If current numbers hold, CMS 8th graders like Jered Brown (with ball) and Ulrik Wells will play all four years of high school ball at the 1A level. (John Fisken photo)
The 1A Olympic League seems to be safe.
On Jan. 15 the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association will officially announce its proposal for how to classify the state’s high school athletic teams for the next four years.
Once those numbers are released, there will be 10 days for schools to debate the numbers and make any counter-proposals, before the WIAA rubber stamps everything Jan. 25.
If the preliminary numbers hold up, all four members of the Olympic League will remain in 1A.
The current counts would have 65 teams each in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A, with 62 teams apiece in 2B and 1B.
Coupeville, which had been the smallest true 1A school (2B and 1B schools with smaller student populations can opt to play above their class), would no longer hold that distinction if the current numbers hold.
Two years ago, there were 225 Wolves when grades 9-11 were counted. This time around, there are 227 and there would now be six true 1A schools below CHS.
The preliminary outlook for 1A has six schools which have opted up (you can opt up but not down) and 59 true 1A schools.
For Coupeville to slide back into 2B, it would appear those six opt-ups would have to stay opted-up, while seven 2B schools would have to suddenly decide to start playing at 1A.
Barring a seismic, unexpected change to the landscape, that means the Wolves will remain a 1A school through 2020.
The WIAA previously went on two-year counts, but 2016 will mark a change, as all classification will now happen on four-year intervals.
Coupeville’s league rivals all will remain 1A, as well.
Chimacum, which had been at 237 the last time, is now at 250, while Port Townsend has slid from 327 to 278.
Klahowya remains one of the largest 1A schools, but has dropped from 455 to 445 in two years.
While the Wolves have the smallest student body in the Olympic League, they have more than held their own in the year-and-a-half the league has been in place.
In the 10 sports in which Coupeville competes, the Wolves have 54 league wins, second only to Klahowya’s 71 — and that margin could be chopped down quite a bit as basketball plays out.
Both CHS squads are in first place in the hoops standings, with the Wolf girls the defending league champs. The teams have 16 league games remaining between them.
Port Townsend has 29 league wins across those 10 sports in that time, while Chimacum has 28.
While it would appear Coupeville’s 1A status and league affiliation are all but guaranteed, there is still a bit of intrigue out there.
Once Jan. 25 comes to pass, there may be other schools left adrift by dropping or moving up to 1A.
Some of those schools could seek a new league.
If so, the Olympic League could strengthen itself, and possibly add postseason berths, by expanding, picking up new members who would start play in the 2016-2017 school year.
That, though, is intrigue for another day.
To see preliminary enrollment figures for the 2016-2020 classification period, pop over to:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12qwdXCBPepkgxLWG4sbxIJgXo5eDX0FZHM8flfx4pdE/pubhtml#
