News: VHSL Makes Minor Adjustments to Proposed Realignment Model

(April 23, 2012) - The Virginia High School League released a revised preliminary draft model for its proposed realignment on April 16 and the only Loudoun school affected is Freedom High School which under the model is shifted into a conference with schools closer to South Riding.


The realignment, which would not take affect until 2013-14 school year, divides the state into six classifications for postseason play. Freedom is slated for the highest-enrollment classification of 6A and is now placed in Conference 8 of 6A North with the state being divided into two sectionals or regions with four conference in each half of the state.

Conference 8 would include Freedom along with five schools from western Prince William County: Battlefield, Osbourn, Osbourn Park, Patriot and Stonewall Jackson.

In 5A North, the next classification down, Conference 14 takes the "Battle of Ashburn" rivalries and puts them into one conference with Briar Woods, Broad Run and Stone Bridge joining Potomac Falls from Sterling and Tuscarora from Leesburg for a 5-team group that features some of Loudoun's top programs.

In 4A North, Conference 21 is a large conference with nine teams including Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Park View and Woodgrove from Loudoun and Winchester area teams -- Handley, James Wood, Millbrook and Sherando.

In 3A East, Loudoun Valley will travel more than the larger schools in Loudoun as the Vikings are grouped in Conference 28 with Broadway, Central-Woodstock, Skyline, Warren County and William Monroe.

And Loudoun's newest school, Champe, opening in the fall, is slotted for Conference 35 in 2A with Clarke County, George Mason, Luray, Madison County, Page County, Strasburg and Stonewall Jackson-Quicksburg.

Postseason play for all sports but football would start with a tournament at the Conference level with two teams emerging to an 8-team tournament at the sectional or regional level. Two teams from each sectional or regional would then advance to the state Final Four with six state champions crowned in most sports.

Football would advance directly to an 8-team sectional or regional seeded tournament leading to a state title game between the state's two halves.

View the full model.