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| Football realignment on the way in 2015 |
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4/11/2014
By Dan Manley
Advocate Sports Editor
There are going to be some major changes coming beginning with the 2015 high school football season.
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association recently approved maneuvers that will allow nine schools to “play up” in classification which also necessitates nine schools moving down to a lower level to accommodate those moving up in classification.
The impact on Montgomery County?
Significant, in all probability.
Two teams from the Indians six-team district are leaving as both East and West Jessamine drop down to Class 4A. Those schools are moving down along with Madisonville-North Hopkins, Scott High, Hopkinsville and Logan County with Ft. Thomas Highlands, Nelson County, Perry County Central, Letcher County Central, Covington Catholic and Shelby County moving up to Class 5A.
Of the 39 teams that are in Class 5A, only eight of those are located south of Interstate 64 and east of Interstate 75—Letcher County Central, Perry County Central, Harlan County, Whitley County, Madison Southern and North and South Laurel. Another school, Southwestern is along the Hwy. 80 corridor and in close proximity to North and South Laurel.
The only reasonable lineup would seem to be Letcher County Central, Perry County Central, Harlan County and Whitley County in District 8 with Montgomery County, Madison Southern, North and South Laurel and Southwestern in District 7. That would leave 30 teams to be split among the other six districts.
Obviously, if that type of move were to happen the Indians would be losing all of their current district opponents and getting four new ones. Still, it would not be a bad move for the Montgomery County program.
District 1 — Graves County, Marshall County, Madisonville-North-Hopkins, Christian County
District 2 — Greenwood, Bowling Green, Apollo, Barren County, Grayson County, Owensboro
District 3 — Nelson County, Shelby County, Lincoln County, Anderson County, Woodford County
District 4 —Shelby County, South Oldham, Bullitt Central, North Bullitt, Bullitt East
District 5 — Doss, Atherton, Fairdale, Iroquois, Southern, Fern Creek
District 6 — Highlands, Covington Catholic, Grant County, Dixie Heights
District 7 — Montgomery County, Madison Southern, North Laurel, South Laurel, Pulaski County
District 8 — Letcher County Central, Perry County Central, Harlan County, Whitley County
Much better
Several schools in the area and some that Montgomery County has competed against in the past appear to be in a much more favorable position with the new alignment.
Harrison County, for instance, which has been in the same district with Ft. Thomas Highlands and Covington Catholic in recent years, gets rid of that double albatross. The ’Breds stay in Class 4A while Highlands and Cov. Cath. voluntarily move up to 5A.
Mason County and Bourbon County are both moving up, from 3A to 4A, getting them away from Lexington Catholic and Belfry but throwing into a class with Johnson Central, Franklin County, John Hardin and Ashland.
Things could be much better for Bath County, which drops from 3A to 2A, although for district purposes the Wildcats will be in for a lot more travel. It’s probably a toss of the coin when all is said and done whether Bath County is better off. The Wildcats, if given the chance, might want to “play up” to Class 3A because with Bourbon County and Mason County moving up to 4A the Wildcats would likely be in a district with Estill County, Lewis County, Fleming County and Powell County.
Spring practice
The Montgomery County football squad opened up spring drills Monday at Cunningham Field.
The Indians are allowed 10 practice sessions.
Coach Dan Gooch and his staff welcomed a squad of more than 50 players to the field Monday.
The Tribe will wrap up spring practice with the 10th annual Whitaker Bank Steak and Bean Bowl Thursday evening, Aug. 24.
Mark Ledford and Omar Prewitt will serve as the guest coaches for that game.
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