OKLAHOMA CITY — OSSAA board members voted Thursday to approve new football districts drawn up by coaches after a court ruling invalidated the existing football district.
In the latest class changes, defending champion Lincoln Christian will return to Class 3A for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons instead of moving to 4A, while Sapulpa will move up to 6A-II instead of remaining in 5A.
The Chieftains are trading places with Lawton. Putnam West moved back to 6A-II instead of 5A, replacing Bishop McGuinness.
The power of Perpetual Private Schools, which had been promoted to 4A status, came to an end after Oklahoma County District Judge Richard Ogden ruled last month that Rule 14 remained in place in a lawsuit filed by five Oklahoma City-area private schools. Holland Hall and Heritage Hall are also returning to 3A football. However, amendments adopted before the 2023-24 school year must become ineffective starting July 1. Rule 14 raises the classification of private schools based on postseason performance rather than enrollment.
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As a result, schedules had to be adjusted with districts less than four months before the 2024 season begins in late August.
Moving from the other side to 3A are eternal powers Kasia Hall and Victory Christian, who were scheduled to go to 2A-I.
Under the new arrangement, defending champion Lincoln Christian and Holland Hall, which have won a combined four of the past five 3A state titles, will be in the same district for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. It turns out.
The two schools have never been in the same district.
Other developments include Deer Creek moving up to 6AI for the first time, while Southmoor drops to 6A-II. Glenpool and Elgin will be relegated to 4A, with Newcastle and Classen SAS promoted to 5A in their place.
The new districts come after OSSAA board members voted April 17 to use daily attendance figures starting in October to reclassify teams at the Oklahoma State Football Coaches Association meeting. It was formulated in
“Once we had the most recent data, we reclassified everyone to indicate which classification they fit into, and at that point the coaches met for each classification…and then we decided on a recommendation for the district. ” said Trinity Johnson, OSSAA Assistant Director. The football coach told board members Thursday.
Johnson said about 92% of 11-man football coaches voted for the redistricting plan, which considered geography and power rankings in the redistricting process.
“We thought it was important because it would allow all coaches to have a say in the district and game results,” he said. “By and large, they had an opportunity to stand up and voice their concerns, make their case, and then vote.
Johnson added that some classifications were unanimous, while others required additional discussion before the coaches could reach a consensus.
Below are the new classification adjustments for football between the OSSAA and each school district.
6A-I
District 1: Bixby, Deer Creek, Edmond North, Enid, Jenks, Moore, Mustang, Norman.
District 2: Broken Arrow, Edmond Memorial, Edmond Santa Fe, Norman North, Owasso, Union Westmoor, Yukon.
6A-Ⅱ
District 1: Choctaw, Lawton Eisenhower, Northwest Classen, Piedmont, Putnam City, Southmoor, Stillwater, U.S. Grant.
District 2: Bartlesville, Capitol Hill, Muskogee, Putnam City North, Putnam City West, Ponca City, Sand Springs, Sapulpa.
5A
District 1: Bishop McGuinness, Classen SAS, Duncan, Guymon, Lawton MacArthur, Midwest City, Newcastle, South East.
District 2: Altus, Carl Albert, El Reno, Guthrie, John Marshall, Lawton, Noble, Western Heights.
District 3: Bishop Kelly, Booker T. Washington, Coweta, Durant, East Central, Edison, McAlester, Shawnee.
District 4: Claremore, Collinsville, Del City, Nathan Hale, Pryor, Tahlequah, Will Rogers, Tulsa Memorial, Will Rogers.
4A
District 1: Bridge Creek, Cache, Clinton, Douglas, Elgin, Elk City, Weatherford, Woodward.
District 2: Ardmore, Bethany, Blanchard, Chickasha, Harrah, Madill, Tecumseh, Tuttle.
District 3: Catoosa, Cushing, Fort Gibson, Grove, Miami, Oologah-Talala, Skiatook, Wagoner.
District 4: Ada, Broken Bow, Glenpool, Hildale, McLean, Poteau, Sallisaw, Stillwell.
