BLADEN COUNTY – The state of NC has shuffled and realigned athletic conferences across the state to fit 8 new classifications. The shift from the standard 1A-4A classifications is due to disparity of enrollment sizes amongst schools throughout NC. The NCHSAA Boards have approved this realignment until after the 2028-29 school year. East Bladen and West Bladen were both affected by these changes, which will see them competing with new and familiar faces in split conferences. East Bladen will compete in the Carolina 1A/2A Conference and West Bladen will compete in the revamped Southeastern 3A/4A/5A Conference starting next fall.
East Bladen falls into the 2A classification and they will compete against 2A schools when postseason time rolls around. The Carolina 1A/2A Conference will be made up of the East Columbus Gators, the Hobbton Wildcats, the North Duplin Rebels, the Union Spartans and the West Columbus Vikings. East Columbus will be the only 1A school in the conference, while the rest will be classified as 2A. East Bladen has history playing all these schools in recent years across multiple sports and they will have a chance to test themselves in a new format.
The West Bladen Knights will compete in the 3A classification as a representative of the Southeastern Conference. The South Columbus Stallions and the Whiteville Wolfpack will join the Knights as the conference’s 3A representatives. The Knights rivalry with Red Springs and Fairmont will stay alive in the revamped Southeastern Conference. Both Red Spring and Fairmont will compete in the 4A classification starting next season. The South Brunswick Cougars will be the largest school in the Southeastern Conference as they will compete in the 5A classification.
The Heide Trask Titans and the Pender Patriots will compete in the East Central 3A/4A Conference next season. The former Waccamaw Conference members will be joined by the Clinton Darkhorses in the new East Central Conference. The St. Pauls Bulldogs have the third highest enrollment in Robeson County and realignment has bumped them into the 5A classification. The Bulldogs will clash with Fayetteville-71st, South View, E.E. Smith, Douglas Byrd and Westover in the Eastern Sandhills 5A/6A/7A Conference.
The Lumberton Pirates will compete in the TriCounty 6A/7A Conference with Purnell Swett, Cape Fear, Fayetteville-Terry Sanford and Greys Creek. Realignment has brought the emergence of 64 new conferences and 54 of these new conferences are split between classification.
[Cap 8A]
Athens Drive
Broughton
Corinth Holders
Enloe
Leesville Road
Millbrook
Rolesville
Wakefield
[Quad City Seven 8A]
Apex
Apex Friendship
Green Hope
Green Level
Jordan
Panther Creek
Willow Spring
[Mid-South 7A/8A]
Jack Britt (7A)
Overhills (7A)
Pine Forest (7A)
Richmond (7A)
Hoke County (8A)
Pinecrest (8A)
[Central Piedmont Conference 7A/8A]
East Forsyth (7A)
Parkland (7A)
R.J. Reynolds (7A)
Reagan (7A)
