Appeals process is over: The five new-look athletic classifications in SC are set

Lou Bezjak
·10 min read

American Leadership Academy and Abbeville won their appeals Friday before the S.C. High School League’s appellate panel and will move down in classification.

The panel voted 7-0 for ALA to go from Class 3A to 2A and 4-3 for Abbeville to drop from Class 2A to A for the 2024-26 realignment. It will be the first time since 2010-11 that Abbeville will be in Class A, the state’s smallest classification.

Friday’s decisions wrapped up a week’s worth of appeals and locked in the five new-look classifications for S.C. high school athletics for the 2024-26 school years. Teams will next be group into regions by early February.

American Leadership Academy, a charter school in Lexington that’s in its first year of existence, is an at-large league member playing a junior varsity schedule this year. Their plea to stay in 2A was denied 10-5 on Wednesday by the SCHSL executive committee. Those committee members in favor of denying ALA cited the school’s ability to have success quicker because they can draw students from a larger area in Lexington County.

But ALA executive director Gordon Smith and athletic director Ray Canady cited various reasons for the appeal, disputing the notion they would be able to win quickly.

“Right now, we aren’t there,” Canady said.

Canady and Smith also pushed back on the suggestions that the success of ALA schools in other states and the high quality coaches the school hired would make students want to transfer in.

“Yes, we have quality coaches but we have high-character coaches,” Canady said.

Smith added that coaches go through the same hiring process they have for other teachers in the building.

Appellate panel chairman Bob Davis on Friday said ALA wasn’t given the same leniency that other new traditional public schools are given.

“If we do it with new public schools, we should do it with new charter schools,” Davis said.

Abbeville wins

The decision to move Abbeville to Class A was a bit surprising given the school’s success in football. The Panthers have won 12 state championships, with nine coming in Class 2A.

But Abbeville officials pointed out in their appeal they aren’t having success in other sports and they’ve declined in attendance.

Appellate panel member Andy Tweito felt like Abbeville was being punished for their success in football, which made up 35% of the school’s points in Carlisle Cup standings. The Carlisle Cup is a year-long competition in which schools earn points for athletic success in their classification.

Abbeville and ALA were two of six schools to make a second appeal Friday. All were denied originally by the SCHSL executive committee on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Those losing appeals on Friday were St. Joseph’s, Southside Christian, Bishop England and James Island. All are private schools except James Island, which is a charter school in the Charleston area.

Under this year’s SCHSL realignment guidelines, there were supposed to be no fewer than 38 schools in 3A and no more than 44 in 2A. After this week’s appeals there are 54 schools in 5A (no change), 41 schools in 4A (down from 46), 32 schools in 3A (down from 38), 46 schools in 2A (up from 40) and 50 schools in A (up from 45).

But that number was before appeals were made and no further changes are likely, an SCHSL official told The State.

With classifications now set, the process to assign schools into regions can begin. There will be a classification organizational meeting in late January or early February, followed by region placements. The executive committee will hear appeals regarding region placement on Feb. 6-8.

Any other appeals will be heard by the SCHSL executive committee on Feb. 13. The appellate panel will hear any final appeals on Feb. 20.

Friday appeals decisions

Abbeville: Approved appeal (4-3 vote) to move from Class 2A to Class A.

American Leadership Academy: Approved appeal (7-0 vote) to move from Class 4A to Class 3A.

Bishop England: Denied appeal (4-3 vote) to move from Class 4A to Class 3A.

Southside Christian: Denied appeal (7-0) to move from Class 3A to Class 2A.

St. Joseph’s: Denied appeal (7-0) to move from Class 3A to Class 2A.

James Island: Denied appeal (7-0) to move from Class 5A to Class 4A.

