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Polk County has been placed in the 3A classification in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s planned move to eight classes beginning next year.

The NCHSAA released Tuesday the enrollment figures that will be used to place teams into classifications for the 2025-2029 seasons. NCHSAA member schools recently voted to move to eight classes, from the present four, beginning in 2025.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 64 schools, though the NCHSAA isn’t going with the full 64-school limit in order to save room for future new schools. The Association also decided to limit 8A, the highest classification, to 32 teams.

At 660 students, Polk County is the 37th largest of the 59 schools in 3A. The three largest schools are Lincolnton, Shelby and Hendersonville, with the three smallest being East Surry, Providence Grove High School and Eastern Randolph.

With the enrollments set, NCHSAA staff will create a proposal placing the schools in conferences. That proposal will go to the league’s Realignment Committee, which will create an initial plan that will then shared with all schools. Schools will have a chance to appeal various aspects of the realignment before the NCHSAA Board of Directors officially approves the plan in 2025.

Western North Carolina schools and their new classes include:

6A: T.C. Roberson, Asheville, A.C. Reynolds

5A: Enka, Erwin, West Henderson, North Henderson, Franklin, North Buncombe, Smoky Mountain

4A: East Henderson, Pisgah, Tuscola, R-S Central, Brevard

3A: Hendersonville, Patton, Owen, East Rutherford, Draughn, Polk County, Chase, Mountain Heritage, Madison

2A: Avery, Swain, Mitchell, Murphy, Cherokee, Hayesville

1A: Thomas Jefferson, Robbinsville, NCSSM-Morganton, Rosman, Andrews, Tri-County Early College, Hiwassee Dam, Blue Ridge Early College, Nantahala

The complete list of schools in 3A at present:

Lincolnton

Shelby

Hendersonville

West Davidson

Greene Central

Robert L. Patton

Heide Trask Senior

Dalton L. McMichael

Farmville Central

Martin County

West Caldwell

Ayden-Grifton

James Kenan

Charles D. Owen

East Davidson

Spring Creek

Hertford County

West Lincoln

Wallace-Rose Hill

Midway

South Lenoir

Wake Preparatory Academy

West Bladen

Surry Central

Pender

East Rutherford

Jimmy C. Draughn

Pine Lake Preparatory

Walkertown

West Wilkes

Northwood

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics – Durham

Trinity

Louisburg Magnet

South Columbus

Wheatmore

Polk County

Kinston

Goldsboro

Northeastern

North Stanly

Pasquotank County

Whiteville

CHASE

Union Academy

Piedmont Community Charter

Beddingfield

Mountain Heritage

Bartlett Yancey

North Wilkes

Mount Airy

North Moore

Madison

Princeton

Thomasville

Bessemer City

East Surry

Providence Grove

Eastern Randolph