region 10, Morgan was moved to Region 11, much to its pleasure as it reunites with traditional rivals Bear River and Ogden and avoids long trips to the Uinta Basin.
* Region 11 will lose a school because ever-growing Tooele will be moved from 3-A to 4-A and placed in Region 7, which currently is entirely comprised of Utah County schools. Tooele is the second-largest 3-A school with an enrollment of 1,320. Tooele's first choice was Region 6, the Salt Lake Valley league, but the trustees said a nine-team region would be too bulky.
* North Sevier has seen falling enrollment (187) recently and will drop to 1-A in football only. The Wolves will continue to compete in 2-A in every other sport.
* Hearing that the relocation of some 450 students from the now-defunct Granite High to schools such as Granger, Olympus and Taylorsville did not cause any "catastrophic" imbalances, the board decided to make no changes in that regard.
* Finally, St. George schools Dixie, Snow Canyon and Pine View will move from 3-A to 4-A for state tournament purposes only, but will continue to compete in Region 9 with Hurricane, Canyon View and Cedar City.
The UHSAA's Executive Committee (principals) will decide how the St. George schools will be seeded for the 4-A state tournaments.
UHSAA
* Nine high schools will play in new places next year due to changes made Thursday by the UHSAA's Board of Trustees.
* Lehi, Tooele and Waterford will make jumps to 5-A, 4-A and 3-A, respectively, while Mountain View will move down to 4-A and North Sevier down to 1-A in football only.
* Morgan will change regions, going from 10 to 11, while St. George schools Dixie, Snow Canyon and Pine View will move up to 4-A but still play in a 3-A region.