Idaho High Schools Reject Realignment

Idaho high schools have rejected a proposed realignment for sports.

At a special Boise meeting on Wednesday, high school representatives voted 61-38 to keep the present system.

The Idaho High School Activities Association board of directors earlier in the day approved changing the current four-class system to five divisions. That would have placed the state’s largest schools, with enrollment over 1,200, in Division 5A.

But members complained that the changes would isolate some schools, with no nearby competition in their classification. Other principals and superintendents said the changes would disrupt traditional rivalries and cost them gate receipts.

Some said Idaho is such a small state that it does not need five divisions and the disruptions were not worth it.

“You are legislating my program out the door in at least two sports,” said Blaine County Superintendent Phil Homer, representing Wood River High School.

He said Sandpoint, Lewiston and Moscow would be isolated as the only member in a classification in a region.

“Lewiston stands to take a fairly big hit financially with the isolation,” said Jim Wilund, principal at Lewiston High School.

Under the proposal, Lewiston would have been the only 5A school in District 2 and Moscow would have been alone in 4A in that district. Sandpoint would have been the only District 1 representative in 5A.

Ron Hill, new president of the activities association, said it was a proposal that had been under study for many months.

Under the classification system retained by the high school officials, schools with 800 or more students in grades 9-12 are in A-1, with a special A-1, Division 2 class for football.

The A-2 limits are 350 to 799 students; A-3 150 to 349 and A-4, 149 and below.

Golf

Brock Mackenzie of Yakima edged Josh Sicilia of Spokane in a playoff to win the boys 15-17 division at the final PGA Junior series event of the season held at The Creek at Qualchan. Mackenzie and Sicilia finished 54 holes in 219.

Noelle Hamilton of Olympia finished at 240 to win the girls 15-17, 19 strokes ahead of second-place Sara Northcutt of Spokane.

Chris Wahlroth of Bellingham defeated David Fern of Spokane in a playoff after tying at 225.

Lani Elson of Spokane was the easy winner in the girls 13-14, finishing at 232, 24 strokes ahead of runner-up Stephanie Wei of Bellevue, Wash.

The 80-player field of juniors from eight states and Canada were competing in the 12th and final leg of the series.

, DataTimes