Northwest Guilford (8A)
West Forsyth (8A)
[Meck Power Six 7A/8A]
Butler (7A)
Independence (7A)
North Mecklenburg (7A)
Chambers (8A)
Mallard Creek (8A)
West Charlotte (8A)
Greater Charlotte 7A/8A
Hopewell (7A)
West Mecklenburg (7A)
Garinger (8A)
Hough (8A)
Myers Park (8A)
South Mecklenburg (8A)
[Southwestern 7A/8A]
Ballantyne Ridge (7A)
Rocky River (7A)
Ardrey Kell (8A)
East Mecklenburg (8A)
Palisades (8A)
Providence (8A)
[Greater Neuse River 7A (GNRC)]
Clayton
Cleveland
Fuquay-Varina
Garner
Smithfield-Selma
South Garner
Southeast Raleigh
[Carolina Coast 6A/7A/8A (CCC)]
West Brunswick (6A)
Ashley (7A)
New Hanover (7A)
North Brunswick (7A)
Topsail (7A)
Hoggard (8A)
Laney (8A)
[Big Carolina 6A/7A]
J.H. Rose (6A)
Jacksonville (6A)
White Oak (6A)
D.H. Conley (7A)
New Bern (7A)
South Central (7A)
[Tri-County 6A/7A]
Gray’s Creek (6A)
Scotland County (6A)
Terry Sanford (6A)
Cape Fear (7A)
Lumberton (7A)
Purnell Swett (7A)
[Northern Six 6A/7A]
Franklinton (6A)
Vance County (6A)
East Wake (7A)
Heritage (7A)
Knightdale (7A)
Wake Forest (7A)
[Triangle Six 6A/7A]
Felton Grove (6A)
Middle Creek (6A)
Cardinal Gibbons (7A)
Cary (7A)
Holly Springs (7A)
Sanderson (7A)
[Tobacco Road 6A/7A]
East Chapel Hill (6A)
Northern Durham (6A)
Chapel Hill (7A)
Hillside (7A)
Riverside (7A)
Southern Durham (7A)
[Metro 6A/7A]
Ben L. Smith (6A)
Dudley (6A)
Ragsdale (6A)
Western Guilford (6A)
Grimsley (7A)
Page (7A)
Southwest Guilford (7A)
[Southern Carolina 6A/7A]
Charlotte Catholic (6A)
Piedmont (6A)
Sun Valley (6A)
Cuthbertson (7A)
Marvin Ridge (7A)
Porter Ridge (7A)
Weddington (7A)
[Greater Metro Athletic Conference 6A/7A (GMAC)]
Berry Academy (6A)
Central Cabarrus (6A)
Harding University (6A)
Olympic (6A)
A.L. Brown (7A)
Cox Mill (7A)
Hickory Ridge (7A)
West Cabarrus (7A)
[North Piedmont 6A/7A]
North Iredell (6A)
Statesville (6A)
Davie County (7A)
Lake Norman (7A)
Mooresville (7A)
South Iredell (7A)
[Northwestern 6A/7A]
Alexander Central (6A)
Freedom (6A)
South Caldwell (6A)
St. Stephens (6A)
Watauga (6A)
McDowell (7A)
[Carolina Pines 6A]
Harnett Central
Lee County
South Johnston
Southern Lee
Triton
Union Pines
West Johnston
Western Harnett
[Coastal 5A/6A]
Croatan (5A)
Dixon (5A)
Havelock (5A)
Northside (Jacksonville) (5A)
Richlands (5A)
West Carteret (5A)
Swansboro (6A)
[Big East 5A/6A]
C.B. Aycock (5A)
Fike (5A)
Hunt (5A)
Rocky Mount (5A)
Southern Nash (5A)
Southern Wayne (5A)
Northern Nash (6A)
[Eastern Sandhills 5A/6A]
Douglas Byrd (5A)
St. Pauls (5A)
E.E. Smith (6A)
Seventy-First (6A)
South View (6A)
Westover (6A)
[TAAC Six 5A/6A]
Northeast Guilford (5A)
Southern Guilford (5A)
Asheboro (6A)
Eastern Guilford (6A)
Northern Guilford (6A)
Southeast Guilford (6A)
[Piedmont Triad 5A/6A]
Atkins (5A)
North Davidson (5A)
North Forsyth (5A)
Oak Grove (5A)
Glenn (6A)
Mount Tabor (6A)
Big South 5A/6A
Crest (5A)
Forestview (5A)
Hunter Huss (5A)
North Gaston (5A)
South Point (5A)
Ashbrook (6A)
Kings Mountain (6A)
