The District 5-A basketball rivalry is about to become a little more heated.

TSSAA reclassification has created major changes for the state’s football teams, but other sports also will be affected by the new district alignments released Thursday.

In recent years, Grace Academy and Tennessee Temple have battled for the 5-A basketball title, with the winner often moving on to success at the state level, but beginning next season, newcomers Arts & Sciences and Boyd-Buchanan will try to challenge them for district supremacy.

“I’m excited about the challenge of the new district,” CSAS basketball coach and athletic director Mark Dragoo said. “It’s good competition. The people who survive will be ready to compete anywhere.”

The realignment shifts his Patriots from District 6, which gains two new members for next season as Marion County moves down to Class A and Van Buren County moves over from District 4. Boyd-Buchanan is also moving from Class AA to return to its former district and rivalries with Grace and Temple.

The biggest shakeup involving area teams is in Region 3-AA, where only East Ridge, Hixson and Howard will remain from the current District 6. Bledsoe County, Chattanooga Christian, Grundy County, Notre Dame and Sequatchie County will join District 7-AA in 2009, meaning their region competition will include Cannon, Dekalb and Smith counties, along with Upperman, York Institute and Livingston Academy.

“It’s probably good and bad,” Notre Dame athletic director Howie Sompayrac said. “Part of the equation is not knowing much at all about any of those schools. As far as competitive experience, my guess is that District 6 would have provided a more difficult region in most sports.

“The downside is there could be some crazy travel. Overall, we’ll still play the majority of our games against Chattanooga teams. This region will be a complete surprise for us.”

With Central and Red Bank moving down to Class AA, former District 6-AAA members Ooltewah and Soddy-Daisy were left to join Bradley Central, Cleveland, Rhea County, Walker Valley and McMinn County in 5-AAA, which will compete against Coffee County, Cookeville, Cumberland County, Warren County and White County in Region 3 competition.

Red Bank athletic director Susan Thurman said the move down in classification will benefit her school, which has competed in recent years with one of the smallest enrollments in its region.

“We as a coaching staff sat down and discussed the pros and cons,” Thurman said. “As our enrollment declined some with the opening of Signal Mountain, we felt like this was going to be the best path for us. On a level playing field, I feel like every sport we have has an opportunity to win a state championship.”

Comments