TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Suncoast Pasco News

New High School Football Districts Tentatively Set

ADVERTISEMENT

By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: December 20, 2008

Updated: 12/26/2008 11:56 am

Football coaches and athletic directors have been aware for some time the Florida High School Athletic Association was planning a district realignment. The verdict finally came in Monday afternoon.

Some areas were only mildly affected by the district shift, while others will be experiencing a whole new ballgame.

The changes are not yet set in stone. Appeals from school principals will be heard until Jan. 9 and the assignments will be made final Jan. 16.

Restructuring districts is a function the FHSAA undertakes on two- or four-year cycles, said Cristina Alvarez, the associations' director of media relations. The main reasons for the process are enrollment changes and the addition of new schools.

For example, to be a Class 3A team - as most West Pasco programs are now - the school's enrollment must be within 1,391 to 1,739 students. In Class 5A - to which most North Pinellas programs belong- that range increases to from 2,015 to 2,362.

New schools in a given area, such as Anclote High School, which will open in the Holiday area next year, siphon students from existing schools. This largely explains the classification drop, from 5A to 3A, of the other high school in southwestern Pasco, J.W. Mitchell. That is the biggest shift of any school in the area, next to Wesley Chapel's plunge from 5A to 2A.

The playoffs are one area that will remain fundamentally unchanged. It was previously discussed to have larger districts in Classes 3A-6A and let the Top 4 teams qualify. Only the Top 2, as is now the case, will advance.

Head coaches from around the area expressed a general acceptance of the restructuring. There were, however, a few eyebrow-raising issues sprinkled about in regards to scheduling and traditional rivalries.

"I'd rather be in the same district because they are closer teams and they're natural rivalries," Dunedin Head Coach Mark Everett said. His Falcons dropped from Class 5A to 4A and into a district with all South Pinellas teams.

"Our closest schools are Clearwater, Countryside, Palm Harbor and East Lake and we get a little bit of a better fan base when we play each other than when we play Dixie Hollins or Gibbs or Boca Ciega," Everett said.

Chris Taylor, Ridgewood's head coach, said that he was surprised with the Rams' district being pared from six teams to four.

"I didn't realize Springstead was going to 5A," Taylor said. "I thought the only team we'd lose was Land O' Lakes, but I thought we'd keep Central and Springstead."

Land O' Lakes, Central and Springstead are out of Ridgewood's new District, 4A-6, which picks up Wiregrass Ranch. Springstead is now somewhat quizzically lumped in District 5A-8, with all North Pinellas schools. The sole reason for this is because there are no longer any other 5A programs in Hernando or Pasco.

Keeping rivalries intact was an item of concern for most coaches. For example, Gulf's Jay Fulmer and East Lake's Bob Hudson both said they will still try to schedule former district rivals but it won't exactly be the same now that such games will have no effect on the district standings.

Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com. Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT