BOONE — The IHSAA has released their newly revamped districts for all classes of prep football. Effective for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, most districts have been reduced to six teams, forcing teams to play four non-district games, as opposed to the normal two out-of-district contests.
Despite numerous recent changes some things have remained unaltered. Teams will play nine home and nine away games over the next two seasons, and in each season a total of 16 teams per class will qualify for the playoffs. District champions will advance, with the remaining at-large slots determined by a new Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
Perry will be joined by Boone, Carroll, DC-G, Humboldt and Webster City in the new Class 3A District 2. Other area teams in 3A include Ballard, Bondurant-Farrar, Carlisle, Gilbert, North Polk and Norwalk in District 8, with ADM, Creston/O-M, Glenwood, Harlan, Lewis Central and Winterset in D9.
Woodward-Granger, Woodward Academy, Colfax-Mingo, Interstate-35, Pella Christian and Pleasantville comprise the new Class 1A District 7, with District 8 containing Panorama, AC/GC, Clarinda, Mt. Ayr, Van Meter and West Central Valley. Madrid, Ogden, Eagle Grove, Pocahontas Area, South Central Calhoun and South Hamilton will play in District 2.
Greene County drops to Class 2A for the next two seasons and will play in District 9. Other teams in the grouping include Atlantic, Kuemper Catholic, OA-BCIG, Red Oak and Shenandoah.
Schools will play all non-district games first, and all games — district or otherwise — will count toward postseason qualifying. Beginning Monday, schools may submit a list of up to seven opponents they would prefer to have on their non-district slate, with Feb. 7 the final day in which to provide the list to the IHSAA.
Finalized schedules are expected to be announced in mid-March.
