NCHSAA finalizes realignment plans for 2025-29

Published 12:35 pm Friday, March 7, 2025

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The NC High School Athletic Association Board of Directors has given final approval for the latest realignment of public schools for playing sports starting with the 2025-26 school year.

A final meeting was held on Monday where appeals were heard and the last changes were made to conferences. The board spent more than 10 hours hearing the appeals of 27 different schools. Some changes were made but most were voted down.

A 16-1 final vote was made for approval of the conferences.

Schools will give up the Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A alignment currently in place for eight classifications starting this fall. Of the 64 total conferences, 54 of them involve teams from different classifications. One of those conferences that won’t involve different classifications is the one where Washington will call home.

The Pam Pack will be classified as a 4A team and will be paired with Eastern Wayne, North Johnston, North Lenoir, North Pitt, SouthWest Edgecombe and West Craven. The new unnamed conference was drawn up in the first draft of realignment and has not had any changes to it.

Washington is currently in the Eastern Plains Conference, which consists of Ayden-Grifton, Farmville Central, Greene Central, North Pitt, SouthWest Edgecombe and West Craven. Ayden-Grifton, Farmville Central and Greene Central will be classified as 3A schools under the new realignment and will be in a conference that includes Kinston, Beddingfield and Tarboro (a 2A school).

There are no changes to the Coastal Plains Conference, which consists of Northside and Southside. Those two schools are currently paired with Jones Senior, East Carteret, Lejeune and Pamlico County. Under the new realignment, Jones Senior and Northside are 1A schools while the rest are 2A. East Carteret is currently a 2A school.

The NCHSAA will determine the calendar dates for sports, including championships, later in the year. The schools in the new conferences will meet later to determine what to name each new league.

The NCHSAA has not formally released the list of new conferences on its website. You can see the full list at HighSchoolOT.com.

FINAL REALIGNMENT CONFERENCES FOR 2025-29

Eastern Plains Conference

Current

Ayden-Grifton

Farmville Central

Greene Central

North Pitt

SouthWest Edgecombe

Washington

West Craven

4A Conference 1

Eastern Wayne

North Johnston

North Lenoir

North Pitt

SouthWest Edgecombe

Washington

West Craven

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Coastal Plains Conference

East Carteret

Jones Senior

Lejeune

Northside

Pamlico County

Southside

1A/2A Conference A (likely will stay Coastal Plains Conference)

No changes