The North Carolina High School Athletic Association is transitioning into eight classifications following the conclusion of this school year.

With the gargantuan change, this realignment cycle has been a whirlwind for schools and fans.

The eight classifications are set in stone for 2025. However, after seeing the problems the expanded classifications have created for formulating conferences, some schools have begun to second guess the bylaw change that limited NCHSAA classifications to 64 schools. Some are fine with eight classifications, but privately regret voting for the Big 32 8A technique.

I decided to do a quick exercise to see what a more typical realignment would have looked like for this cycle. I treated it as if we were in an alternate timeline.

Using this year’s ADM numbers, I split the NCHSAA schools into four classifications. I did an even split by ADM, instead of the 20%-30%-30%-20% that the association had been using. If anyone wants to see me do one of these with the 20-30-30-20, let me know.

During the previous cycle, the association used a groundbreaking formula that combined each school’s athletic success and economic standing. I did not use anything resembling this formula in order to get this out faster. There are plenty of factors to debate when it comes to that formula, which we will do another time.

I also did not base the conferences around the current East-West line because of how I think the playoffs would work in this alternate universe.

There has been a growing sentiment from coaches that it would have been better to stick with four classes and subdivide the four classes at playoff time. From 2001-2020, the NCHSAA did this in football and had eight championships. Back when those playoffs existed, the NCHSAA took the qualifying teams in each class, split them into a larger AA group and a smaller A group, and then divided the available teams into east and west regions to make the brackets.

Larger classification sizes allow conference designers to cast a wider net. With four, larger groups of schools, it’s easier to formulate local, competitive conferences than it is when you have to stretch and pull schools to match the eight different categories together. If we want to end up with eight championships, we might as well make better conferences to help out the schools during the regular season.

That subdividing idea was at the forefront of how I decided to make the below leagues. I want you to keep that idea in mind when you look at them. Not all 4A teams that share a conference would be in the same playoff field, and so on. In this alternate reality, I imagine there is a bylaw that states if a sport has 100 or more schools participating in a classification, it would trigger a subdivided playoff for that class. The major sports would have eight championships, but smaller sports like lacrosse would not. The subdivided playoffs would be fields of 32.

In the following layout of hypothetical conferences, there are only 20 split leagues. We currently have 24 split leagues. The latest conference draft from the realignment committee included 53 such conferences.

Please understand that the following is not a serious proposal, it’s simply a peek into an alternate reality that has ADM only, even classes, and subdivided playoffs.

4A Conferences

Conference A

• Enloe (ADM: 3005)
• Millbrook (ADM: 2538)
• Athens Drive (ADM: 2514)
• Broughton (ADM: 2504)
• Leesville Road (ADM: 2443)
• Sanderson (ADM: 1687)
• Cardinal Gibbons (ADM: 1605)

Conference B

• Willow Spring (ADM: 2248)
• Holly Springs (ADM: 2039)
• Fuquay-Varina (ADM: 1903)
• Southeast Raleigh (ADM: 1867)
• Garner (ADM: 1735)
• Middle Creek (ADM: 1613)
• Felton Grove (ADM: 1400)

Conference C

• Corinth Holders (ADM: 2253)
• Clayton (ADM: 1983)
• Cleveland (ADM: 1941)
• South Garner (ADM: 1883)
• Smithfield-Selma (ADM: 1617)
• West Johnston (ADM: 1614)

Conference D

• Apex Friendship (ADM: 2768)
• Panther Creek (ADM: 2624)
• Green Hope (ADM: 2589)
• Apex (ADM: 2481)
• Green Level (ADM: 2292)
• Cary (ADM: 2084)

Conference E

• Wakefield (ADM: 2467)
• Rolesville (ADM: 2368)
• Wake Forest (ADM: 2070)
• East Wake (ADM: 1840)
• Heritage (ADM: 1797)
• Knightdale (ADM: 1775)
• Vance County (ADM: 1530)

Conference F

• Jordan (ADM: 2397)
• Riverside (ADM: 2113)
• Hillside (ADM: 1831)
• Southern Durham (ADM: 1797)
• Chapel Hill (ADM: 1638)
• Northern Durham (ADM: 1492)

Conference G

• Jack Britt (ADM: 2064)
• Lumberton (ADM: 1945)
• Pine Forest (ADM: 1720)
• Purnell Swett (ADM: 1636)
• Cape Fear (ADM: 1623)
• South View (ADM: 1616)
• Seventy-First (ADM: 1608)
• Gray’s Creek (ADM: 1560)

