Breaking down six classifications, including 10-percent rule
Editor's note: The PIAA voted Oct. 7 to expand its football classifications from four to six divisions. The specifics of how each team will be classified will not be determined until each school's 2016 enrollment is finalized, which is expected to be within about a month from the board's Oct. 7 vote. The following breakdown was published over the summer using different numbers, so the specifics could change.
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Here is a breakdown of what the high school football landscape could look like in District 3 if the PIAA opts for six classifications.
There are two possibilities under this format: the six classes or six classes with a 10-percent rule. The PIAA is using current enrollment figures in its examples. Schools are ordered by enrollment. The highest and lowest boys’ enrollment for each class, plus those for YAIAA schools, are listed in parenthesis.
SIX CLASSESClass 6A: Reading (2,138 enrollment), J.P. McCaskey, Chambersburg, Cumberland Valley, Hempfield, Harrisburg, Central Dauphin, Red Lion (807), William Penn (764), Wilson, Manheim Township, Penn Manor, Dallastown (694), Exeter, Central York (673), Warwick, Central Dauphin East, Cedar Crest (633).
Number of schools: 18, which ranks second in state. District 1 has most with 29 schools.
Class 5A: Fleetwood (606 - with 250 co-op enrollment), York County Tech (600), Carlisle, Conestoga Valley, Cedar Cliff, Governor Mifflin, Elizabethtown, Lebanon, Ephrata, Waynesboro, Lower Dauphin, South Western (499), New Oxford (490), Mechanicsburg, Muhlenberg, Hershey, Solanco, Lancaster Catholic, Garden Spot, Red Land, Daniel Boone, Northern York, Spring Grove (436), Northeastern (429), Shippensburg (419).
Number of schools: 25, which ranks second in state. District 1 has most with 27 schools.
Class 4A: Greencastle-Antrim (413), Twin Valley, Dover, Cocalico, Kutztown, Manheim Central, Lampeter-Strasburg, Palmyra, West York (367), James Buchanan, Big Spring, Gettysburg (358), Conrad Weiser, West Perry, York Suburban (356), Donegal, East Pennsboro, Susquehannock (350), Susquehanna Township, ELCO, Milton Hershey, Kennard-Dale (336), Northern Lebanon, Eastern York (306).
Number of schools: 24, which leads state. District 7 is second with 20 schools.
Class 3A: Bishop McDevitt (303), Middletown, Hamburg, Bermudian Springs (286), Littlestown (281), Wyomissing, Boiling Springs, Berks Catholic, Annville-Cleona, Pequea Valley, Schuylkill Valley, Trinity, Susquenita, Newport, Biglerville (215).
Number of schools: 15, which ranks second in state. District 7 has most with 24 schools.
Class 2A: Hanover (200), Upper Dauphin, Delone Catholic (166), Columbia, Fairfield (162), Camp Hill, York Catholic (151).
Number of schools: Seven, which ranks fifth in state with two other districts (2, 9). District 7 has most with 24 schools.
Class 1A: Steel-High (145), Halifax, Millersburg (117), Carson Long Military Academy (50 - note, school is not fielding football team in 2015).
Number of schools: Four, which ranks eighth in state with District 1. District 7 has most with 25 schools.
SIX CLASSES (with 10-percent rule)Class 6A: Reading (1,753), J.P. McCaskey, Cumberland Valley, Hempfield, Chambersburg, Wilson, Manheim Township, Central Dauphin, Penn Manor, Dallastown (661), Central York (654), Harrisburg, Red Lion (649), Cedar Crest, Warwick, Exeter, York County Tech (588).
Number of schools: 17, which ranks second in state. District 1 has most with 31 schools.
Class 5A: Conestoga Valley (552), Carlisle, Cedar Cliff, Central Dauphin East, Governor Mifflin, Lebanon, Muhlenberg, Ephrata, Elizabethtown, New Oxford (468), South Western (465), Fleetwood, Mechanicsburg, Hershey, Solanco, Lower Dauphin, Waynesboro, Red Land, Daniel Boone, Northeastern (429), Spring Grove (401), Garden Spot, Northern York (397).
Number of schools: 23, which ranks second in state. District 1 has most with 29 schools.
Class 4A: Greencastle-Antrim (384), Cocalico, Twin Valley, Palmyra, Lampeter-Strasburg, Manheim Central, Dover (355), William Penn (354), Lancaster Catholic, Shippensburg, West York (345), Conrad Weiser, Susquehanna Township, James Buchanan, Gettysburg (338), Donegal, Milton Hershey, Susquehannock (336), York Suburban (336), Big Spring, East Pennsboro, Kennard-Dale (313), Northern Lebanon, West Perry, Bishop McDevitt, Kutztown, ELCO, Hamburg (286).
Number of schools: 28, which leads state. District 7 is second with 21 schools.
Class 3A: Eastern York (279), Bermudian Springs (270), Berks Catholic, Littlestown (265), Middletown, Boiling Springs, Wyomissing, Annville-Cleona, Schuylkill Valley, Pequea Valley, Trinity, Susquenita (203).
Number of schools: 12, which ranks second in state with District 11. District 7 has most with 22 schools.
Class 2A: Biglerville (196), Hanover (177), Delone Catholic (166), Upper Dauphin, Steel-High, Camp Hill, York Catholic (151), Fairfield (150), Newport (142).
Number of schools: Nine, which ranks fourth in state with District 6. District 7 has most with 24 schools.
Class 1A: Columbia (137), Millersburg, Halifax (109), Carson Long Military Academy (50 - note, school is not fielding football team in 2015).
Number of schools: Four, which ranks eighth in state with District 1. District 7 has most with 25 schools.
Under this format schools, such as Dallastown, would remain in the same classification with larger schools, such as Cumberland Valley. Dallastown has a boys' enrollment of 694. Cumberland Valley has 1,038. Here's a look back to the 2013 District 3 Class 4A semifinal between the Wildcats and Eagles.