MHSA Board makes several changes to high school sports

In its meeting on Nov. 20, the Montana High School Association (MHSA) Executive Board made several adjustments to the state's landscape of high school sports. The board recently announced changes for the upcoming season, covering a range of topics from event reviews to strategic realignments.

These changes are pending a two-week notice to affected schools for comments.

One of the focal points of the meeting was Class C realignment in basketball, track and field and volleyball. The board directed Class C schools to collaborate in finding reasonable solutions for aligning these sports in the same districts/divisions. Several changes were made:

-Approval of the St. Regis High School/Mullan, Idaho cooperative sponsorship, placing the team in the eight-player Western Division, which includes Mission, Arlee and Charlo.

-Approval of Twin Bridges' move to participate in eight-player football, placing them in the South Division.

-Approval of the proposed realignment for eight-player football, reducing divisions from five to four in 2024-25 consisting of the East, West, South and North.

The MHSA also consolidated the 13C and 14C districts for basketball, track and field and volleyball. The newly formed 13C district, effective 2024-25, includes Alberton, Charlo, Drummond, Granite, Hot Springs, Lincoln, Noxon, St. Regis, Seeley-Swan, Two Eagle River, Valley Christian and Victor.

The MHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee mandated that schools must now have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for each venue where they practice or compete, with submission to MHSA by July 15 each school year.

For more information on the MHSA, go to mhsa.org.