Conference H

• Hoke County (ADM: 2536)
• Pinecrest (ADM: 2346)
• Richmond Senior (ADM: 2181)
• Overhills (ADM: 2006)
• Lee County (ADM: 1614)
• Harnett Central (ADM: 1534)
• Scotland (ADM: 1518)

Conference I

• West Forsyth (ADM: 2205)
• Reagan (ADM: 2167)
• Davie County (ADM: 1949)
• R.J. Reynolds (ADM: 1819)
• Parkland (ADM: 1758)
• Mount Tabor (ADM: 1491)

Conference J

• Lake Norman (ADM: 1981)
• Mooresville (ADM: 1953)
• South Iredell (ADM: 1841)
• Cox Mill (ADM: 1772)
• A.L. Brown (ADM: 1726)
• Hickory Ridge (ADM: 1671)
• West Cabarrus (ADM: 1626)

Conference K

• Northwest Guilford (ADM: 2240)
• Grimsley (ADM: 2044)
• Page (ADM: 1808)
• East Forsyth (ADM: 1695)
• Southwest Guilford (ADM: 1662)
• Ben L. Smith (ADM: 1523)

Conference L

• Chambers (ADM: 2686)
• Hough (ADM: 2593)
• West Charlotte (ADM: 2332)
• Mallard Creek (ADM: 2304)
• North Mecklenburg (ADM: 2102)
• Hopewell (ADM: 2098)
• West Mecklenburg (ADM: 1914)

Conference M

• Myers Park (ADM: 3317)
• South Mecklenburg (ADM: 2615)
• East Mecklenburg (ADM: 2498)
• Garinger (ADM: 2348)
• Independence (ADM: 2148)
• Butler (ADM: 1926)
• Rocky River (ADM: 1848)

Conference N

• Ardrey Kell (ADM: 3125)
• Palisades (ADM: 2460)
• Providence (ADM: 2248)
• Ballantyne Ridge (ADM: 2133)
• Marvin Ridge (ADM: 1959)
• Weddington (ADM: 1895)
• Cuthbertson (ADM: 1853)
• Porter Ridge (ADM: 1802)

3A/4A Conferences

Conference A

• McDowell (4A – ADM: 1702)
• T.C. Roberson (4A – ADM: 1550)
• Asheville (4A – ADM: 1529)
• A.C. Reynolds (3A – ADM: 1271)
• Enka (3A – ADM: 1166)
• Erwin (3A – ADM: 1082)

Conference B

• Watauga (4A – ADM: 1583)
• South Caldwell (3A – ADM: 1481)
• Alexander Central (3A – ADM: 1407)
• Freedom (3A – ADM: 1337)
• Hibriten (3A – ADM: 947)
• Ashe County (3A – ADM: 912)

Conference C

• Olympic (4A – ADM: 1613)
• Berry Academy (4A – ADM: 1527)
• Charlotte Catholic (3A – ADM: 1369)
• Harding University (3A – ADM: 1344)
• Sun Valley (3A – ADM: 1256)
• Piedmont (3A – ADM: 1264)

Conference D

• D.H. Conley (4A – ADM: 1744)
• South Central (4A – ADM: 1706)
• New Bern (4A – ADM: 1678)
• J.H. Rose (4A – ADM: 1538)
• Jacksonville (3A – ADM: 1428)
• Havelock (3A – ADM: 1075)
• Northside-Jacksonville (3A – ADM: 1050)

Conference E

• Laney (4A – ADM: 2525)
• Hoggard (4A – ADM: 2235)
• Ashley (4A – ADM: 2045)
• Topsail (4A – ADM: 2010)
• New Hanover (4A – ADM: 1691)
• North Brunswick (4A – ADM: 1620)
• West Brunswick (3A – ADM: 1466)
• South Brunswick (3A – ADM: 1154)

3A Conferences

Conference A

• Westover (ADM: 1396)
• Terry Sanford (ADM: 1353)
• Western Harnett (ADM: 1338)
• Triton (ADM: 1280)
• E.E. Smith (ADM: 1243)
• Douglas Byrd (ADM: 1194)

Conference B

• Northern Nash (ADM: 1225)
• Franklinton (ADM: 1212)
• Rocky Mount (ADM: 1182)
• Southern Nash (ADM: 1165)
• Nash Central (ADM: 886)
• Roanoke Rapids (ADM: 885)

Conference C

• White Oak (ADM: 1241)
• Swansboro (ADM: 1228)
• Dixon (ADM: 1083)
• West Carteret (ADM: 1078)
• Richlands (ADM: 1021)
• Croatan (ADM: 1018)

