2027-2029 Reclassification

[pancho]

Myrtle is claiming their number right now is 140.  Hamilton is 136. I know both these tallies  would have been in 1A two years ago. My deal is, do we have enough 1A teams to move up to 2A to facilitate  this?  I have the same issue with all the 4A folks who say they are dropping to 3A. I still se no way that Louisville, Rosa Fort, Ripley, Amory and Mooreville can all drop down from 4A to 3A. I think the cutoff numbers will be adjusted.  Am I incorrect here?

[Rebel Bert]

53 minutes ago, pancho said:

Myrtle is claiming their number right now is 140.  Hamilton is 136. I know both these tallies  would have been in 1A two years ago. My deal is, do we have enough 1A teams to move up to 2A to facilitate  this?  I have the same issue with all the 4A folks who say they are dropping to 3A. I still se no way that Louisville, Rosa Fort, Ripley, Amory and Mooreville can all drop down from 4A to 3A. I think the cutoff numbers will be adjusted.  Am I incorrect here?

I think your correct in saying that the multiplier will likely send PCS, St Patrick, and St Andrew's to 4A. Sacred Heart will likely go 3A/2A. TPCS, and Resurrection will likely go 2A. St Stanislaus and OLA will be 3A/4A pending the double multiplier. What we don't know is if these schools actually apply the multiplier before turning numbers in or if the association applies the multiplier prior to creating the list of schools in each class. From what I can tell based soly on the 2025 numbers at MDE the following splits will be in place plus or minus 5 students:

4A split 470-335

3A split 334-214 OLA non football 

2A split 213-149 Pine Grove non football

1A split 148-15 11 non football in the NE, 2 non football in the south or 34 football.

Likely Yazoo County to region 3 or 6. Louisville or Noxubee County to region 5. So yes if you were bottom 5 or 10 and you turned in a lower number than 2 years ago you may drop down vs going up if you turned in a higher number and is currently in the top 5 or so. The multiplier could send some 4A schools down to 3A especially if those listed above did not have applied to them 2 years ago.

[Coach]

21 hours ago, Rebel Bert said:

I think your correct in saying that the multiplier will likely send PCS, St Patrick, and St Andrew's to 4A. Sacred Heart will likely go 3A/2A. TPCS, and Resurrection will likely go 2A. St Stanislaus and OLA will be 3A/4A pending the double multiplier. What we don't know is if these schools actually apply the multiplier before turning numbers in or if the association applies the multiplier prior to creating the list of schools in each class. From what I can tell based soly on the 2025 numbers at MDE the following splits will be in place plus or minus 5 students:

4A split 470-335

3A split 334-214 OLA non football 

2A split 213-149 Pine Grove non football

1A split 148-15 11 non football in the NE, 2 non football in the south or 34 football.

Likely Yazoo County to region 3 or 6. Louisville or Noxubee County to region 5. So yes if you were bottom 5 or 10 and you turned in a lower number than 2 years ago you may drop down vs going up if you turned in a higher number and is currently in the top 5 or so. The multiplier could send some 4A schools down to 3A especially if those listed above did not have applied to them 2 years ago.

What do you think the baseline numbers will look like for each class? Think that number will drop with the schools numbers dropping like they have?

[pancho]

3 minutes ago, Coach said:

What do you think the baseline numbers will look like for each class? Think that number will drop with the schools numbers dropping like they have?

That is the point that I can't get past. I just don't think there can be massive numbers of schools just dropping down a class simply due to having less enrollment all of a sudden.  It's a moot point when basically all schools now have less enrollment so the numbers all drop and thus the cutoff numbers will fluctuate. My guess is 4A will be roughly from 330-335 up to 470ish. 3A will be 330-335 down to roughly 210.  2A will be 210ish down to 150 or less and that leaves 1A with roughly 145-150 tops. I think 3 to 5 students will be big when we get to looking at theses cutoff lines.

[Coach]

13 minutes ago, pancho said:

That is the point that I can't get past. I just don't think there can be massive numbers of schools just dropping down a class simply due to having less enrollment all of a sudden.  It's a moot point when basically all schools now have less enrollment so the numbers all drop and thus the cutoff numbers will fluctuate. My guess is 4A will be roughly from 330-335 up to 470ish. 3A will be 330-335 down to roughly 210.  2A will be 210ish down to 150 or less and that leaves 1A with roughly 145-150 tops. I think 3 to 5 students will be big when we get to looking at theses cutoff lines.

So you think the number will go up? 1A was 69-151 2A was 152-208 3A was 209-320 4A was 321-476.

