Due to the recent change in the Tournament Success Factor point system, an updated version of the 2019 and 2020 football state tournament assignments in Classes 6A and 5A was approved Friday by the IHSAA Executive Committee.
The modification to the Tournament Success Factor at its April 29 meeting lowered the number of points needed (from three points to two points) by a school already playing in a higher classification to continue playing in that same class for another two years. Schools that win a regional championship in a single season or a sectional championship in back-to-back seasons would remain in that same higher class. The rule previously had required three points (two sectional titles and a regional title) to continue in that class.
With that rule change, both Fort Wayne Snider and Cathedral each accumulated two points over the last two seasons, enough to remain in Class 6A and 5A, respectively. The sectional assignment announcement released on April 29 had Snider in Class 5A, Sectional 11 and Cathedral in Class 4A, Sectional 22, the same day the new tournament success factor rule was changed. Snider has now been assigned to 6A, Sectional 3, while Cathedral will be in 5A, Sectional 13.
That rule change coupled with Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial consolidating to form a new and larger Elkhart High School which will compete in 6A in 2020, affects several teams from one year to the next. One of those is Zionsville, which will compete in 6A, Sectional 5 in 2019 but 5A, Sectional 12 in 2020. Previously, Valparaiso had been that school which would split time between classes but will now spend both years in 5A, Sectional 9. Another is Carmel which will compete in Sectional 4 in 2019 but Sectional 5 in 2020. Noblesville will be moved from Sectional 3 in 2019 to Sectional 4 in 2020.
The updated sectional assignments in Class 6A and 5A for both years as approved Friday are listed below.
CLASS 6A 2019
Sectional 1: Crown Point, Lake Central, Merrillville, Lafayette Jefferson.
Sectional 2: Chesterton, Penn, Portage, Warsaw
Sectional 3: Fort Wayne Carroll, Fort Wayne Snider, Homestead, Noblesville
Sectional 4: Carmel, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Westfield
Sectional 5: Avon, Brownsburg, Pike, Zionsville
Sectional 6: Arsenal Tech, Ben Davis, Perry Meridian, Southport
Sectional 7: Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Warren Central
Sectional 8: Center Grove, Columbus East, Columbus North, Franklin Central
CLASS 5A 2019
Sectional 9: La Porte, Michigan City, Munster, Valparaiso
Sectional 10: Concord, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Mishawaka, South Bend Adams
Sectional 11: Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne North Side, Fort Wayne Northrop, Goshen
Sectional 12: Anderson, Harrison, Kokomo, McCutcheon
Sectional 13: Cathedral, Decatur Central, Plainfield, Terre Haute North, Terre Haute South
Sectional 14: Franklin Community, New Palestine, Seymour, Whiteland
Sectional 15: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Castle, Evansville North
Sectional 16: Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, New Albany
CLASS 6A 2020
Sectional 1: Crown Point, Lake Central, Merrillville, Lafayette Jefferson.
Sectional 2: Chesterton, Elkhart, Penn, Portage
Sectional 3: Fort Wayne Carroll, Fort Wayne Snider, Homestead, Warsaw
Sectional 4: Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville, Westfield
Sectional 5: Avon, Brownsburg, Carmel, Pike
Sectional 6: Arsenal Tech, Ben Davis, Perry Meridian, Southport
Sectional 7: Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Warren Central
Sectional 8: Center Grove, Columbus East, Columbus North, Franklin Central
CLASS 5A 2020
Sectional 9: La Porte, Michigan City, Munster, Valparaiso
Sectional 10: Concord, Goshen, Mishawaka, South Bend Adams
Sectional 11: Anderson, Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne North Side, Fort Wayne Northrop
Sectional 12: Harrison, Kokomo, McCutcheon, Zionsville
Sectional 13: Cathedral, Decatur Central, Plainfield, Terre Haute North, Terre Haute South
Sectional 14: Franklin Community, New Palestine, Seymour, Whiteland
Sectional 15: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Castle, Evansville North
Sectional 16: Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, New Albany