CPHS Athletics Update- League Changes

College Place High School Athletics Information 2020-24

We have been awaiting approval for classifications from the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and it is finally here! Thank you for your patience as we enter a new chapter in College Place High School Athletics, and undergo our first major change to classification and league alignments in school history! \r\n

This information sheet is designed to provide the most up-to-date information for the upcoming athletics classification cycle set by the WIAA. We have summarized the overall state classification, enrollment, and state tournament impact these changes have brought about. We have also provided a look into how College Place High School Athletics be affected by these changes to classification and league alignments.\r\n

Listed below is news and data directly from the WIAA from the press release on January 26, 2020 as approved by the WIAA executive board: 

2020-24 Enrollment Ranges (grades 9-11)

*College Place High School 9-11 Adjusted Enrollment is 332.5*

Beginning with the 2020-24 classification cycle, schools will be assigned a classification based on pre-set enrollment thresholds as opposed to sorting schools into six evenly distributed classifications.

Schools Offering Sport

State Tournament Entries


84+

24

69-83

20

50-68

16

37-49

12

20-36

8

19 or less

Combine with smallest

classification above/below


The Board approved a two-year adjustment of the range for a 16-entry tournament. The range for a 16-entry tournament is now 50-68 member schools. This was done to ensure schools that opted up and/or landed in classifications affected by appeals, would not be negatively impacted due to the appeal process.

For the first time in WIAA history, free-and-reduced lunch counts were factored into the classification process as well. A school with a free and reduced lunch rate greater than the statewide average (47%) had its enrollment number reduced for each percent that they exceed the statewide average except at the 1B and 2B classification level. The maximum a school’s enrollment could be adjusted was capped at 40%. Both of those changes were passed by the WIAA Representative Assembly in January of 2019.

*Rational of adjusted enrollment- National studies have shown that schools with high percentages of students in struggling socio-economic situations have a lower percentage of athletes participating and continuing to participate in sports at the high school level. This adjustment allows for schools to be classified in a more appropriate classification level based on the average number of participants in athletics.

Click this link to view state-wide enrollment, adjusted enrollment, and classifications listing from the WIAA.

Below is a comparison of what the South Central Athletic Conference currently looks like, and below that is what the future looks like for the new SCAC.

Old South Central Athletic Conference 2016-2020 Cycle


SCAC West

SCAC East

Cle-Elum/Roslyn*

College Place

Goldendale*

Connell

Granger*

Kiona-Benton City

Highland*

Riverview*

LaSalle

Royal

Naches Valley

Wahluke

Zillah

Warden*

*School dropping from 1A to 2B Classification for 2020-24 due to adjusted enrollment count.


New South Central Athletic Conference 2020-2024 Cycle


SCAC West

9-11 Enrollment/Adjusted Enrolment

SCAC East

9-11 Enrollment/Adjusted Enrolment

LaSalle***

175 / 175

College Place

350 / 332.5

Naches Valley

274 / 268.52

Connell

486 / 374.22

Toppenish**

725 / 442.25

Kiona-Benton City

286 / 286

Wapato**

655 / 393

Royal

387 / 387

Zillah

331 / 311.14

Wahluke

493 / 295.8

**School that is new to the SCAC and have moved down from 2A to 1A classification.

***Private school, chose to opt up from 2B to 1A.


Schedules will begin to take shape for the new SCAC very soon. Be on the lookout for more important scheduling updates on the CPPS Athletics Website at cpps.org/o/athletics. Remember that all schedules are currently found on the scacconference.org or the rSchool Today App for Apple or Android devices.


GO HAWKS


For specific questions contact CPHS Athletic Director Kenneth James- kjames@cpps.org or 509-522-3312.