New rule shakes up SC high school sports: Who’s moving up or down in classification

Lou Bezjak
·9 min read

Gray Collegiate and Christ Church will be among the schools moving up in the latest realignment released by the SC High School League on Tuesday.

Gray will be moving up two classes from 2A to 4A, while Christ Church is making the leap from Class A to 4A.

Other schools moving up to Class 5A, the state’s biggest class, include Westwood, Irmo, Greenwood and Lugoff-Elgin.

Gilbert, which was in Class 3A, is moving up to Class 4A along with Camden, Brookland-Cayce and Lower Richland.

Realignment happens in the state every two years and is done to level the competitive playing field among schools. This year’s realignment is based on 45-day enrollment numbers from grades 9-11. This year’s realignment featured an out-of-zone multiplier factored in to the numbers for the first time.

The out-of-zone multiplier takes each student who lives outside of a school’s assigned attendance zone and counts them as three for total enrollment purposes.

This was done to address competitive balance concerns statewide. Gray Collegiate, a charter school, has been dominant on the Class 2A level while Christ Church has done the same on Class A.

Other private or charter schools moving up classes: St. Joseph’s (A to 3A), Oceanside Collegiate (2A to 3A). American Leadership in Lexington will be in Class 3A as well as Mountain View Prep, which is opening this year.

Class 5A has 54 schools and is likely to be split by enrollment for all sports leading to two state championships, according to the recommendations sent out by the reclassification/realignment committee.

No region placements were given during the release and will be figured out after appeals regarding classifications. Regions will be comprised of six or eight teams unless an odd number prohibits the same. They will be as close to six or eight schools as possible.

Schools have until Jan. 9 to file an appeal. SC High School League Appellate Panel will hear any appeals on Jan. 17-18.

There will be a classification organizational meeting in late January or early February then region placements will be released. The Classification Executive Committee will hear appeals regarding region placement on Feb. 6-8.

Any other appeals will be heard by SCHSL Executive Committee on Feb. 13. The appellate panel will hear any further appeals on Feb. 20.

Final realignment with region placements will be released on Feb. 22.

Class 5A (54)

  • 1 Dorman High School 3,106

  • 2 Carolina Forest High School 2,800

  • 3 Summerville High School 2,623

  • 4 James F. Byrnes High School 2,540

  • 5 Spring Valley High School 2,502

  • 6 Stratford High School 2,312

  • 7 Ashley Ridge High School 2,300

  • 8 Boiling Springs High School 2,262

  • 9 Lexington High School 2,169

  • 10 Clover High School 2,107

  • 11 West Ashley High School 2,106

  • 12 Wando High School 2,100

  • 13 Sumter High School 2,054

  • 14 Cane Bay High School 1,980

  • 15 Mauldin High School 1,978

  • 16 James Island Charter High School 1,968

  • 17 Ridge View High School 1,909

  • 18 Blythewood High School 1,901

  • 19 J. L. Mann High School 1,887

  • 20 Spartanburg High School 1,883

  • 21 River Bluff High School 1,882

  • 22 Fort Dorchester High School 1,858

  • 23 R. B. Stall High School 1,844

  • 24 Rock Hill High School 1,833

  • 25 Wade Hampton High School 1,833

  • 26 Dutch Fork High School 1,823

  • 27 Socastee High School 1,741

  • 28 Hillcrest High School 1,699

  • 29 Woodmont High School 1,693

  • 30 Goose Creek High School 1,685

  • 31 Conway High School 1,670

  • 32 Westwood High School 1,664

  • 33 White Knoll High School 1,664

  • 34 Greenville High School 1,655

  • 35 Berkeley High School 1,644

  • 36 Chapin High School 1,643

  • 37 Eastside High School 1,633

  • 38 Easley High School 1,626

  • 39 T. L. Hanna High School 1,614

  • 40 Fort Mill High School 1,605

  • 41 St. James High School 1,596

  • 42 Greenwood High School 1,587

  • 43 West Florence High School 1,558

  • 44 Gaffney High School 1,556

  • 45 Northwestern High School 1,534

  • 46 Indian Land High School 1,492

  • 47 Nation Ford High School 1,485

  • 48 Lugoff-Elgin High School 1,484

  • 49 Riverside High School 1,463

  • 50 Lucy Garrett Beckham High School 1,450

  • 51 Irmo High School 1,440

  • 52 North Myrtle Beach High School 1,420

  • 53 Myrtle Beach High School 1,362

  • 54 Catawba Ridge High School 1,319

Class 4A (46)

  • 1 North Augusta High School 1,411

  • 2 May River High School 1,407

  • 3 Richland Northeast High School 1,400

  • 4 Westside High School 1,379

  • 5 South Florence High School 1,358

  • 6 Midland Valley High School 1,326

  • 7 Gray Collegiate Academy High School 1,296

  • 8 South Pointe High School 1,275

  • 9 Travelers Rest High School 1,274

  • 10 Bluffton High School 1,262

  • 11 Dreher High School 1,246

  • 12 Laurens District 55 High School 1,241

  • 13 South Aiken High School 1,236

  • 14 Airport High School 1,232

  • 15 Fountain Inn High School 1,227

  • 16 Greer High School 1,226

  • 17 Aiken High School 1,220

  • 18 York Comprehensive High School 1,210

  • 19 A. C. Flora High School 1,208

  • 20 Fox Creek High School 1,177

  • 21 Wilson High School 1,158

  • 22 Beaufort High School 1,156

  • 23 Berea High School 1,147

  • 24 Colleton County High School 1,139

  • 25 Pickens High School 1,137

  • 26 Greenville Tech Charter High School 1,131

  • 27 Lancaster High School 1,118

  • 28 Brookland-Cayce High School 1,114

  • 29 Lower Richland High School 1,109

  • 30 Bishop England High School 1,099

  • 31 Greer Middle College Charter High School 1,090

  • 32 D. W. Daniel High School 1,084

  • 33 Hilton Head Island High School 1,050

  • 34 Hartsville High School 1,049

  • 35 Wren High School 1,045

  • 36 Southside High School 1,042

  • 37 Blue Ridge High School 1,037

  • 38 Gilbert High School 1,027

  • 39 York Preparatory Academy High School 991

  • 40 Emerald High School 990

  • 41 Camden High School 966

  • 42 Seneca High School 958

  • 43 Darlington High School 956

  • 44 Christ Church Episcopal High School 952

  • 45 Crestwood High School 946

  • 46 Lakewood High School 892

Class 3A (38)