Conference D

• East Chapel Hill (ADM: 1455)
• Person (ADM: 1205)
• Orange (ADM: 1153)
• Cedar Ridge (ADM: 1141)
• Durham School of Arts (ADM: 1070)
• South Granville (ADM: 1065)
• J.F. Webb (ADM: 999)
• Carrboro (ADM: 896)

Conference E

• South Johnston (ADM: 1335)
• C.B. Aycock (ADM: 1144)
• Hunt (ADM: 1102)
• Southern Wayne (ADM: 1028)
• Fike (ADM: 1019)
• Eastern Wayne (ADM: 926)

Conference F

• Ashbrook (ADM: 1386)
• Hunter Huss (ADM: 1165)
• Forestview (ADM: 1133)
• North Gaston (ADM: 1061)
• South Point (ADM: 989)
• Stuart Cramer (ADM: 953)
• East Gaston (ADM: 917)

Conference G

• Central Cabarrus (ADM: 1369)
• Robinson (ADM: 1186)
• Northwest Cabarrus (ADM: 1142)
• Concord (ADM: 1128)
• Carson (ADM: 1052)
• Mount Pleasant (ADM: 894)

Conference H

• Oak Grove (ADM: 1008)
• East Rowan (ADM: 974)
• North Davidson (ADM: 967)
• West Rowan (ADM: 956)
• Central Davidson (ADM: 935)
• South Rowan (ADM: 929)
• Salisbury (ADM: 916)
• Lexington (ADM: 876)

Conference I

• West Henderson (ADM: 1050)
• North Henderson (ADM: 1041)
• Franklin (ADM: 1010)
• North Buncombe (ADM: 997)
• Smoky Mountain (ADM: 994)
• East Henderson (ADM: 929)
• Pisgah (ADM: 852)
• Tuscola (ADM: 851)

Conference J

• North Iredell (ADM: 1248)
• Statesville (ADM: 1244)
• St. Stephens (ADM: 1209)
• Hickory (ADM: 1195)
• North Lincoln (ADM: 1123)
• East Lincoln (ADM: 1043)
• Fred T. Foard (ADM: 903)
• East Burke (ADM: 893)

Conference K

• Dudley (ADM: 1468)
• Western Guilford (ADM: 1381)
• Eastern Guilford (ADM: 1344)
• Northern Guilford (ADM: 1328)
• Southeast Guilford (ADM: 1270)
• Northeast Guilford (ADM: 1100)
• Southern Guilford (ADM: 1002)

Conference L

• Glenn (ADM: 1488)
• Ragsdale (ADM: 1457)
• High Point Central (ADM: 1193)
• Atkins (ADM: 1187)
• North Forsyth (ADM: 1160)
• Carver (ADM: 867)

Conference M

• Monroe (ADM: 1192)
• Parkwood (ADM: 1079)
• Forest Hills (ADM: 963)
• Anson County (ADM: 925)
• West Stanly (ADM: 914)
• Central Academy (ADM: 875)

2A/3A Conferences

Conference A

• Kings Mountain (3A – ADM: 1305)
• Crest (3A – ADM: 1098)
• Burns (3A – ADM: 925)
• Shelby (2A – ADM: 792)
• West Lincoln (2A – ADM: 731)
• Lincolnton (2A – ADM: 793)

Conference B

• Asheboro (3A – ADM: 1286)
• Uwharrie Charter (3A – ADM: 875)
• Randleman (3A – ADM: 868)
• Southwestern Randolph (2A – ADM: 800)
• Trinity (2A – ADM: 673)
• Wheatmore (2A – ADM: 664)
• Providence Grove (2A – ADM: 587)
• Eastern Randolph (2A – ADM: 585)

Conference C

• Rockingham (3A – ADM: 1010)
• West Stokes (3A – ADM: 872)
• Morehead (3A – ADM: 857)
• T.W. Andrews (2A – ADM: 843)
• Reidsville (2A – ADM: 795)
• McMichael (2A – ADM: 770)
• Walkertown (2A – ADM: 684)
• Bartlett Yancey (2A – ADM: 624)

Conference D

• Southeast Alamance (3A – ADM: 1143)
• Williams (3A – ADM: 1255)
• Southern Alamance (3A – ADM: 1218)
• Western Alamance (3A – ADM: 1187)
• Eastern Alamance (3A – ADM: 990)
• Graham (2A – ADM: 839)
• Cummings (2A – ADM: 821)

