Shorecrest sports teams will move up to 3A classification

Shorecrest High School teams in sports and other activities will move up to the 3A classifications next year after two years in the 2A classification.

New classifications are for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced the new classifications Thursday, January 13.

The seventeen percent of Washington high schools with the largest enrollments in grades 9-11 go into the 4A classification, the next 17 percent to 3A, 17 percent to 2A, 17 percent to 1A and 16 percent each to 2B and 1B.

Schools have an opportunely to “opt up” to a higher classification. The WIAA then adjusts classification assignments to limit the size of each classification to 65 schools around the state.

The line between 4A and 3A schools is at about 1,343 students in three grades. Between 3A and 2A, it’s 971; between 2A and 1A, it’s 461; between 1A and 2B, it’s 214; and between 2B and 1B, it’s 82.

The WIAA board will meet January 24-25 to make classifications final. Any school can appeal its classification through Tuesday, January 19.

Shorecrest, which had been one of the biggest Washington high schools in the 2A classification, will now be one of the smallest schools in the 3A classification. Shorewood will continue as a mid-level 3A team.

Shorecrest’s adjusted enrollment of 986.83 is just 15 students more than the largest 2A school. Shorewood has an official enrollment of 1208.05. Enrollment figures are an average of eight counts during 2015.

Shorecrest and Shorewood will continue play against other Western Conference 3A/2A teams in most sports, although league alignments will be different for football.

In most sports, Shorecrest and Shorewood will play in the Wesco 3A/2A, along with Arlington, Edmonds-Woodway, Everett, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Marysville Getchell, Marysville-Pilchuck, Oak Harbor, Stanwood and Mountlake Terrace, which will replace Shorecrest as the only Wesco 2A school; Snohomish, will drop to 3A from 4A, while Glacier Peak will leave 3A for 4A.

League alignments will be different in football. The 12 Wesco 3A teams -- Arlington, Edmonds-Woodway, Everett, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Marysville Getchell, Marysville-Pilchuck, Oak Harbor, Shorecrest, Shorewood, Snohomish and Stanwood will join with the two Northwest Conference 3A teams – Ferndale and Squalicum – for a 14-team 3A league. Mountlake Terrace will play in a 12-team League with other 2A teams from throughout the Northwest District.

Divisions for the 3A football league or the Wesco 3A/2A in other sports will be set when athletics directors meet in a few days.

Shorecrest and Shorewood have been playing in the Wesco 3A/2A South in recent years, along with Edmonds-Woodway, Glacier Peak, Lynnwood, Meadowdale and Mountlake Terrace.

That will change for next year with Glacier Peak moving to the Wesco 4A and new Wesco 3A member Snohomish expressing a preference for playing in the Wesco 3A North with longtime geographic rivals Arlington, Everett, Marysville Getchell, Marysville-Pilchuck, Oak Harbor and Stanwood.

The 12 Wesco 3A schools along with Ferndale and Squalicum will play in two seven-team football divisions. Mountlake Terrace will join four Cascade Conference teams and seven Northwest Conference schools in two six-team 2A football divisions.

Shoreline athletics director Don Dalziel said Thursday that having all Northwest District 3A football teams in one league would simplify qualifying for state play, as would putting all 2A teams together.

The WIAA and the Northwest District have yet to announce methods of qualifying for state play in various sports.