  • 1 American Leadership Academy High School 934

  • 2 Georgetown High School 933

  • 3 Chapman High School 929

  • 4 Palmetto High School 929

  • 5 Walhalla High School 888

  • 6 Hanahan High School 874

  • 7 Marlboro County High School 874

  • 8 North Charleston High School 873

  • 9 Powdersville High School 869

  • 10 W. J. Keenan High School 866

  • 11 Union County High School 857

  • 12 Belton-Honea Path High School 851

  • 13 Carolina Academy High School 851

  • 14 Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School 849

  • 15 Brashier Middle College Charter High School 840

  • 16 Aynor High School 828

  • 17 Oceanside Collegiate Academy High School 814

  • 18 High Point Academy High School 808

  • 19 Swansea High School 801

  • 20 Loris High School 777

  • 21 Landrum High School 776

  • 22 GREEN Upstate High School 770

  • 23 Waccamaw High School 770

  • 24 Battery Creek High School 769

  • 25 Mountain View Preparatory Charter High School 768

  • 26 Pendleton High School 764

  • 27 Broome High School 753

  • 28 Horse Creek Academy High School 751

  • 29 St. Joseph’s Catholic High School 748

  • 30 Crescent High School 724

  • 31 Woodruff High School 724

  • 32 Bridges Preparatory High School 689

  • 33 Silver Bluff High School 686

  • 34 West-Oak High School 686

  • 35 Dillon High School 683

  • 36 Southside Christian High School 676

  • 37 Newberry High School 673

  • 38 Charleston Charter Math & Science High School 672

Class 2A (40)

  • 1 Lake City High School 655

  • 2 Strom Thurmond High School 654

  • 3 Chesnee High School 633

  • 4 Clinton High School 625

  • 5 Manning High School 613

  • 6 Chester High School 610

  • 7 Columbia High School 609

  • 8 Philip Simmons High School 608

  • 9 Saluda High School 601

  • 10 Liberty High School 580

  • 11 Timberland High School 580

  • 12 Academic Magnet High School 572

  • 13 Pelion High School 572

  • 14 Blacksburg High School 566

  • 15 Woodland High School 562

  • 16 Lake Marion High School 559

  • 17 Mid-Carolina High School 554

  • 18 Cheraw High School 553

  • 19 Andrew Jackson High School 552

  • 20 Kingstree High School 551

  • 21 Edisto High School 550

  • 22 Central High School 549

  • 23 Eau Claire High School 543

  • 24 North Central High School 540

  • 25 Hampton County High School 533

  • 26 Andrews High School 518

  • 27 Mullins High School 516

  • 28 Buford High School 511

  • 29 Fairfield Central High School 506

  • 30 Marion High School 499

  • 31 Batesburg-Leesville High School 481

  • 32 Barnwell High School 474

  • 33 Ninety Six High School 473

  • 34 Atlantic Collegiate Academy High School 470

  • 35 Burke High School 469

  • 36 Chesterfield High School 463

  • 37 Palmetto Scholars Academy High School 455

  • 38 Whale Branch Early College High School 437

  • 39 East Clarendon High School 406

  • 40 Abbeville High School 379

Class 1A (45)

  • 1 Latta High School 396

  • 2 St. John’s High School 387

  • 3 Carvers Bay Early College High School 384

  • 4 Dixie High School 362

  • 5 Hannah Pamplico High School 358

  • 6 Lewisville High School 349

  • 7 Johnsonville High School 337

  • 8 C. A. Johnson High School 336

  • 9 Green Sea Floyds High School 335

  • 10 Lee Central High School 334

  • 11 Lake View High School 329

  • 12 Calhoun County High School 323

  • 13 Riverwalk Academy High School 323

  • 14 Ridgeland Secondary High School 322

  • 15 Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School 316

  • 16 McBee High School 311

  • 17 Hardeeville High School 288

  • 18 Ridge Spring-Monetta High School 280

  • 19 Baptist Hill High School 279

  • 20 Allendale-Fairfax High School 246

  • 21 Lamar High School 229

  • 22 Great Falls High School 225

  • 23 Ware Shoals High School 225

  • 24 Wagener-Salley High School 215

  • 25 Lowcountry Leadership Charter High School 212

  • 26 Thornwell Charter High School 210

  • 27 Williston-Elko High School 192

  • 28 Military Magnet Academy High School 184

  • 29 Bethune-Bowman High School 176

  • 30 McCormick High School 171

  • 31 Royal Live Oaks Academy High School 163

  • 32 Whitmire Community High School 151

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

  • 34 Branchville High School 149

  • 35 Cross High School 149

  • 36 Scott’s Branch High School 149

  • 37 Hemingway High School 145

  • 38 Denmark Olar High School 142

  • 39 Polaris Tech Charter High School 128

  • 40 Blackville-Hilda High School 122

  • 41 North High School 118

  • 42 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School 112

  • 43 Calhoun Falls Charter High School 83

  • 44 Midlands STEM Institute High School 63

  • 45 SC School For Deaf & Blind High School 39