GREENFIELD — Sectional shakeups are on the horizon for fall sports.
The IHSAA announced new classifications for four fall sports on Thursday, with the changes taking effect for the next two seasons. While most Hancock County teams stayed in place, two have noteworthy changes, and football, in particular, will see significant changes for county-related sectionals.
Greenfield-Central, formerly a Class 5A football program, has dropped to Class 4A and will be the second-biggest school in that class for the 2019 season. New Palestine, formerly a Class 2A girls soccer program, has been moved up to Class 3A for the next two seasons.
Both the Cougars football team and Dragons soccer teams will have new sectionals, to be revealed in May.
Football
Outside of the Cougars’ move, there are plenty of big changes on the football field, several of which affect Hancock County teams.
Zionsville, who was in the same sectional as Greenfield-Central and New Palestine, has moved up to Class 6A. Also making that move are Arsenal Tech and Columbus East, with East moving up due to tournament success factor.
Joining New Palestine in Class 5A are three schools that have fallen from 6A — Ft. Wayne Northrop, Ft. Wayne Snider and Jeffersonville — and two schools that have bumped up a class — Mishawaka and Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger.
Six schools dropped down into Class 4A, joining Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon there. Huntington North, Martinsville, Muncie Central, Roncalli and Cathedral all fell into 4A. Crispus Attucks, Indianapolis Shortridge and Evansville Reitz Memorial all moved up into 4A from 3A.
Eight schools dropped from 4A to 3A. Yorktown, Evansville Bosse, Hammond, South Bend Washington, Scottsburg, Franklin County, Edgewood and Owen Valley all dropped a class. Indianpolis George Washington, River Forest, Oak Hill and Southridge moved up from 2A.
While Eastern Hancock stays in Class 2A, there are plenty of changes to the Royals’ football class. South Vermillion, Ft. Wayne Bishop Luers, Monrovia, Wheeler, Blackford, Southmont, Fairfield and Andrean all fell into the class from 3A. New additions from 1A are Eastside, LaVille, Indianapolis Howe, Seeger Memorial and 1A champion Pioneer, who moved up due to success factor.
Eastern Hancock rival Knightstown dropped out of 2A and down to 1A, along with Milan, Taylor, Lake Station, Madison-Grant, Perry Central, Cloverdale, Park Tudor and Gary Roosevelt.
Soccer
The significant change in soccer comes from New Palestine’s girls team moving up a class, joining Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon in 3A.
New Palestine is one of four girls teams moving up to 3A for 2019. The other teams moving up are Shelbyville, Highland and DeKalb. The only school moving down from 3A is Lowell, which moves to 2A.
On the boys side, there are no changes for Hancock County teams, as New Palestine, Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon all remain in 3A. Teams moving into 3A to join them are Columbia City, Crispus Attucks, New Haven and Indianapolis Shortridge. Teams dropping down to 2A are Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger, South Bend Clay and Jay County.
Volleyball
While New Palestine, Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon all remain in Class 4A for volleyball, there is one big change worth nothing, as New Castle has moved up into the class due to tournament success factor.
Other additions to 4A are Columbia City, Marion, Crispus Attucks, Gary West Side and New Haven. Connersville, South Bend Clay and Ft. Wayne Concordia fall to 3A for this cycle.
Eastern Hancock stays in Class 2A. The biggest change in that class is the addition of Barr Reeve, which moves up due to success factor.