Conference E

• St. Pauls (3A – ADM: 1186)
• Red Springs (3A – ADM: 872)
• Clinton (2A – ADM: 809)
• Fairmont (2A – ADM: 796)
• Midway (2A – ADM: 725)
• West Bladen (2A – ADM: 707)

Conference F

• Union Pines (3A – ADM: 1491)
• Southern Lee (3A – ADM: 1321)
• Seaforth (3A – ADM: 1123)
• Montgomery Central (3A – ADM: 1117)
• Jordan-Matthews (3A – ADM: 901)
• Northwood (2A – ADM: 676)
• North Moore (2A – ADM: 606)

Conference G

• North Lenoir (3A – ADM: 954)
• East Duplin (3A – ADM: 854)
• Southwest Onslow (2A – ADM: 797)
• James Kenan (2A – ADM: 745)
• Wallace-Rose Hill (2A – ADM: 727)
• South Lenoir (2A – ADM: 722)
• Kinston (2A – ADM: 659)

Conference H

• Currituck County (3A – ADM: 1054)
• First Flight (3A – ADM: 902)
• Hertford County (2A – ADM: 732)
• Northeastern (2A – ADM: 652)
• Pasquotank County (2A – ADM: 646)
• Camden County (2A – ADM: 582)

2A Conferences

Conference A

• Bunn (ADM: 848)
• North Johnston (ADM: 823)
• Spring Creek (ADM: 734)
• Wake Prep (ADM: 721)
• Louisburg (ADM: 671)
• Goldsboro (ADM: 656)
• Beddingfield (ADM: 630)
• Princeton (ADM: 602)

Conference B

• West Craven (ADM: 848)
• North Pitt (ADM: 838)
• Washington (ADM: 805)
• SouthWest Edgecombe (ADM: 801)
• Greene Central (ADM: 778)
• Farmville Central (ADM: 767)
• Martin County (ADM: 765)
• Ayden-Grifton (ADM: 748)

Conference C

• R-S Central (ADM: 843)
• Brevard (ADM: 798)
• Hendersonville (ADM: 789)
• Patton (ADM: 776)
• East Rutherford (ADM: 691)
• Polk County (ADM: 660)
• CHASE (ADM: 642)

Conference D

• Bandys (ADM: 909)
• Maiden (ADM: 838)
• Bunker Hill (ADM: 834)
• West Iredell (ADM: 830)
• Newton-Conover (ADM: 808)
• West Caldwell (ADM: 763)

Conference E

• Wilkes Central (ADM: 815)
• North Surry (ADM: 811)
• Forbush (ADM: 800)
• Surry Central (ADM: 701)
• West Wilkes (ADM: 677)
• North Wilkes (ADM: 617)
• Mount Airy (ADM: 613)
• East Surry (ADM: 588)
• South Stokes (ADM: 580)

1A/2A Conferences

Conference A

• Lincoln Charter (2A – ADM: 815)
• Lake Norman Charter (2A – ADM: 808)
• Pine Lake Prep (2A – ADM: 685)
• Bessemer City (2A – ADM: 590)
• Mountain Island Charter (2A – ADM: 559)
• Community School of Davidson (2A – ADM: 558)
• Highland Tech (1A – ADM: 538)
• Cherryville (1A – ADM: 484)

Conference B

• Ledford (2A – ADM: 806)
• West Davidson (2A – ADM: 781)
• East Davidson (2A – ADM: 735)
• Thomasville (2A – ADM: 595)
• North Rowan (1A – ADM: 544)
• South Davidson (1A – ADM: 368)
• Chatham Central (Football Only) (1A – ADM: 335)

Conference C

• Trask (2A – ADM: 772)
• Pender (2A – ADM: 692)
• South Columbus (2A – ADM: 669)
• Whiteville (2A – ADM: 646)
• East Bladen (1A – ADM: 517)
• West Columbus (1A – ADM: 460)
• East Columbus (1A – ADM: 383)

Conference D

• Owen (2A – ADM: 738)
• Draughn (2A – ADM: 686)
• Mountain Heritage (2A – ADM: 628)
• Madison (2A – ADM: 603)
• Avery County (1A – ADM: 550)
• Mitchell (1A – ADM: 480)
• NC Science & Math: Morganton (1A – ADM: 300)
• Rosman (1A – ADM: 254)
• Thomas Jefferson Classical (1A – ADM: 356)

Conference E

• North Stanly (2A – ADM: 651)
• Union Academy (2A – ADM: 633)
• Albemarle (1A – ADM: 528)
• South Stanly (1A – ADM: 501)
• Corvian Community (1A – ADM: 454)
• Christ the King (1A – ADM: 434)
• Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy (1A – ADM: 263)

