Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association (OSSAA) board members voted last week to approve new football districts drawn up by coaches after a court ruling nullified the existing ones.
In the latest reclassification, defending champion Lincoln Christian returns to Class 3A for the 2024-25 and 202526 seasons, instead of moving to 4A, while Sapulpa is being moved up to 6A-II instead of remaining in 5A.
Holland Hall and Heritage Hall, perennial private school powers that were moving up to 4A, are moving back to 3A football after Oklahoma County District Judge Richard Ogden ruled last month in a lawsuit brought by five Oklahoma City-area private schools that Rule 14 remains, but those amendments adopted before the 202324 school year must be voided effective July 1. Rule 14 elevates private school classification based on postseason achievement instead of enrollment.
As a result, districts and schedules had to be adjusted less than four months before the start of the 2024 season in late August.
Cascia Hall and Victory Christian will move from Class 2A to Class 3A.
Under the new arrangement, two private schools including defending champion Lincoln Christian and Holland Hall — who have combined for four of the past five 3A states. Other developments include Deer Creek going up to 6AI while Southmoore moves to 6A-II. Glenpool and Elgin move down to 4A as Newcastle and Classen SAS replace them in 5A.
The new districts were drawn up during Oklahoma Football Coaches Association meetings called after OSSAA board members voted April 17 to use daily attendance numbers from October to reclassify teams.
Nearly all of the 11man football coaches voted on the revised districts.
Below is the OSSAA’s new classification alignment for Class 3A and 2A football with each school’s district.
3A
District 1: Anadarko, Heritage Hall, Kingfisher, North Rock Creek, Pauls Valley, Plainview, Purcell, Star Spencer District 2: Bristow, Lone Grove, Mannford, McLoud, Perkins-Tryon, Seminole, Sulphur, Victory Christian District 3: Checotah, Eufaula, Holland Hall, Idabel, Lincoln Christian, Locust Grove, Muldrow, Stigler District 4: Berryhill, Cascia Hall, Claremore Sequoyah, Cleveland, Inola, Jay, Verdigris, Vinita 2A-I
District 1: Blackwell, Chisholm, Crooked Oak, Jones, Milwood, Mount St. Mary, Oklahoma Christian School, Perry District 2: Crossings Christian, Dickson, Lexington, Lindsay, Little Axe, Marietta, Marlow, Washington District 3: Bethel, Heavener, Hugo, Kiefer, Kingston, Okmulgee, Prague, Roland District4: Chandler, Daniel Webster, Dewey Metro Christian, Sequoyah Tahlequah, Sperry, Central, Westville 2A-II
District 1: Alva, Casady, Hennessey, Kellyville, Luther, Meeker, Newkirk, Stroud District 2: Beggs, Coalgate, Comanche, Community Christian, Davis, Dibble, Holdenville, Tishomingo District 3: Adair, Chelsea, Colcord, Commerce, Kansas, Keys, Salina, Wyandotte District 4: Antlers, Atoka, Henryetta, Morris, Spiro, Valliant, Vian, Wilburton
