By Colin C. Rhodes, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — After the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission released new four-tier classifications starting in the 2024-25 season, 11 schools appealed their placements in the reclassification. After review, the SSAC adjusted the reclassification for the 11 appealing schools and 12 others.
The decision comes after the Review Board sent an opinion to the SSAC board of directors to let the schools go back to their previous classifications for the 2024 football season only, according to a release sent by the SSAC on Tuesday.
“We received notification of the Review Board’s decision on Monday and are working through the implications at this time,” David Price, WVSSAC Executive Director, said in Tuesday’s release. “We respect the governance process in place and will do our best to work through the logistics of these changes so close to the start of competition.”
Initially, the SSAC denied the appeals of the 11 appealing schools, but the Review Board, set up by the West Virginia Board of Education, reversed that ruling.
On Friday, the SSAC announced that 12 more schools were added to the classification adjustments following the ruling. The final revisions for classifications for the 2024 football season are as follows:
- From AAAA to AAA: Buckhannon Upshur, Capital, John Marshall, Oak Hill, Preston County, Riverside, Saint Albans, Spring Valley, South Charleston
- From AAA to AA: Chapmanville, Frankfort, Independence, Lincoln, Nicholas County, Pikeview, Sissonville, Wayne
- From AA to A: Petersburg, Ritchie, St. Mary’s, Summers County, Tyler Consolidated
- Denotes updated classification since Tuesday.
