New classes announced: MV to 4A, "success factor" bumps NP VB down

Mt. Vernon moved up to Class 4A in basketball, baseball, volleyball and softball, while the IHSAA "tournament success factor" bumped New Palestine's volleyball team down to Class 3A, the only changes for local schools in the next two years' class structure.

Those were the only local changes -- so far -- in the new classes that were announced Tuesday by the IHSAA. The classes will be in effect for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.

With an enrollment of 1,119 students, MV bumped up to the 96th-largest school in the state, putting it safely inside Class 4A in the four-class sports (baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball). The school had previously competed in Class 3A since the inception of class sports. It would have bumped up to 4A in girls basketball due to the "tournament success factor" regardless of enrollment.

New Palestine remained 4A -- barely -- in most of the four-class sports. With the state's 101st-largest enrollment of 1,107, NP stayed above the 3A/4A cut line, eight students ahead of Jasper (which dropped to 3A). However, due to the IHSAA's success factor bumping both the Yorktown and Chatard volleyball teams up a class, NP will drop to 3A in volleyball only.

NP could also drop to 3A in baseball if Western wins a regional, Brebeuf makes the State Finals OR either Bellmont or Greensburg wins the 3A state title. NP could drop to 3A in softball if Andrean wins a regional, Edgewood returns to the State Finals or any of last year's 3A regional champs (Yorktown, Woodlan, South Bend St. Joe, Lebanon, Boonville, North Harrison) win the state title.

NP spent the first 14 years of class sports in Class 3A, and bumped up to 4A as the second-smallest school in the class in 2011.

Greenfield-Central safely remained in Class 4A in the four-class sports, with the state's 69th largest enrollment of 1,446. Eastern Hancock has the state's 289th-largest enrollment with 349 students, putting it safely in 2A, 14 spots ahead of the smallest school in 2A, North Miami. EH is 33 students ahead of the cutoff for 1A. EH has been a 2A school since the inception of class sports in 1997-98. G-C has competed in Class 4A since 2003-04. The four-class sports have 101 schools each in them.

In football, all of the local schools held their spots -- with G-C, MV and NP remaining in Class 4A. G-C, which has been a 4A school since the inception of the five-class all-in playoff in 1985, is just four spots and 50 students from moving up to Class 5A. MV and NP are comfortably in 4A, as the 30th and 35th-largest schools, and well ahead of smallest 4A member Silver Creek (809). Eastern Hancock remains a 1A school, its enrollment of 349 making it the class' 18th-largest school. Football classes have 64 teams each -- except for Classes 6A (32) and 5A (34).

In soccer, all three of the local soccer-playing schools will remain in Class 2A in the two-class system.

Elsewhere in the HHC, Mt. Vernon is the only school to move up in the four-class sports. Due to other schools moving up in the "success factor," both New Palestine and Shelbyville will move to 3A in volleyball only, and could move down in softball or baseball. Yorktown will compete in Class 4A volleyball due to the "success factor." In football, Delta is the only HHC school on the move, dropping to Class 3A.

In the Mid-Hoosier Conference, Knightstown (1A to 2A in football only) is the only school on the move.

Schools changing classes (4-class sports)
DOES NOT INCLUDE SUCCESS FACTOR ADJUSTMENTS
To 4A (3)
Indianapolis Northwest (from 3A)
Mt. Vernon (from 3A)
Plymouth (from 3A)

To 3A(11)
Columbia City (from 4A)
New Haven (from 4A)
Northview (from 4A)
Fort Wayne Luers (from 2A)
Indianapolis Herron (from 2A)
Indianapolis Marshall (from 2A)
Rochester (from 2A)
Southridge (from 2A)
Tipton (from 2A)
Wheeler (from 2A)
Gary Lighthouse (from A)

To 2A (10)
Indianapolis Howe (from 3A)
Indianapolis Manual (from 3A)
North Putnam (from 3A)
Rensselaer (from 3A)
South Vermillion (from 3A)
Southmont (from 3A)
Woodlan (from 3A)
FW Canterbury (from A)
Irvington (from A)
Riverton Parke (from A)

To A (4)
Indianapolis Arlington (from 3A)
Bloomfield (from 2A)
Carroll (Carroll) (from A)
Indianapolis Metro (from A)

Schools changing classes (football)
To 5A (4)
Concord (from 4A)
Cathedral (from 4A due to success factor)
Mishawaka (from 4A)
Richmond (from 4A)

To 4A (8)
FW South (from 5A)
Beech Grove (from 3A)
Danville (from 3A)
Hammond Gavit (from 3A)
Chatard (from 3A due to success factor)
Indianapolis Northwest (from 3A)
Silver Creek (from 3A)
South Bend St. Joseph (from 3A)

To 3A (10)
Delta (from 4A)
Gary Roosevelt (from 4A)
Hammond (from 4A)
Andrean (from 2A)
Fairfield (from 2A)
FW Luers (from 2A)
Guerin Catholic (from 2A)
Lawrenceburg (from 2A)
Northwestern (from 2A)
Rochester (from 2A)

To 2A (10)
Southmont (from 3A)
Central Noble (from A)
Cloverdale (from A)
Eastern Greene (from A)
Hammond Noll (from A)
Scecina (from A)
Knightstown (from A)
Lafayette Catholic (from A due to success factor)
Lapel (from A)
Milan (from A)

To A (6)
Arlington (from 3A)
Fountain Central (from 2A)
Howe (from 2A)
Lake Station (from 2A)
Seeger (from 2A)
South Putnam (from 2A)