NCHSAA realignment’s third draft creates big changes for three schools

By Richard Walker

Today is the deadline for schools to file final appeals to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s proposal for conference affiliation from 2021 to 2025.

And the most recent proposal – the NCHSAA’s third draft – has some big changes for three Gaston County schools.

Hunter Huss has been moved from Conference 40 to Conference 50 and will keep the Huskies in a league with longtime rivals Ashbrook and Forestview.

Huss had been placed as a 2A school in a 1A/2A league with 1A schools Bessemer City, Cherryville, Highland Tech and Thomas Jefferson and 2A schools Burns, East Gaston and Shelby.

Now, Huss has been elevated to 3A and would remain in what is currently the Big South Conference with Ashbrook, Cramer, Crest, Forestview, Kings Mountain, North Gaston and South Point.

Piedmont Community Charter has been moved from Conference 39 to Conference 38.

The school had been placed as a 1A school in 1A/2A league with 1A schools Christ the King, Langtree Charter and Mountain Island Charter and 2A schools Community School of Davidson, Lincoln Charter and Pine Lake Prep.

Now, Piedmont Community Charter has been been placed in a 1A league with Apprentice Academy, Bradford Prep, Cabarrus Charter, Carolina International, Corvian Community School and Sugar Creek.

And Mountain Island Charter, while remaining in Conference 39, has been placed in a footbal-only league with Bishop McGuinness, Winston-Salem Carver, Christ the King, Winston-Salem Prep, Community School of Davidson and Pine Lake Prep.

After today’s Feb. 10 deadline passes, the NCHSAA review final appeals – if there are any – and release realignment for 2021 to 2025 sometime in March.

The were no changes to leagues involving Lincoln County schools.

NCHSAA 3rd draft proposal for Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln counties:

1A Conference 38
Apprentice Academy
Bradford Prep
Cabarrus Charter
Carolina International
Corvian Community School
Piedmont Community Charter
Sugar Creek

1A/2A West Conference 39
Christ the King (1A)
Langtree Charter (1A)
Mountain Island Charter (1A)
Community School of Davidson (2A)
Lincoln Charter (2A)
Pine Lake Prep (2A)

1A/2A Football-only conference
Bishop McGuinness (1A)
Winston-Salem Carver (1A)
Christ the King (1A)
Mountain Island Charter (1A)
Winston-Salem Prep (1A)
Community School of Davidson (2A)
Pine Lake Prep (2A)

1A/2A West Conference 40
Bessemer City (1A)
Cherryville (1A)
Highland Tech (1A)
Thomas Jefferson (1A)
Burns (2A)
East Gaston (2A)
Shelby (2A)

2A West Conference 45
Bandys
Bunker Hill
East Burke
Lincolnton
Maiden
Newton-Conover
West Lincoln

3A West Conference 50
Ashbrook
Cramer
Crest
Huss
Forestview
Kings Mountain
North Gaston
South Point

3A West Conference 51
East Lincoln
Foard
Hickory
North Iredell
North Lincoln
St. Stephens
Statesville
West Iredell