WHSAA Winter 2019 Board Of Directors Meeting Results

Talks about 9-man football and raising the number of regular season contests in soccer, and deciding on future locations of state championship events were some of the topics at the winter 2019 Wyoming High School Activities Association Board of Directors meeting.

Number of regular soccer contests: The proposal would increase the number of contests in the regular season from 14 to 16. The idea was that with 14 teams in 4A, it's difficult for teams to schedule games vs. opponents out of conference, however other schools are already having trouble trying to fill a 14-game schedule. Throw in weather delays, proms, and ACT testing, trying to schedule around these events, or rescheduling would be even more difficult. Motion defeated.

9-man Football: With an increase in the number of forfeits at the current football structure, the proposal is starting in 2020, have 3 classes of 11-man football, 1 class of 9-man football, and 1 class of 6-man football. 4A and 3A would be unchanged from the current format. 2A (11-man) would have 17 teams divided into east and west (East = Buffalo, Burns, Upton-Sundance, Pine Bluffs, Glenrock, Newcastle, Big Horn, Thermopolis and Wheatland. West = Lyman, Big Piney, Mountain View, Pinedale, Greybull, Lovell, Kemmerer and Cokeville (opting up from 9-man)). 9-man would have 13 teams (East = Lusk, Southeast, Wright, Lingle-Ft. Laramie, Tongue River and Moorcroft (opting down from 2A). West = Riverside, Shoshoni, Wyoming Indian, Rocky Mountain, Wind River, Saratoga (questionable) and St. Stephens (opting up from 6-man). 6-Man would have 14 teams (East = Hulett, H.E.M., Normative Services, Midwest, Guernsey-Sunrise, Rock River. West = Little Snake River, Burlington, Dubois, Farson-Eden, Ten Sleep, Meeteetse, Encampment). Encampment is playing a JV schedule in 2019. Teams are allowed to opt up or opt down if they wish. Motion passes on first reading. Must undergo another reading to become official.

State Championship Events:

Golf 2020: 4A in Casper, 3A in Lander and 2A in Kemmerer. It is their turn in the rotation.

Football: The championship game will continue to play in Laramie through 2021.

Nordic Ski 2021: Pinedale. It is their turn in the rotation.'

Saratoga Football: The Panthers are opting down to 6-man in 2019 and will take Rock River's place in the East. However, because they are supposed to be an 11-man team per WHSAA rules, they will not be eligible for the post-season. Riverside is in a similar situation. Encampment had joined forces with Saratoga in the past, but in 2019, the Tigers will have their own 6-man team, and play a JV schedule.

Rock River Cross Country: Since the Longhorns won't have a football team in 2019, cross county has been added in for the fall.

Softball: The Board has voted to sanction softball as a spring varsity sport, once there are 8 teams, that have expressed interest in putting a team together. Right now, that number is less than 8, so as far as when the sport would start, is still up in the air. There were talks about starting with a pilot season (play games but no state championship), but that was defeated. If it becomes a varsity sport, it would put the WHSAA into compliance with Title 9.