11 additional schools in West Virginia undergo reclassification for high school football season

Morgantown, W.Va. - In a recent announcement by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC), 11 more schools in the state will be reclassified for the 2024 high school football season. This comes just three days after the initial reclassification of 11 schools was revealed.

The decision was made by the Review Board, appointed by the West Virginia State Board of Education, after overturning the WVSSAC Board of Directors' previous ruling. The Review Board granted waivers to 11 schools that had been involved in the appeal process regarding the original classification changes.

The changes in classification not only involved granting the 11 waivers but also prompted further revisions in classifications based on cut scores for the upcoming football season. As a result, 11 additional schools have been affected by the reclassification.

Four schools, namely Buckhannon-Upshur, Capital, Riverside, and South Charleston, are moving from Class AAAA to Class AAA. Five schools - Chapmanville, Independence, Lincoln, Nicholas County, and PikeView - will move from Class AAA to Class AA. Lastly, Ritchie County and Summers County will transition from Class AA to Class A.

"We have been working diligently to work through the logistics and implications of the Board of Review's mandate since Monday," expressed WVSSAC Executive Director David Price. "We're now looking forward to getting competitions started here very soon."

With these latest adjustments, Class AAAA, the top classification, will now consist of 16 teams. If the current postseason setup remains unchanged, all Class AAAA teams would qualify for the playoffs.

It is important to note that these reclassifications specifically affect football teams and only apply for the 2024 season, as of now. In a previous reclassification, five schools moved from Class AAAA to Class AAA, three schools shifted from Class AAA to Class AA, and three schools transitioned from Class AA to Class A.

As the 2024 high school football season approaches, coaches, players, and fans from the affected schools are eagerly awaiting the start of competitions. The reclassification provides an opportunity for the teams to compete in their respective new classifications, adding excitement and competitiveness to the upcoming season.