[Mountain 5A/6A]
Enka (5A)
Erwin (5A)
North Buncombe (5A)
A.C. Reynolds (6A)
Asheville (6A)
T.C. Roberson (6A)
[Mid-Carolina 4A/5A/6A]
Cummings (4A)
Graham (4A)
Eastern Alamance (5A)
Person (5A)
Southeast Alamance (5A)
Western Alamance (5A)
Southern Alamance (6A)
Williams (6A)
[Big Seven 4A/5A]
Carrboro (4A)
Cedar Ridge (5A)
Durham School of the Arts (5A)
Orange (5A)
Seaforth (5A)
South Granville (5A)
Webb (5A)
[PAC Seven 4A/5A]
Central Davidson (4A)
Ledford (4A)
Lexington (4A)
Randleman (4A)
T.W. Andrews (4A)
High Point Central (5A)
Montgomery Central (5A)
[Rocky River 4A/5A]
Anson (4A)
Central Academy (4A)
Mount Pleasant (4A)
West Stanly (4A)
Forest Hills (5A)
Monroe (5A)
Parkwood (5A)
[South Piedmont 4A/5A (SPC)]
Salisbury (4A)
South Rowan (4A)
Concord (5A)
East Rowan (5A)
Jay M. Robinson (5A)
Jesse Carson (5A)
Northwest Cabarrus (5A)
West Rowan (5A)
[Western Foothills 4A/5A]
Bandys (4A)
Bunker Hill (4A)
Fred T. Foard (4A)
Maiden (4A)
Newton-Conover (4A)
West Iredell (4A)
East Lincoln (5A)
Hickory (5A)
North Lincoln (5A)
[Mountain Eight 4A/5A]
Brevard (4A)
East Henderson (4A)
Pisgah (4A)
Tuscola (4A)
Franklin (5A)
North Henderson (5A)
Smoky Mountain (5A)
West Henderson (5A)
[Three Rivers 4A]
Eastern Wayne
North Johnston
North Lenoir
North Pitt
SouthWest Edgecombe
Washington
West Craven
[Northeastern Coastal 3A/4A/5A]
Hertford County (3A)
Martin County (3A)
Northeastern (3A)
Pasquotank County (3A)
First Flight (4A)
Currituck County (5A)
[Southeastern 3A/4A/5A]
South Columbus (3A)
West Bladen (3A)
Whiteville (3A)
Fairmont (4A)
Red Springs (4A)
South Brunswick (5A)
[Mid-State 3A/4A/5A]
Bartlett Yancey (3A)
McMichael (3A)
Walkertown (3A)
Carver (4A)
Morehead (4A)
Reidsville (4A)
Rockingham County (5A)
[East Central 3A/4A]
Heide Trask (3A)
Pender (3A)
South Lenoir (3A)
Clinton (4A)
East Duplin (4A)
Southwest Onslow (4A)
[Four Rivers 3A/4A]
Eastern Randolph (3A)
North Moore (3A)
Northwood (3A)
Jordan-Matthews (4A)
Southwestern Randolph (4A)
Uwharrie Charter (4A)
[Northwest 3A/4A]
East Surry (3A)
Mount Airy (3A)
Surry Central (3A)
Forbush (4A)
North Surry (4A)
West Stokes (4A)
[Western Piedmont 3A/4A]
CHASE (3A)
Draughn (3A)
East Rutherford (3A)
Patton (3A)
West Caldwell (3A)
East Burke (4A)
Hibriten (4A)
R-S Central (4A)
[Central Carolina 3A]
East Davidson
Providence Grove
Thomasville
Trinity
West Davidson
Wheatmore
[Quad County 2A/3A/4A]
American Leadership Academy – Johnston (2A)
Louisburg (3A)
Wake Prep (3A)
Bunn (4A)
Nash Central (4A)
Roanoke Rapids (4A)
Catawba Shores 2A/3A/4A
Bradford Prep (2A)
Christ The King (2A)
Community School of Davidson (2A)
Corvian Community (2A)
Langtree Charter (2A)
Pine Lake Prep (3A)
Lake Norman Charter (4A)
Lincoln Charter (4A)
[Southern Piedmont 2A/3A/4A]
Cherryville (2A)
Highland Tech (2A)
Bessemer City (3A)
Lincolnton (3A)
Shelby (3A)
West Lincoln (3A)
Burns (4A)
East Gaston (4A)
Stuart Cramer (4A)
[Mountain Valley 2A/3A/4A]
Alleghany (2A)