New, updated classifications after appeals process

▪ Class 5A (54)

  • Dorman High School 3,106

  • Carolina Forest High School 2,800

  • Summerville High School 2,623

  • James F. Byrnes High School 2,540

  • Spring Valley High School 2,502

  • Stratford High School 2,312

  • Ashley Ridge High School 2,300

  • Boiling Springs High School 2,262

  • Lexington High School 2,169

  • Clover High School 2,107

  • West Ashley High School 2,106

  • Wando High School 2,100

  • Sumter High School 2,054

  • Cane Bay High School 1,980

  • Mauldin High School 1,978

  • James Island Charter High School 1,968

  • Ridge View High School 1,909

  • Blythewood High School 1,901

  • J. L. Mann High School 1,887

  • Spartanburg High School 1,883

  • River Bluff High School 1,882

  • Fort Dorchester High School 1,858

  • R. B. Stall High School 1,844

  • Rock Hill High School 1,833

  • Wade Hampton High School 1,833

  • Dutch Fork High School 1,823

  • Socastee High School 1,741

  • Hillcrest High School 1,699

  • Woodmont High School 1,693

  • Goose Creek High School 1,685

  • Conway High School 1,670

  • Westwood High School 1,664

  • White Knoll High School 1,664

  • Greenville High School 1,655

  • Berkeley High School 1,644

  • Chapin High School 1,643

  • Eastside High School 1,633

  • Easley High School 1,626

  • T. L. Hanna High School 1,614

  • Fort Mill High School 1,605

  • St. James High School 1,596

  • Greenwood High School 1,587

  • West Florence High School 1,558

  • Gaffney High School 1,556

  • Northwestern High School 1,534

  • Indian Land High School 1,492

  • Nation Ford High School 1,485

  • Lugoff-Elgin High School 1,484

  • Riverside High School 1,463

  • Lucy Garrett Beckham High School 1,450

  • Irmo High School 1,440

  • North Myrtle Beach High School 1,420

  • Myrtle Beach High School 1,362

  • Catawba Ridge High School 1,319

▪ Class 4A (41)

  • North Augusta High School 1,411

  • May River High School 1,407

  • Richland Northeast High School 1,400

  • Westside High School 1,379

  • South Florence High School 1,358

  • Midland Valley High School 1,326

  • Gray Collegiate Academy High School 1,296

  • South Pointe High School 1,275

  • Travelers Rest High School 1,274

  • Bluffton High School 1,262

  • Dreher High School 1,246

  • Laurens District 55 High School 1,241

  • South Aiken High School 1,236

  • Airport High School 1,232

  • Fountain Inn High School 1,227

  • Greer High School 1,226

  • Aiken High School 1,220

  • York Comprehensive High School 1,210

  • A.C. Flora High School 1,208

  • Wilson High School 1,158

  • Beaufort High School 1,156

  • Berea High School 1,147

  • Colleton County High School 1,139

  • Pickens High School 1,137

  • Lancaster High School 1,118

  • Brookland-Cayce High School 1,114

  • Lower Richland High School 1,109

  • Bishop England High School 1,099

  • D.W. Daniel High School 1,084

  • Hilton Head Island High School 1,050

  • Hartsville High School 1,049

  • Wren High School 1,045

  • Southside High School 1,042

  • Blue Ridge High School 1,037

  • Gilbert High School 1,027

  • Emerald High School 990

  • Camden High School 966

  • Seneca High School 958

  • Darlington High School 956

  • Crestwood High School 946

  • Lakewood High School 892

▪ Class 3A (32)

  • Fox Creek High School 1,177 — approved to drop from 4A to 3A

  • Christ Church Episcopal High School 952 — approved to drop from 4A to 3A

  • Georgetown High School 933

  • Chapman High School 929

  • Palmetto High School 929

  • Walhalla High School 888

  • Hanahan High School 874

  • Marlboro County High School 874

  • North Charleston High School 873

  • Powdersville High School 869

  • W. J. Keenan High School 866

  • Union County High School 857

  • Belton-Honea Path High School 851

  • Carolina Academy High School 851

  • Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School 849

  • Aynor High School 828

  • Oceanside Collegiate Academy High School 818

  • Swansea High School 801

  • Loris High School 777

  • Waccamaw High School 770

  • Battery Creek High School 769

  • Mountain View Preparatory Charter High School 768

  • Pendleton High School 764

  • Broome High School 753

  • St. Joseph’s Catholic High School 748

  • Crescent High School 724

  • Woodruff High School 724

  • Silver Bluff High School 686

  • West-Oak High School 686

  • Dillon High School 683

  • Southside Christian High School 676

  • Newberry High School 673

Class 2A (46)

