NCHSAA’s conference draft could spread out Randolph County schools

New league alignments within the NCHSAA begin by summer

Randolph County schools will be spread out when it comes to conference affiliations based on an initial draft sent to schools from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Schools can provide feedback on the drafts before those are finalized, likely in January. The new alignments, which are developed to be in place for four years, begin next summer.

The NCHSAA is expanding from four classifications to eight, so there are bound to be different combinations when it comes to conference set-ups. The drafts reveal more split conferences (leagues with schools from more than one classification).

Eastern Randolph will be in Class 3A and pegged with soon-to-be Class 4A schools Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy. Based on the draft, those schools would be aligned with North Moore (3A), Northwood (3A) and Jordan-Matthews (4A).

Randleman is also tagged for Class 4A, but the Tigers would be grouped with other Class 4A schools Central Davidson, Ledford, Lexington and High Point Andrews plus Class 5A schools High Point Central and Montgomery Central.

In Class 3A, Providence Grove, Trinity and Wheatmore would be packaged with East Davidson, Thomasville and West Davidson.

So these drafts would be mark major changes for the seven schools – all from Randolph County – that currently comprise the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Significant change will be coming for Asheboro if the drafts are adopted. The Blue Comets will be in Class 6A.

That draft puts Asheboro with other Class 6A schools Eastern Guilford, Northern Guilford and Southeast Guilford plus Class 5A schools Northeast Guilford and Southern Guilford.

For Asheboro, that would mean it wouldn’t be in a conference with any of the other current Mid-Piedmont Conference members in which it shares membership.