Staff report

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has released its first draft of proposed conferences for the 2025-2029 realignment period.

Realignment begins in the fall.

The NCHSAA will have member schools divided into eight classifications for all sports for the first time.

The 8A class will have the largest 32 schools in the state, based on ADM figures, with no other factors.

Classes 1A-7A will be evenly divided with close to 60 schools each.

The proposed conference for North Rowan includes 2A, 3A and one 1A school.

The 2A schools would be Albemarle, Gray Stone Day, North Rowan and South Stanly. The 3A schools would be North Stanly and Union Academy (Monroe).

The 1A would be Huntersville’s Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy.

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The other five Rowan schools are in a proposed 4A/5A league.

It’s a nine-team league with three 4As and six 3As.

The 4As are South Rowan, Salisbury and Lake Norman Charter.

The 5As are West Rowan, East Rowan, Carson, Northwest Cabarrus, Robinson and Concord.

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A.L. Brown is in a proposed 6A/7A league, an eight-team league with four in each classification, and it would include some of the smaller Charlotte schools.

The 6A teams would be Berry Academy, Harding, Olympic and Central Cabarrus.

The 7A teams are A.L. Brown, West Cabarrus, Cox Mill and Hickory Ridge.

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Mooresville is in a proposed 6A/7A league that would include five Iredell schools and Davie.

That would be a major change for Davie, which has played in leagues with the Forsyth County schools for decades.

Statesville and North Iredell would be the 6As in the league. Mooresville, Davie, Lake Norman and South Iredell would be 7A.