  • Greenville Tech Charter High School 1,131 — approved to drop from 4A to 2A

  • Greer Middle College Charter High School 1,090 — approved to drop from 4A to 2A

  • York Preparatory Academy High School 991 — approved to drop from 4A to 2A

  • American Leadership Academy High School 934 — approved to drop from 3A to 2A

  • Brashier Middle College Charter High School 840 — approved to drop from 4A to 2A

  • High Point Academy High School 808 — approved to drop from 4A to 2A

  • Landrum High School 776 — approved to drop from 3A to 2A

  • Bridges Preparatory High School 689 — approved to drop from 3A to 2A

  • Lake City High School 655

  • Strom Thurmond High School 654

  • Chesnee High School 633

  • Clinton High School 625

  • Manning High School 613

  • Chester High School 610

  • Columbia High School 609

  • Philip Simmons High School 608

  • Saluda High School 601

  • Liberty High School 580

  • Timberland High School 580

  • Academic Magnet High School 572

  • Pelion High School 572

  • Blacksburg High School 566

  • Woodland High School 562

  • Lake Marion High School 559

  • Mid-Carolina High School 554

  • Cheraw High School 553

  • Andrew Jackson High School 552

  • Kingstree High School 551

  • Edisto High School 550

  • Central High School 549

  • Eau Claire High School 543

  • North Central High School 540

  • Hampton County High School 533

  • Andrews High School 518

  • Mullins High School 516

  • Buford High School 511

  • Fairfield Central High School 506

  • Marion High School 499

  • Batesburg-Leesville High School 481

  • Barnwell High School 474

  • Ninety Six High School 473

  • Atlantic Collegiate Academy High School 470

  • Burke High School 469

  • Chesterfield High School 463

  • Whale Branch Early College High School 437

  • East Clarendon High School 406

▪ Class A (50)

  • Horse Creek Academy High School 751 — approved to drop from 3A to A

  • GREEN Upstate High School 770 — approved to drop from 3A to A

  • Charleston Charter Math & Science High School 672 — approved to drop from 3A to A

  • Palmetto Scholars Academy High School 455 — approved to drop from 2A to 2A

  • Latta High School 396

  • St. John’s High School 387

  • Carvers Bay Early College High School 384

  • Abbeville High School 379 — approved to drop from 2A to A

  • Dixie High School 362

  • Hannah Pamplico High School 358

  • Lewisville High School 349

  • Johnsonville High School 337

  • C.A. Johnson High School 336

  • Green Sea Floyds High School 335

  • Lee Central High School 334

  • Lake View High School 329

  • Calhoun County High School 323

  • Riverwalk Academy High School 323

  • Ridgeland Secondary High School 322

  • Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School 316

  • McBee High School 311

  • Hardeeville High School 288

  • Ridge Spring-Monetta High School 280

  • Baptist Hill High School 279

  • Allendale-Fairfax High School 246

  • Lamar High School 229

  • Great Falls High School 225

  • Ware Shoals High School 225

  • Wagener-Salley High School 215

  • Lowcountry Leadership Charter High School 212

  • Thornwell Charter High School 210

  • Williston-Elko High School 192

  • Military Magnet Academy High School 184

  • Bethune-Bowman High School 176

  • McCormick High School 171

  • Royal Live Oaks Academy High School 163

  • Whitmire Community High School 151

  • Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics High School 150

  • Branchville High School 149

  • Cross High School 149

  • Scott’s Branch High School 149

  • Hemingway High School 145

  • Denmark Olar High School 142

  • Polaris Tech Charter High School 128

  • Blackville-Hilda High School 122

  • North High School 118

  • Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School 112

  • Calhoun Falls Charter High School 83

  • Midlands STEM Institute High School 63

  • SC School For Deaf & Blind High School 39