Idaho sets new high school sports classifications. Here’s who is moving up, down in 2024
Idaho finalized its high school sports classifications for the next two years Tuesday after a flurry of votes from the state governing body.
The board of the Idaho High School Activities Association approved 50 of the 65 petitions from schools to move up or down a classification at a meeting in Pocatello. The votes set who plays in what division starting in the fall of 2024.
A recent rule change created the avalanche of votes. Schools can no longer move their entire athletic programs down a classification. Instead, they must petition by specific sports.
That sets up a new world where a single school can play in multiple classifications. Add in a new classification numbering system — 5A becomes 6A, 4A becomes 5A — and it’s a lot to take in.
Here’s what you need to know heading into the next two years of Idaho high school sports.
SIZE OF 6A, 5A SIC WILL VARY
Membership in the Treasure Valley’s top two leagues will differ by sport. That includes:
Football: 13 6A teams, seven 5A teams
Boys soccer: 14 6A teams, five 5A teams
Girls soccer: 13 6A teams, six 5A teams
Volleyball: 12 6A teams, eight 5A teams
Boys basketball: 12 6A teams, eight 5A teams
Girls basketball: 12 6A teams, eight 5A teams
Baseball: 13 6A teams, seven 5A teams
Softball: 12 6A teams, eight 5A teams
IHSAA TWEAKED ENROLLMENT NUMBERS
The state’s superintendents forced through a new rule earlier this month that adjusted the number of students a school needs to play in each classification.
It marked Idaho’s first significant change to its classification rules in 20 years. It also renamed all of the classifications to get rid of the 1A Division I and 1A Division II classifications.
The size of schools in each classification rose slightly, with the floor for 6A standing at 1,400 students. Each classification decreases by half, ensuring no school plays anyone more than twice their size in their division.
CALDWELL
The Cougars’ boys soccer team will move up to 6A alongside its so-called individual sports, such as track.
The rest of Caldwell’s team sports will remain in 5A. Its football (.029), volleyball (.157), boys basketball (.217), girls basketball (.174), baseball (.171) and softball (.096) programs all met the state’s guidelines of a winning percentage at or near .250 to play down a level.
Caldwell’s girls soccer program was close at .279 and received a state exemption to stay down.
All members of the current 4A SIC supported Caldwell’s petition.
NAMPA
The Bulldogs will remain in the new 6A in football and all individual sports. But the rest of the team sports — boys soccer (.128), girls soccer (.176), volleyball (.155), boys basketball (.326), girls basketball (.153), baseball (.182) and softball (.071) — will drop to 5A.
The Bulldogs’ attempt to drop to 5A in football failed on a 7-5 vote. Nampa went 7-3 last fall and hosted a first-round playoff game.
BISHOP KELLY
The Knights chose to move up to the new 6A classification in a few of their most successful sports: boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls swimming.
Bishop Kelly has won 14 straight district titles in girls soccer, and its 10 state titles are the most of any program since the IHSAA began sponsoring the state tournament in 2000. The Knights’ boys and girls swimming teams have also finished first or second every year since the IHSAA took over the state meet in 2018.
All other Bishop Kelly sports will remain in the new 5A.
MIDDLETON
Idaho’s new enrollment rules allow the Vikings to move down. But Middleton opted to stay in the state’s largest division, 6A, in football and baseball.
Middleton football made the 5A state quarterfinals last fall, and its baseball team won a district title and reached the state semifinals.
All other Middleton sports will drop to the new 5A.
RIDGEVUE
The Warhawks’ football program will remain in the new 5A while all other sports move up to 6A.
Ridgevue football has gone 9-30 (.231) across all three levels the past two years, meeting the state guidelines to stay down. All members of the current 4A SIC supported keeping Ridgevue in their league.
EMMETT
The Huskies’ boys soccer (.000) and girls soccer (.018) programs were the only two sports to meet the state guidelines to move down, and the only two the IHSAA allowed to drop to the new 4A Snake River Valley conference.
The IHSAA rejected Emmett’s attempt to drop down in football (.696), volleyball (.288), boys basketball (.320) and girls basketball (.366).
LEWISTON
The state’s new enrollment numbers allow the Bengals to drop to the new 5A. Lewiston had 1,365 students in the last enrollment count, placing it under the 1,399-maximum to play in 5A.
