New MHSAA classifications announced

The Mississippi High School Activities Association, which oversees all of the public and several parochial schools in the state, has announced the new basketball and football divisions that will take effect in the fall of 2011 and run through the next two school years.  Click here for the complete breakdown.

In Copiah County, only one school will see a major change in alignment.  Crystal Springs (465 students in grades 8-11) drops from 4A back to 3A.  The Tigers will be in the same division, Region 7-3A, as Hazlehurst (414 students).  Joining the two schools are Prentiss, Wilkinson County, Jefferson County and Franklin County. Notably, Crystal Springs is the 7th largest 3A school in the state, while Hazlehurst is 18th.

Wesson will remain in Region 6-2A for football and in 7-2A for basketball, because not all 2A schools participate in football.  Wesson’s 294 students in grades 8-11 ranks them as the 4th largest 2A school.  South Delta is the largest with 302 students, a difference of only 8.  St. Patrick is the state’s smallest 3A school at 305.

The other schools in 6-2A football are Enterprise Lincoln, Loyd Star, Madison St. Joseph, Amite County (formerly 3A) and Puckett.  In 7-2A basketball, East Marion and Bassfield join the others to make up the region.

The MHSAA classifies schools in a total of 6 divisions, 1A through 6A.  Madison Central is the largest school in the state with 2,244 students in grades 8 through 11, while the smallest footbll playing school is Dexter with just 70.  Mississippi School for the Blind is the smallest in any sport, with only 20 students.