Conference F

• Piedmont Community (2A – ADM: 630)
• Queen’s Grant (2A – ADM: 572)
• Bradford Prep (1A – ADM: 517)
• Langtree Charter (1A – ADM: 465)
• Sugar Creek Charter (1A – ADM: 409)
• Gray Stone Day (1A – ADM: 405)
• Carolina International (1A – ADM: 270)
• Jackson Day (1A – ADM: 203)
• Valor Prep (1A – ADM: 191)

Conference G

• NC Science & Math: Durham (2A – ADM: 675)
• Research Triangle (2A – ADM: 570)
• Raleigh Charter (1A – ADM: 551)
• Franklin Academy (1A – ADM: 528)
• East Wake Academy (1A – ADM: 407)
• Falls Lake Academy (1A – ADM: 356)

1A Conferences

Conference A

• Voyager Academy (ADM: 418)
• Roxboro Community (ADM: 394)
• Eno River Academy (ADM: 393)
• Henderson Collegiate (ADM: 392)
• Vance Charter (ADM: 334)
• Clover Garden (ADM: 269)
• Oxford Prep (ADM: 263)
• Discovery Charter Academy (ADM: 220)
• Excelsior Classical Academy (ADM: 185)
• River Mill Academy (ADM: 175)

Conference B

• Bear Grass Charter (ADM: 245)
• Cape Hatteras (ADM: 209)
• Columbia (ADM: 176)
• Hobgood Charter (ADM: 132)
• Mattamuskeet (ADM: 98)
• Ocracoke (ADM: 54)

Conference C

• Tarboro (ADM: 520)
• Warren County (ADM: 500)
• Northampton County (ADM: 400)
• Northwest Halifax (ADM: 386)
• North Edgecombe (ADM: 371)
• Southeast Halifax (ADM: 271)
• Weldon (ADM: 254)

Conference D

• Union (ADM: 505)
• Lakewood (ADM: 474)
• Hobbton (ADM: 473)
• Rosewood (ADM: 460)
• North Duplin (ADM: 400)
• Neuse Charter (ADM: 232)

Conference E

• Triangle Math & Science (ADM: 468)
• Ascend Leadership (ADM: 346)
• Chatham Central (ADM: 335)
• Southern Wake Academy (ADM: 285)
• Central Carolina Academy (ADM: 226)
• Chatham Charter (ADM: 194)
• Woods Charter (ADM: 185)

Conference F

• ALA-Johnston (ADM: 505)
• KIPP Pride (ADM: 344)
• North East Carolina Prep (ADM: 331)
• Sallie B Howard School (ADM: 280)
• Rocky Mount Prep (ADM: 242)
• Wilson Prep (ADM: 191)

Conference G

• East Carteret (ADM: 519)
• Lejeune (ADM: 444)
• Pamlico (ADM: 424)
• Southside (ADM: 422)
• Northside-Pinetown (ADM: 381)
• Jones (ADM: 336)

Conference H

• Perquimans (ADM: 558)
• Manteo (ADM: 552)
• Holmes (ADM: 551)
• Bertie (ADM: 550)
• Gates County (ADM: 436)
• Washington County (ADM: 319)

Conference I

• Starmount (ADM: 557)
• East Wilkes (ADM: 504)
• Bishop McGuinness (Football Only) (ADM: 477)
• Elkin (ADM: 401)
• Alleghany (ADM: 394)
• North Stokes (ADM: 309)
• Winston-Salem Prep (Football Only) (ADM: 177)

Conference J

• Piedmont Classical (ADM: 478)
• Bishop McGuinness (ADM: 477)
• Cornerstone Charter (ADM: 417)
• Triad Math & Science (ADM: 383)
• Bethany Community (ADM: 379)
• The NC Leadership Academy (ADM: 348)
• Phoenix Academy (ADM: 335)
• The College Prep & Leadership (ADM: 217)
• Winston-Salem Prep (ADM: 177)
• Millennium Charter Academy (ADM: 126)

Conference K

• Swain County (ADM: 535)
• Murphy (ADM: 422)
• Cherokee (ADM: 389)
• Hayesville (ADM: 387)
• Robbinsville (ADM: 334)
• Andrews (ADM: 225)

Conference L

• Tri-County Early College (ADM: 151)
• Hiwassee Dam (ADM: 137)
• Highlands (ADM: 90)
• Summit Charter (ADM: 82)
• Blue Ridge Early College (ADM: 74)
• Nantahala (ADM: 31)