[Rebel Bert]

30 minutes ago, pancho said:

That is the point that I can't get past. I just don't think there can be massive numbers of schools just dropping down a class simply due to having less enrollment all of a sudden.  It's a moot point when basically all schools now have less enrollment so the numbers all drop and thus the cutoff numbers will fluctuate. My guess is 4A will be roughly from 330-335 up to 470ish. 3A will be 330-335 down to roughly 210.  2A will be 210ish down to 150 or less and that leaves 1A with roughly 145-150 tops. I think 3 to 5 students will be big when we get to looking at theses cutoff lines.

That's what the 2025 numbers showed me without the multiplier in play or even knowing what those schools will turn in.

[Rebel Bert]

14 minutes ago, Coach said:

So you think the number will go up? 1A was 69-151 2A was 152-208 3A was 209-320 4A was 321-476.

Here is what the 2025 numbers showed me:

4A 470--331

3A 330--214

2A 214--151

1A 150--16

[pancho]

I think all those numbers are probably within 5-8 students in either direction from being spot on.  There still is no way that ripley, amory, byhalia, louisville and rosa fort all drop to 4A without some 3A schools suddenly having nice increases in enrollment. I guess the 4A-3A cutoff is the most juicy one.

[Rebel Bert]

41 minutes ago, pancho said:

I think all those numbers are probably within 5-8 students in either direction from being spot on.  There still is no way that ripley, amory, byhalia, louisville and rosa fort all drop to 4A without some 3A schools suddenly having nice increases in enrollment. I guess the 4A-3A cutoff is the most juicy one.

SCHOOL.           2024.    2025

Mendenhall.      391.       332

Richland.           390.       332

Louisville.          371.       324

Ripley.                370.       324

S Pontotoc.       367.       356

Moss Point.       361.      343

Forest.                341.      343

Mooreville.         335.      403

Byhalia.               333       310

Amory.                332.       331

S Pike.                 321.      342 4A/3A split

 

St Patrick.           316.      *226 (339)

St Stanislaus.     316.      *170. (340)

OLA.                     212.      *212 (424)

PCS.                    *256.      *224 (336)

Booneville.          276.        319

St Andrew's.        226.       *256 (374)

The above info is based on the schools currently in 4A/3A that have been mentioned moving up or down. We all know that if 7A/6A/5A ends up with 24 each 1 school will drop down out of each class. That will be a factor at the top of 4A and bottom of 4A. 

*US News and World Report numbers where else do we get them except from the school. 

(234) is the multiplier number I gave them. 

I am looking at ST Patrick,  St Stanislaus,  St Andrew's  and OLA moving up. That leaves PCS on the bubble with 2025 number. That leaves appx 5 schools that will drop down. I am projecting solely based on 2025 numbers that Louisville,  Ripley, Rosa Fort, Byhalia, and Amory are dropping down. Where are the kids going is the question.  I suspect drop outs, transfers to another school or MAIS, or homeschooling.

 

[Rebel Bert]

On 10/2/2026 at 11:30 AM, Rebel Bert said:

SCHOOL.           2024.    2025

Mendenhall.      391.       332

Richland.           390.       332

Louisville.          371.       324

Ripley.                370.       324

S Pontotoc.       367.       356

Moss Point.       361.      343

Forest.                341.      343

Mooreville.         335.      403

Byhalia.               333       310

Amory.                332.       331

S Pike.                 321.      342 4A/3A split

 

St Patrick.           316.      *226 (339)

St Stanislaus.     316.      *170. (340)

OLA.                     212.      *212 (424)

PCS.                    *256.      *224 (336)

Booneville.          276.        319

St Andrew's.        226.       *256 (374)

The above info is based on the schools currently in 4A/3A that have been mentioned moving up or down. We all know that if 7A/6A/5A ends up with 24 each 1 school will drop down out of each class. That will be a factor at the top of 4A and bottom of 4A. 

*US News and World Report numbers where else do we get them except from the school. 

(234) is the multiplier number I gave them. 

I am looking at ST Patrick,  St Stanislaus,  St Andrew's  and OLA moving up. That leaves PCS on the bubble with 2025 number. That leaves appx 5 schools that will drop down. I am projecting solely based on 2025 numbers that Louisville,  Ripley, Rosa Fort, Byhalia, and Amory are dropping down. Where are the kids going is the question.  I suspect drop outs, transfers to another school or MAIS, or homeschooling.

