Published: Saturday, Aug. 01, 2009 / Updated: Saturday, Aug. 01, 2009 12:13 AM

Stallions, 3 others will drop to AAA

The South Carolina High School League completed is realignment on Friday and had a huge impact on Herald-area schools.

The League reassigns the state's schools into regions every two years for sports purposes. Friday's realignment is for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. It's based on enrollments, and the teams were split into four classifications.

Clover, Gaffney, Lancaster and Rock Hill are together again in Region 3-AAAA. Gaffney remained in the region and Spartanburg was moved in from Region 2-AAAA as the sixth team. Rock Hill and Lancaster are in their final year in Region 4-AAAA, along with South Pointe, Blythewood, Spring Valley and Ridge View.

“We are happy that Rock Hill is back in a region with us,” Northwestern athletic director Bill Warren said. “We feel this will be a very strong region, but on the other hand we're disappointed that South Pointe is not with us.”

South Pointe won the Region 4-AAAA title last year, went 15-0 and won the Class AAAA Division II state championship in just its third season of varsity football. The Stallions have failed to reach the projected enrollment numbers that were expected when the school opened in 2005. South Pointe had Class AAA numbers when the last realignment was done, but the school administration petitioned to play up and the League accepted the request.

Not this time around, at least as of Friday. South Pointe was moved down, as were Fort Mill, Nation Ford and York. All four schools were moved into Region 4-AAA with Chester and Winnsboro's Fairfield Central.

Schools have until Aug. 14 to appeal the realignment in writing. The proposed list was sent to the state's schools late Friday afternoon. Stallions coach Bobby Carroll said he doesn't know if South Pointe will appeal, that he's leaving that up to his principal, Al Leonard, and Stallions athletic director Mike Drummond.

“Am I disappointed? Sure I am,” Carroll said when reached Friday night. “But the economy the way it is I can understand, because we won't have to travel far for our region games.

“Chester and Fairfield Central have good football programs. The problem I have with moving down is not all Class AAA teams have ninth-grade teams in every sport.”

No region with local teams was spared. Indian Land moved up to Class AA, along with Buford. They were put in Region 4 with Andrew Jackson, Central, Cheraw and Lee Central.

Region 3-A added C.A. Johnson and the Governor's School of Science and Math, which will play all sports except football, to replace Indian Land and Buford. They join Chesterfield, Great Falls, Lewisville, McBee and North Central.

Regions by classification

Class AAAA

1. Easley, Greenwood, Laurens, T.L. Hanna, Westside, Woodmont, Wren

2. Boiling Springs, Byrnes, Dorman, Hillcrest, J.L. Mann, Mauldin, Riverside

3. Clover, Gaffney, Lancaster, Northwestern, Rock Hill, Spartanburg

4. Blythewood, Dutch Fork, Irmo, Lugoff-Elgin (except football), Richland Northeast, Ridge View, Spring Valley

5. Aiken, Lexington, North Augusta, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, South Aiken, White Knoll

6. Carolina Forest, Conway, Lugoff-Elgin (football only), South Florence, Sumter, West Florence

7. Goose Creek, James Island, Stratford, Wando, West Ashley

8. Ashley Ridge, Beaufort, Colleton, County, Fort Dorchester, Summerville

Class AAA

1. Belton-Honey Path, Daniel, Pickins, Seneca, West Oak, Walhalla

2. Berea, Eastside, Greenville, Southside, Travelers Rest, Wade Hampton

3. Blue Ridge, Chapin, Chapman, Clinton, Greer, Union County

4. Chester, Fairfield Central, Fort Mill, Nation Ford, South Pointe, York

5. A.C. Flora, Airport, Brookland-Cayce, Dreher, Lower Richland, Midland Valley

6. Camden, Crestwood, Darlington, Hartsville, Lakewood, Marlboro County

7. Battery Creek, Berkeley, Bluffton, Cane Bay, Hilton Head, Lake Marion

8. Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, St. James, Socastee, Wilson

Class AA

1. Carolina, Chesnee, Crescent. Liberty, Palmetto, Pandleton

2. Batesburg-Leesville, Columbia, Eau Claire, Gilbert, Keenan, Strom Thurmond

3. Broome, Emerald, Mid-Carolina, Newberry, Saluda, Woodruff

4. Andrew Jackson, Buford, Cheraw, Indian Land, Lee Central, Pageland Central

5. Aynor, Dillon, Loris, Marion, Mullins, Waccamaw

6. Andrews, Bishop England, Kingstree, Lake City, Manning, Timberland

7. Barnwell, Edisto, Pelion, Silver Bluff, Swansea, Woodruff

8. Academic Magnet, Gerrett, Hanahan, North Charleston, Stall, Woodland

Class A

1. Abbeville, Calhoun Falls, Dixie, McCormick, Ninety Six, Tamasee-Salem*, Ware Shoals

2. Blacksburg, Brashier Middle Charter*, Christ Church, Gov. School of Arts*, Greenville Charter*, Greer Middle College*, Landrum, SCSDB, Southside Christian, Whitmire

3. C.A. Johnson, Chesterfield, Great Falls, Gov. School of Science and Math, Lewisville, McBee, North Central

4. Blackville-Hilda, Fox Creek, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler, Ridge Spring-Monetta, Wagner-Salley, Williston-Elko

5. Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Bethune-Bowman, Branchville, Calhoun County, Denmark-Olar

6. Allendale-Fairfax, Baptist Hill (football only), Estill, Hardeeville, Ridgeland, Whale Branch

7. Baptist Hill (except football), Burke, Charleston Charter, Coss, Lincoln, Military Magnet, St. John's

8. C.E. Murray, East Clarendon, Hannah-Pamplico, Lamar, Scott's Branch,

Timmonsville

9. Carvers Bay, Creek Bridge, Green Sea-Floyds, Hemingway, Johnsonville, Lake View, Latta

* Do not play football