The TSSAA released its school classification by sport on Tuesday for the 2017-18 through the 2020-21 school years.
TSSAA
Schools have until Oct. 25 to notify the TSSAA if it will play up in a higher classification.
Some of the interesting class changes included:
Football
►All seven Rutherford County big schools — Blackman, La Vergne, Oakland, Riverdale, Siegel, Smyrna and Stewarts Creek — are back in Class 6A. The past two seasons, La Vergne and Stewarts Creek have competed in Class 5A.
►Dickson County (1,519 students) and Hendersonville (1,531) are the two smallest schools in Class 6A. Dickson County hasn’t made the playoffs since 2012 when the Cougars reached the second round in 6A. Hendersonville has had recent success in both classes. The Commandos were state runner-up in both 5A (2010) and 6A (2013).
►Page will bump up from 4A to 5A and will be the sixth smallest school (1,123). The school is currently competing for a Region 4-4A title with Marshall County. The Williamson County program has never been in 5A.
►First-year Nolensville was placed in Class 4A, and Class AA for baseball, basketball and softball. However, football coach and athletic director Will Hester said the school would explore its options on playing up to help reduce travel and having better attended games.
►Greenbrier, which is currently in Class 3A, will be the second smallest Class 4A school next year (833). Greenbrier is currently 5-4 and in fifth in Region 5-3A. The top four teams reach the playoffs.
“We knew we would be more than likely 4A, based on the numbers from two years ago,” Greenbrier football coach John Elmore said. “Last time around we were the largest 3A school by one student.”
Elmore liked the possibility of geographic rivals Portland Springfield and White House potentially being in the same region.
“We’ve talked all along that would be nice to have what I call the Highland Rim region with them,” he said. “Then we would have the possibility of having Macon County, Montgomery Central, Creek Wood and Maplewood in northern Davidson County depending on how they divide it.”
The TSSAA won’t release its districts and regions for the next four years until November. The TSSAA’s Board of Control meets Nov. 17 to approve districts and regions.
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Basketball, baseball, softball
►The biggest jaw-dropper was defending Class AAA boys basketball state champion Memphis East having the state’s largest Class A enrollment (494). If East chooses to move up, it would have to also compete in the larger enrollment in girls basketball, baseball and softball.
►Spring Hill, which won the 2015 Class AA baseball state title, is the fourth smallest Class AAA school (1,053).
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager.
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