Expanding on my post from yesterday, here’s a more expansive breakdown.
In 2002-03, Class A had 67 teams. The 8-man (technically “8-player”, since girls play football too) class expanded from 26 to 40. In 2012-13, those classes will have 63 and 70, respectively. Teams that used to be in 1A have fallen to fill the gap.
Of those 67 teams:
- 25 have moved to 8-man, including 3-time semifinalist Northwood-Kensett.
- 23 have either merged schools or share teams, many with each other. North Butler (Allison-Bristow/Greene) is the only one that merged but remains at Class A; the rest moved up. The majority have fully merged districts.
- 16 will be playing in Class A next fall.
- Three (Le Mars Gehlen, Treynor, Van Meter) move up to 1A.
Whereas the early 8-player districts were in western and southern Iowa, the class now extends the width and breadth of the state, from Nishnabotna (Hamburg/Farragut) in the southwest to Kee High in the northeast.
The smallest class now has the most teams. From 4A on down, the breakdown is 47-56-56-56-63-70. (The 47 will become 48 in 2013.)
UPDATE: A version of my writeup on this was posted on the Register’s website.