East Wilkes (2A)
Elkin (2A)
Starmount (2A)
North Wilkes (3A)
West Wilkes (3A)
Ashe County (4A)
Wilkes Central (4A)
[Eastern Plains 2A/3A]
Tarboro (2A)
Ayden-Grifton (3A)
Beddingfield (3A)
Farmville Central (3A)
Greene Central (3A)
Kinston (3A)
[Swine Valley 2A/3A]
Rosewood (2A)
Goldsboro (3A)
James Kenan (3A)
Midway (3A)
Princeton (3A)
Spring Creek (3A)
Wallace-Rose Hill (3A)
[Yadkin Valley 2A/3A]
Albemarle (2A)
Gray Stone Day (2A)
North Rowan (2A)
South Stanly (2A)
North Stanly (3A)
Union Academy (3A)
[Western Highlands 2A/3A]
Avery (2A)
Mitchell (2A)
Hendersonville (3A)
Madison (3A)
Mountain Heritage (3A)
Owen (3A)
Polk County (3A)
[Albemarle Athletic 2A (AAC)]
Bertie
Camden County
Gates County
John A. Holmes
Manteo
Perquimans County
[Diamond Nine 1A/2A/3A]
Neuse Charter (1A)
East Wake Academy (2A)
Franklin Academy (2A)
Raleigh Charter (2A)
Research Triangle (2A)
Roxboro Community (2A)
Triangle Math and Science (2A)
Voyager Academy (2A)
NCCSM – Durham (3A)
[Catawba River 1A/2A/3A]
Bonnie Cone (1A)
Carolina International (1A)
Jackson Day (1A)
NCSSM – Morganton (1A)
Thomas Jefferson (1A)
Mountain Island Charter (2A)
Queens Grant (2A)
Sugar Creek (2A)
Piedmont Community (3A)
Football Only
Bonnie Cone (1A)
Thomas Jefferson (1A)
Albemarle (2A)
Mountain Island Charter (2A)
North Rowan (2A)
South Stanly (2A)
North Stanly (3A)
Union Academy (3A)
[Coastal Plains 1A/2A]
Jones (1A)
Northside (Pinetown) (1A)
East Carteret (2A)
Lejeune (2A)
Pamlico County (2A)
Southside (2A)
[Carolina 1A/2A]
East Columbus (1A)
East Bladen (2A)
Hobbton (2A)
Lakewood (2A)
North Duplin (2A)
Union (2A)
West Columbus (2A)
[Roanoke River 1A/2A]
KIPP Pride (1A)
Southeast Halifax (1A)
Weldon (1A)
Northampton County (2A)
Northwest Halifax (2A)
Warren County (2A)
[Triangle North 1A/2A]
Discovery Charter (1A)
Excelsior Classical (1A)
Falls Lake Academy (1A)
Oxford Prep (1A)
Vance Charter (1A)
Eno River Academy (2A)
Henderson Collegiate (2A)
[Greater Triad 1A/2A]
Chatham Central (1A)
College Prep & Leadership (1A)
North Stokes (1A)
South Davidson (1A)
Winston-Salem Prep (1A)
Bishop McGuinness (2A)
South Stokes (2A)
[Northwest Piedmont 1A/2A]
Bethany Community (1A)
Millenium Charter (1A)
NC Leadership Academy (1A)
Phoenix Academy (1A)
Triad Math and Science (1A)
Cornerstone Charter (2A)
Piedmont Classical (2A)
[Smoky Mountain 1A/2A]
Andrews (1A)
Blue Ridge Early College (1A)
Highlands (1A)
Hiwassee Dam (1A)
Nantahala (1A)
Robbinsville (1A)
Rosman (1A)
Summit Charter (1A)
Tri-County Early College (1A)
Cherokee (2A)
Hayesville (2A)
Murphy (2A)
Swain County (2A)
[Atlantic 1A]
Bear Grass Charter
Cape Hatteras
Columbia
Hobgood Charter
Mattamuskeet
Ocracoke
[Eastern Carolina 1A]
North East Carolina Prep
North Edgecombe
Rocky Mount Prep
Sallie B. Howard
Washington County
Wilson Prep
[Central Tar Heel 1A]
Ascend Leadership
Central Carolina Academy
Chatham Charter
Clover Garden
River Mill Academy
Southern Wake Academy
Woods Charter