New football districts separate Cape, Mariner
The reclassification of schools for the 2009-2010 high school football season were released Monday by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Five Lee County schools that were grouped together in District 5A-12 are split up into separate classes and districts.
Assuming there are no adjustments made to the districts through an appeals process between now and Jan. 9, Ida Baker and Cape Coral are paired with Barron Collier and Palmetto Ridge in the new District 4A-12. Mariner moves down to District 3A-11 along with North Fort Myers, Fort Myers, Riverdale and South Fort Myers.
District 3A-12 is comprised of East Lee County, Estero, Lehigh, Lely and Naples. Cypress Lake and Island Coast are grouped in District 2A-6 with Sarasota Booker, DeSoto County, Golden Gate, Hardee, Immokalee, LaBelle and Bradenton Southeast.
Bishop Verot is in a seven-school group with Cardinal Mooney, Clewiston, Dunbar, Gateway Charter, Lake Placid and St. Petersburg Catholic as District 2B-6.
After the FHSAA’s eight-district plan was squashed by extensive travel concerns, the board decided to keep the 16-district format.
Any school in the new “tentative” district assignment can appeal in writing for reassignment to a different class or district if they believe a change is warranted. Schools have an option of playing one class higher, or one class lower if they are in the lower 10 percent of the student population range and it is deemed more suitable for travel reasons.
As of Friday, no schools had made a request to play up or play down.
District scheduling meetings will be held Jan. 28, 2009.