3A
District 1: Anadarko, Heritage Hall, Kingfisher, North Rock Creek, Pauls Valley, Plainview, Purcell, Star Spencer.
District 2: Bristow, Lawn Grove, Mumford, McLeod, Perkins-Tryon, Seminole, Sulfur, Victory Christian.
District 3: Checotah, Eufaula, Holland Hall, Idabel, Lincoln Christian, Locust Grove, Muldrow, Stigler.
District 4: Berry Hill, Cassia Hall, Claremore Sequoia, Cleveland, Inola, Jay, Verdigris, Vinita.
2A-I
District 1: Blackwell, Chisholm, Crooked Oak, Jones, Millwood, Mount St. Mary, Oklahoma Christian School, Perry.
District 2: Crossing Christian, Dixon, Lexington, Lindsay, Little Ax, Marietta, Marlowe, Washington.
District 3: Bethel, Heavener, Hugo, Keefer, Kingston, Okmulgee, Prague, Roland.
District 4: Chandler, Daniel Webster, Dewey Metro Christian, Sequoyah Tahlequah, Sperry, Central, Westville.
2A-Ⅱ
District 1: Alva, Cassady, Hennessey, Kellyville, Luther, Meeker, Newkirk, Stroud.
District 2: Beggs, Coalgate, Comanche, Community Christian, Davis, Dibble, Holdenville, Tishomingo.
District 3: Adair, Chelsea, Colcord, Commerce, Kansas, Keys, Salina, Wyandotte.
District 4: Antlers, Atoka, Henrietta, Morris, Spiro, Valiant, Vian, Wilburton.
Class AI
District 1: Cashion, Crescent, Fairview, Hinton, Hooker, Merritt, Sayre, Watonga.
District 2: Christian Heritage, Frederick, Hobart, Minco, Stratford, Walters, Wynnewood.
District 3: Caney Valley, Morrison, Nowata, Oklahoma Union, Pawska, Pawnee, Quapaw, Tonkawa.
District 4: Choteau, Hartshorne, Haskell, Hulbert, Panama, Pocola, Rejoice, Warner.
Class A-II
District 1: Apache, Carnegie, Cordell, Mangum, Mooreland, Southwest Covenant, Texoma Goodwill, Thomas Fay Custer.
District 2: Elmore City – Parnell, Healton, Konawa, Ringling, Rush Springs, Belma – Alma, Wayne, Wilson.
District 3: Allen, Central Sallisaw, Gore, Liberty, Mounds, Regent Prep, Talihina, Wiwoka.
District 4: Afton, Barnsdall, Fairland, Hominy, Ketchum, Porter, Summit Christian, Woodland.
class BI
District 1: Gerber, Laverne, Oklahoma Bible, Pioneer Pleasant Vail, Pond Creek Hunter, Turpin.
District 2: Burns Flat Dill City, Central Marlowe, Empire, Hollis, Snyder, Waurika.
District 3: Cave Springs, Depew, Drumwright, Foyle, Porum, Yale.
District 4: Caddo, Canadian, Dewar, Keota, Quinton, Savannah.
Class B-Ⅱ
District 1: Boise City, Canton, Okeene, Ringwood, Sailing, Shattuck.
District 2: Alix, Cyril, Strother, Thackerville, Welitka, Wetumka.
District 3: Cherokee, Covington-Douglas, Coyle, Davenport, Olive, Waukomis.
District 4: Alcoma, Copan, Gans, Weber Falls, Wesleyan Christian, Henrietta Wilson.
class C
District 1: Barco Forgan, Beaver, Buffalo, Kremlin Hillsdale, Sharon Mutual, Timberlake, Tyrone, Waynoka.
District 2: Bray Doyle, Corn Bible Geary, Grandfield, Mountain View Gotebo, Ryan, Temple, Tipton.
District 3: Billings, Blue Jacket, Deer Creek-Lamont, Medford, Oaks Mission, South Coffeyville, Watts, Welch.
District 4: Bowlegs, Fox, Graham Dustin, Maude, Maysville, Midway, Paoli, Sasakuwa.
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