 

I did some Ai and US News and World Report research on numbers for those schools mentioned above for numbers reported sometime between start of school year and reclassification form time:

Here is what i found and its based on those numbers and if the school is not mentioned it is staying in their current class:

Moving down to 4A: Purvis, Sumrall 

Moving up to 4A: PCS, St Andrew's,  St Patrick,  St Stanislaus 

 

Moving down to 3A: South Pike, Mendenhall, Forest, Mooreville,  Byhalia, Rosa Fort 

Moving up to 3A: North Tippah 

 

Moving down to 2A: OLA, Union, T Edwards 

Moving up to 2A: Vardaman,  Riverside 

 

Moving down to 1A: Hatley, Hamilton, Myrtle, Leland, North Forrest 

 

At least 2 3A schools will be going to South 3A either Humphreys County and Yazoo County to region 6 or Noxubee County and Choctaw County  to region 5 or 1 each to each region.

On 10/2/2026 at 10:28 AM, pancho said:

I think all those numbers are probably within 5-8 students in either direction from being spot on.  There still is no way that ripley, amory, byhalia, louisville and rosa fort all drop to 4A without some 3A schools suddenly having nice increases in enrollment. I guess the 4A-3A cutoff is the most juicy one.

SCHOOL.           2024.    2025

Mendenhall.      391.       332

Richland.           390.       332

Louisville.          371.       324

Ripley.                370.       324

S Pontotoc.       367.       356

Moss Point.       361.      343

Forest.                341.      343

Mooreville.         335.      403

Byhalia.               333       310

Amory.                332.       331

S Pike.                 321.      342 4A/3A split

 

St Patrick.           316.      *226 (339)

St Stanislaus.     316.      *170. (340)

OLA.                     212.      *212 (424)

PCS.                    *256.      *224 (336)

Booneville.          276.        319

St Andrew's.        226.       *256 (374)

The above info is based on the schools currently in 4A/3A that have been mentioned moving up or down. We all know that if 7A/6A/5A ends up with 24 each 1 school will drop down out of each class. That will be a factor at the top of 4A and bottom of 4A. 

*US News and World Report numbers where else do we get them except from the school. 

(234) is the multiplier number I gave them. 

I am looking at ST Patrick,  St Stanislaus,  St Andrew's  and OLA moving up. That leaves PCS on the bubble with 2025 number. That leaves appx 5 schools that will drop down. I am projecting solely based on 2025 numbers that Louisville,  Ripley, Rosa Fort, Byhalia, and Amory are dropping down. Where are the kids going is the question.  I suspect drop outs, transfers to another school or MAIS, or homeschooling.

 

[pancho]

MHSAA has decided not to add a 1.5 multiplier to private schools this reclassification.   I bet ya some arms were twisted and some ears were chewed.   

[Chunky6617]

I saw where the MHSAA has decided not to add the 1.5 multiplier for private schools now 

[pancho]

1 minute ago, Chunky6617 said:

I saw where the MHSAA has decided not to add the 1.5 multiplier for private schools now 

Did several private schools threaten to leave the MHSAA? 

[FBdude]

2 minutes ago, pancho said:

Did several private schools threaten to leave the MHSAA? 

Who cares?

[MSSportsGuy]

I'd say the private schools pushed back big time. The fact is these schools have competed for years in the association and while some have been very successful in several sports, it wasn't until PCS beat Booneville in the baseball finals last season that it was ever mentioned. It was short sighted, knee jerk reaction by the MHSAA. 

 

A similar thing happened years back when Cathedral, St.Al, and Greenville St Joe's left for the MAIS because they could no longer allow kids to play who lived across the river in Arkansas and Louisiana. Again, a knee jerk reaction by a few upset coaches in the MHSAA. 

 

I'm glad the MHSAA has reversed the ruling for now. Now, to get us back to 5 classes among the remaining member schools. 

[pancho]

8 minutes ago, FBdude said:

Who cares?

I guess this will only increase recruiting more since these schools can pull players from afar for athlerics?

[Rebel Bert]

Back to original numbers I guess St Andrew's might have not wanted to be 4A. They can't compete in football anymore. That new Bama/,Florida league may have been a factor.

[pancho]

Talk about one eating words.  Neaves was adamant on may 28 2026 that the 1.5 multiplier was voted on and ready.  now under the advice of legal council it is not.  what a mess

[Rebel Bert]

Subtract the multiplier on those private schools and move on. I wonder with the possibility of say a Louisville moving down and going South had anything to do with it.

[pancho]

I'm told to expect some crazy stuff coming now.  Not sure what this means.

[Chunky6617]

1 hour ago, pancho said:

I'm told to expect some crazy stuff coming now.  Not sure what this means.

Could mean a lot of private schools joining the MHSAA