OSAA keeps Salem-Keizer by itself
Committee plan drops Redmond from CVC for 2010
Commentary by Mark Gilman, Full Access Sports
September 30, 2009

The Oregon School Activities Association's Redistricting Committee has been working for months to come up with revisions to the state's current high school sports classification system. The final proposal was released today, and for Salem-Keizer Schools it would mean a lot less league travel.

The bottom line: all six local schools would be in a league all by their lonesome. McKay, McNary, North Salem, Sprague, South Salem, West Salem--they will make up the extent of the Central Valley Conference. For football, it would still mean an extended preseason schedule.

Salem-Keizer ADs had told me they were hoping McMinnville and Newberg would join the CVC. McMinnville in fact had originally been placed with the Salem schools, but school officials petitioned to remain in the Pacific Conference--a request that was granted in the final draft plan.

Peter Weber of the OSAA says the 6A realignment looks promising on the surface, as the Mt. Hood Conference, Metro and Three Rivers Leagues, and the CVC would all be six member leagues. Only the Pacific Conference (with 8) would be larger.

But the situation isn't quite that clear cut. In Portland, Eugene, Southern Oregon and Central Oregon, the realignment plan includes so-called "hybrid" leagues--a mix of regionally adjacent 5A and 6A teams that would play a combination of conference games and non-league games with teams of their respective classifications. For former CVC member Redmond, that means being lumped with nearby Bend Schools and Crook County in a five member grouping.

So how will playoff teams be determined in those blended conferences? "We aren't sure," admitted Weber.

Another OSAA committee responsible for the playoff system will be trying to hammer that out in coming months. One thing Weber says will not happen is a guaranteed playoff spot for the 6A hybrid league members. Those teams might be required to play a certain number of teams from full fledged 6A conferences to play their way into the post season. Again, the details are still very much up in the air.

One thing that the OSAA won't have to deal with is the criticism they endured when originally crafting the six level classfication system. Teams will be close to home in league play. But when it comes to the playoffs, there is still plenty of work for the OSAA to do.

NOTE: The public still has time to comment on the final re-districting reccommendations by emailing Peter Weber at the OSAA (peterw@osaa.org). The Association's Executive Board and Delegate Assembly will consider the plan October 26 in Portland.

To see the full OSAA plan in pdf format, click here

Mark Gilman can be contacted at mark@fullaccesssports.com