New class splits SEC teams

The Iowa Football Coaches Association proposed one thing and the Iowa High School Athletic Association did another.

At least it seemed that way.

'It's different than what I thought they would do for sure,” Washington head coach James Harris said. 'I don't really know what to make of it.”

In actuality, the IFCA got half of what it wanted. Its proposal was a 6-2 model - six 11-man classes and two 8-man in anticipation of a jump from 68 to 80 teams in that class.

There will be six classes of 11-player with the new class called 5A. There will not be two 8-man classes.

'It's way too early for me to make any educated assumptions,” Fairfield head coach Nate Weaton said. 'I do think the extra class will be good, but I really don't have any idea how it will impact us just yet.”

There will be a big impact for one area team.

Previously there were 40 Class 4A schools, which are the largest enrollments; then 54 3A, 54 2A, 54 1A, 60 A and 68 8-man. Before last season when every team qualified, just 16 in each class were in the playoffs.

The new division of teams which will be determined from BEDS documents (see below):

' Class 5A, 4A and 3A: 36 teams, 9 regular-season games, 16 playoff qualifiers.

' Class 2A and 1A: 48 teams, 8 regular-season games, 32 playoff qualifiers.

' Class A: Remainder of 11-player teams, 8 regular-season games, 32 playoff qualifiers.

' 8-player: 8 regular-season games, 32 playoff qualifiers.

' All non-playoff teams in 2A, 1A, A and 8-player are permitted to play a ninth regular-season game.

Mt. Pleasant will have an increase of 15 students, from 427 to 442, making it the 67th largest district in initial estimates.

'I think we're going to be in that class every year,” Mt. Pleasant head coach Shawn Striegel said. 'We are definitely going to run into a couple of teams that we have not seen in the past.”

The 37th largest, thus the biggest 4A, is Davenport North at 929 and the smallest, at 72nd, would be North Polk Alleman at 397.

'I still think there is some improvements to be made,” Striegel said. 'It's going to be a challenge.”

Burlington and Fort Madison look to be in 4A with the Panthers.

Class 3A would be the 73rd through 108th largest districts with 2A starting at 109. The largest 3A school may be Keokuk with Washington and Fairfield tied for seventh largest.

'This is not what I expected, but I'm up for playing anyone,” Harris said.

The smallest of last season's 4A 40 large schools will be the biggest of this season's 4A. Those could be Ottumwa which had a record of 0-7, Davenport North (3-4), Fort Dodge (3-5), Indianola (4-5) and Iowa City Liberty (2-3). Waukee was 7-3.

'My focus as a coach is committing to what is controllable: our players being the best version of themselves and our team maximizing our potential,” Harris said. 'We will only be as good as our talent, preparation and team culture allows us to be. I am really interested in knowing what our district will look like.”

With 36 teams, will it be six districts of six teams or four of nine or nine of four?

Will the RPI formula still be used?

'There's a lot to come out yet before we get too worked up over anything specific,” Striegel said. 'There are going to be some travel issues. I don't think it's going to change us too much.”

Despite the split of what was last season's Class 3A District 5, fans are going to see a schedule that's very similar to what they have seen in the past.

'We are going to be reaching out to our rivals to play them in non-district games,” Striegel said and Harris echoed that sentiment.

Playoff qualifying teams were increased from 16 to 32 in 2008, then from 32 to 16 in 2016, the first reduction in the number of state football playoff qualifiers since 1972. Additional information regarding playoff qualification and district assignments will be released at a later date.

Mt. Pleasant 'had some hiccups” during the season so more playoff teams 'give you something to look forward to,” Striegel said. 'We were still in the hunt.”

The Panthers nearly hunted down the eventual state champions, leading North Scott at halftime.

'There are some things that we have to do better, whether we're playing a team bigger or smaller than us, we have to make those things happen,” Striegel said. 'We have to be better at the things that it takes to win at football.”

BEDS enrollments

The BEDS document, which is Basic Educational Data Survey, collects staffing, student, and policy data from public districts and non-public schools.

Here are 2020-21 BEDS enrollments of schools in area conferences, with state rank (for classification purposes, there are 363 member schools next year) and change from 2019-20:

SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE

44. Burlington 746

67. Mt. Pleasant 442 (plus 15)

69. Fort Madison 422 (plus 22)

73. Keokuk 392 (plus 8)

*79. Fairfield 382 (minus 2)

*80. Washington 382 (minus 16)

*Ties in enrollment: First alphabetical goes in larger class for 2020-2021 school year

SUPER CONFERENCE

130. Central Lee 246 (plus 14)

148. West Burlington 226 (plus 15)

157. Louisa-Muscatine 204 (minus 1)

169. Cardinal 190 (plus 6)

190. Mediapolis 175 (minus 4)

193. Pekin 173 (plus 13)

195. Van Buren County 171 (plus 4)

223. Danville 150 (minus 12)

229. Columbus 146 (minus 11)

234. Wapello 143 (minus 14)

251. Highland 131 (minus 8)

253. New London 129 (plus 9)

274. Winfield-Mt. Union 112 (no change)

277. Lone Tree 111 (minus 9)

284. WACO 106 (plus 3)

286. Notre Dame 104 (minus 5)

332. Holy Trinity 59 (minus 17)

345. Hillcrest Academy 45 (minus 11)

RIVER VALLEY CONFERENCE

108. Monticello 301 (plus 26)

113. Mid-Prairie 294 (plus 26)

117. Anamosa 289 (minus 22)

119. West Liberty 284 (plus 2)

136. Tipton 241 (minus 8)

143. Camanche 231 (plus 6)

156, Northeast 205 (plus 4)

173. Wilton 187 (plus 12)

184. West Branch 179 (minus 4)

188. Cascade 175 (plus 1)

199. Durant 167 (minus 2)

204. Bellevue 163 (minus 20)

206. Iowa City Regina 159 (minus 4)

220. North Cedar 152 (plus 1)

SOUTH IOWA CEDAR LEAGUE

198. Colfax-Mingo 167 (minus 17)

237. Sigourney 140 (plus 5)

240. Lynnville-Sully 137 (plus 29)

248. Belle Plaine 132 (plus 3)

255. Iowa Valley 128 (plus 1)

259. North Mahaska 126 (plus 4)

272. BGM 115 (minus 1)

285. Montezuma 105 (minus 8)

299. English Valleys 98 (plus 1)

318. HLV 77 (no change)

324. Tri-County 69 (plus 22)

334. Keota 58 (minus 5)

OTHERS

18. Iowa City High 1,175 (plus 18)

27. Iowa City West 1,107 (plus 19)

40. Iowa City Liberty 843 (minus 3)

49. Western Dubuque 674 (plus 6)

57. Clear Creek Amana 523 (plus 32)

65. Cedar Rapids Xavier 454 (minus 45)

90. Davenport Assumption 366 (plus 16)

98. Solon 346 (minus 4)

110. Centerville 299 (minus 1)

114. Williamsburg 293 (plus 34)

118. Albia 288 (plus 3)

120. Davis County 283 (plus 30)