POST FALLS
The Trojans will drop to the new 5A in boys soccer (.154) and girls soccer (.000). All other sports will remain in 6A.
CANYON RIDGE
The Riverhawks received an exemption to play down in 5A for football (.324) and softball (.307). But the IHSAA rejected its girls basketball program (.444) on a 6-5 vote. Girls basketball and all other sports will play in the new 6A.
PRESTON
The Indians will move down to the new 4A in volleyball (.171) and softball (.212) after meeting the state guidelines. The IHSAA rejected Preston’s requests to move down in football (.267) and girls basketball (.288). They will play in 5A with Preston’s other sports.
MOSCOW
The Bears’ struggling football team (.167) will move down to the new 4A classification, joining Bonners Ferry and Timberlake in the Intermountain League. Moscow’s only win against an Idaho opponent the past two years came against Grangeville, a current 2A team.
All other Moscow sports will remain in the new 5A.
WOOD RIVER
The Wolverines’ football program (.120) will remain in the new 4A, and their girls basketball team (.016) will drop down to join them. All other Wood River sports remain in 5A.
COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN
The fast-growing Meridian private school will move up to the new 4A Snake River Valley conference in all sports. The Chargers plan to open a new campus that can hold up to 600 students starting in the fall of 2025.
BEAR LAKE
The Bears’ were set to return to the new 4A in all sports even before the IHSAA changed its enrollment figures. They did not fight the elevation and will join American Falls, Marsh Valley and Snake River in a league.
PARMA
The state’s new enrollment boundaries allow the Panthers to drop to the new 3A in all sports. The school had 329 students in the last count. The 3A maximum is 349.
COMPASS CHARTER
The Aviators will move down to 2A in boys basketball (.107) and girls basketball (.037). Their volleyball program (.111) also met the state standards, but it was rejected and will compete in 3A with their golf and cross country teams.
VISION CHARTER
The Golden Eagles will move up to the new 3A in all sports except girls basketball (.190), which stays in 2A. The IHSAA rejected Vision Charter’s request to stay down in volleyball (.278), boys basketball (.292), baseball (.522) and softball (.538). All four exceeded the state guidelines.
NORTH STAR CHARTER
The state’s adjusted classification numbers allowed the Huskies to drop back down to the new 2A. North Star Charter had 167 students in the last count, falling under the 2A maximum of 174.
COUNCIL
The Lumberjacks will remain in 1A, the state’s smallest division, in football, volleyball and boys basketball. But the IHSAA did not allow its girls basketball team, the reigning state champ, to be in 1A. Council will play 2A in that sport only.
MORE IDAHO SMALL SCHOOLS
The state approved Rimrock’s, Centennial Baptist’s, Gem State’s and Coeur d’Alene Charter’s traditional requests to play up a division. Other small-school changes include:
Carey: The perennial power was set to drop to 1A for all sports even before the IHSAA tweaked its classification numbers. It had 83 students in the last enrollment count.
Castleford: The Wolves will drop to 1A in all sports after receiving a football-only exemption two years ago. They had 84 students in the last count. The maximum for 1A is 89.
Clark Fork: The Wampus Cats move up to 2A. They had an average of 89.5 students in the last enrollment count, but did not fight the move.
Clearwater Valley: The Rams received a state exemption to drop to 1A in boys basketball (.250) only.
Genesee: A shrinking enrollment has the Bulldogs headed to 1A. Genesee had 80.5 students last year.
Greenleaf: The Grizzlies did not file their traditional request to play up a division and are headed to 1A.
Hansen: The Huskies will move down to 1A in football (.267), boys basketball (.288) and girls basketball (.115). But the IHSAA rejected its request for volleyball (.210).
Hagerman: The Pirates move up to the new 2A with 119 students. The maximum for 1A is 89.
Kendrick: The Tigers’ growing enrollment pushed them up a level to the new 2A. They were slated to move up even before the IHSAA changed its enrollment rules.
Shoshone: The Indians will continue to play football only in the state’s smallest division. Shoshone has played a combined varsity/junior varsity schedule for the past five years.
Sun Valley Community: The Cutthroats will drop to the new 2A in volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball.
Wallace: The Miners received another state exemption to play in the smallest division, 1A. They went 4-4 last fall and are 8-9 (.471) the past two years.
This story was originally published September 26, 2023 at 4:58 PM.
