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Pioneer’s enrollment at 286, perhaps headed down to 1A in 4-class sports
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
The Rochester girls basketball might be headed back down to Class 2A for the next two-year cycle.
Bremen, who just won the sectional at Rochester on Feb. 3 and who will be playing in a Class 3A semistate this week, might also be headed down.
Those were among the revelations of the enrollment figures that the IHSAA released Monday. The enrollment figures are based on figures that the Indiana Department of Education reports to the IHSAA.
Rochester was listed as having an enrollment of 164 when the IHSAA first released its numbers around 2 p.m. Monday. That was as compared to 495 in the last cycle covering last and this year.
By 3:42 p.m. the IHSAA released new figures. Rochester’s enrollment was now listed as 473 with an enrollment rank of No. 208.
Rochester athletic director Kevin Renie described the discrepancy from the original numbers to the revised numbers as an IHSAA “clerical error.”
This would mean they will drop from Class 3A to Class 2A in girls basketball and stay in Class 2A for volleyball, boys basketball, softball and baseball.
Two other schools in Rochester’s girls basketball sectional that would appear to also be dropping to Class 2A are Knox (enrollment 520) and Bremen (enrollment 471).
Pioneer
The other school in the RTC area that might be affected by the new enrollment figures is Pioneer, which dropped in enrollment from 313 to 286 and dropped in enrollment ranking from No. 290 to No. 303.
With the IHSAA also adopting the new 20-25-25-30 plan beginning in 2024-25, it means there will be approximately 20 fewer schools in Class 4A and 20 more schools in Class 1A.
Given that, it would appear likely that Pioneer will drop from Class 2A to Class 1A in volleyball, girls and boys basketball, softball and baseball. Pioneer just won a Class 2A regional title in volleyball this fall.
Tippecanoe Valley
Valley’s enrollment dipped from 561 to 543 in the last cycle, and their enrollment ranking dropped from No. 175 to No. 180.
With the projected cutoff point at rank No. 183, it would appear as if Valley will stay in Class 3A for volleyball, girls and boys basketball, softball and football.
It would also appear that Valley will remain comfortably over the Class 3A line for football as well.
Caston, Culver, Argos
Caston’s enrollment went up from 234 to 241, and their enrollment rank went up from No. 342 to No. 336.
Culver’s enrollment dropped from 255 to 246, and their enrollment rank dropped from No. 326 to No. 333.
Argos’ enrollment dropped from 192 to 57, and their enrollment rank dropped from No. 361 to No. 401. It was uncertain whether this was also a clerical error.
Caston, Culver and Argos are all expected to be Class 1A in all sports for the next cycle.
Winamac
Winamac’s enrollment dropped from 387 to 360, and their enrollment rank dropped from No. 257 to No. 267.
It would appear as Winamac will stay in Class 2A for volleyball, girls and boys basketball, softball and baseball, and it would also appear that Winamac will drop from 2A to 1A for football.
Winamac spent the past two seasons in Class 2A. Their most recent sectional title in 2020 came in Class 1A.
Other schools that might change
In addition to Knox and Bremen, other schools possibly dropping from 3A to 2A include Woodlan, Benton Central and Rensselaer.
In addition to Pioneer, other schools that could drop from 2A to 1A include North Newton, South Central (Union Mills), North Judson, Lafayette Central Catholic and North Miami.
Schools that could drop from 4A to 3A include Columbia City, Plymouth and Kankakee Valley.
Logansport, with an enrollment of 1,226, would appear to be close to the 3A-4A line.
In football, those that would appear to be dropping from 4A to 3A include Western and Angola and from 3A to 2A include Boone Grove and Rensselaer.
LaVille would appear to be dropping from 2A to 1A, joining Winamac.
Those that would appear to be moving up for football include Lake Station (from 1A to 2A) and Benton Central (2A to 3A).
The IHSAA said in a statement that they will announce classifications for all sports “in the coming weeks.” Sectional assignments for 2024-25 and 2025-26 will be announced after the Executive Committee/Board of Directors meeting on April 29-30.
