Alright Iowa High School Athletic Association, you have my attention.
The IHSAA recently released new classifications for the next two seasons in high school football, and there is plenty of intrigue.
The big news in the area is that Newton returns to Class 4A. This is a good thing and a bad thing.
The good news: This change means the community is growing. The bad news: The competition will once again be incredibly difficult for a program that will be the smallest in its class.
When I was in Newton the first time, I remember having conversations with the football staff about how they would welcome a drop to 3A. I still think that’s the best fit for the Cardinals, but there is nothing anyone can do now.
Newton will play a 4A schedule. It’s time to get to work.
The only question left to answer is who will be in their district. The 4A division is the toughest to predict because the last two years the state didn’t worry about location. They seemed to make the districts as balanced as possible.
There weren’t changes to the other area squads. Prairie City-Monroe and Collins-Maxwell/Baxter remain in 2A and Colfax-Mingo and Lynnville-Sully stay in A.
There are changes involving teams in those classes though.
The biggest change when it comes to PCM and CMB is North Polk moving from 2A to 3A. The Comets were in the same district as the Raiders and Mustangs the past two years. Who will replaces them for the next two? And will the state put CMB and PCM in different districts?
Saydel and West Marshall are now in 2A, too. Saydel dropped down and West Marshall moved up. The state could keep the CMB and PCM district of the last two years intact and just replace North Polk with either the Eagles or the Trojans, but it may not be that simple.
Dike-New Hartford and Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont move into 2A from 1A. Chariton moves down to 2A and South Tama County moves back up to 3A. That could force the state to split CMB and PCM.
Colfax-Mingo and Lynnville-Sully will likely stay as district rivals. But there were changes to Class A. Three powers from the past few seasons — Denver, Logan-Magnolia and Mount Ayr — all moved up to 1A. So did Pleasantville, which was ranked in A most of last year.
Grand View Christian could be a district foe of C-M and L-S. The Thunder are up from 8-player, while Iowa Valley moves down 8-player after being a part of the C-M/L-S district the past two years.
The decisions on what teams play in what districts are supposed to be released next week. The state certainly has my attention.