The projected six-six-six alignment for the three Greater St. Helens Leagues next year has hit a bit of speed bump.
Woodland athletic director Paul Huddleston told the Longview Daily News that his school likely will drop from Class 2A to 1A after a review of preliminary enrollment figures released by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association earlier this month.
When those numbers were released, Woodland’s enrollment left the Beavers as one of the smaller schools in Class 2A. But Huddleston said those numbers included some double counting of students and also counted some out-of-district students who attend Woodland’s alternative high school programs.
The resulting corrections dropped Woodland’s enrollment by almost 30 students and easily into the 1A classification.
While final enrollment numbers and classifications won’t be finalized until the WIAA Executive Board meets next month, Huddleston told the Daily News he expects Woodland to remain locked in as a 1A.
That would mean a move from the 2A Greater St. Helens League to the 1A Trico League.
The 2A GSHL, which has been a five-team league the past two school years, was originally slated to be a six-team league beginning next fall when Ridgefield was set to move up from Class 1A.
Hockinson also was projected as 1A school, but athletic director Beth Tugaw said the school was planning to opt-up to 2A to keep 2A GSHL rivalries and reduce travel costs.
A Woodland shift down to 1A would leave the 2A GSHL again with five teams: Hockinson, Ridgefield, Washougal, R.A. Long and Mark Morris.
Woodland would join La Center, Stevenson, Castle Rock, Kalama, Toledo and White Salmon in the Trico League. The Daily News also reported that Ilwaco, currently a Trico member, is petitioning to join the 2B Pacific League as a 1A school in an effort to save on travel costs.
If Ilwaco goes to the Pacific League, it will leave the Trico with seven teams. If the petition is denied, Ilwaco would remain with the Trico, making it an eight-team league.
Girls wrestling tournament — Mountain View High School will be hosting the Best of West women’s wrestling championships on Thursday and Friday.
Female wrestlers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California will be participating in the tournament, and each weight class will have 32 wrestlers, Mountain View coach Travis Chipman said.
Also, Kelsey Campbell, a two-time member of the U.S. world team trials squad, will conduct a clinic at 6 p.m. Wednesday for female wrestlers in town.
Wrestling begin at 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday, with the finals set for 2 p.m. Friday.
