District 1 football proposal eliminates conferences, creates divisions by enrollment, geography

The PIAA’s expansion to six football classifications this season may not be the only massive change coming to the District 1 football landscape.

In a proposal released Thursday, District 1 is considering realignment for football teams that would eliminate conferences and instead place teams in divisions based on classification, enrollment numbers and geographical location.

The proposal will be voted on by the district’s Football Steering Committee in September. If adopted, the implementation date will be determined by the PIAA District One Committee, according to an email distributed by District 1 Executive Secretary Rod Stone and Assistant Executive Secretary Sean Kelly.

The proposal comes as a result of concerns expressed about the point based seeding for the District 1 Football Championships and the difficulties in non-league scheduling for certain schools. The move to six classifications furthered concerns over inequities in the seeding system especially for leagues with schools in multiple classifications.

In the proposal, realignment would feature:

Four divisions of Class 6A schools, three divisions with eight teams and one with nine (33 total teams).

Four divisions of Class 5A and 4A schools with eight teams each (32 teams).

One division each for Classes 3A, 2A and 1A with seven teams apiece (schools who have dropped programs can be reinstated later).

Class 6A/5A teams are scheduled for 10 games, seven divisional and three non-division. The non-division opponents were identified using a mathematical matrix that was spearheaded by Great Valley Athletic Director Russ Wren. Teams in 3A/2A/1A are scheduled for eight or nine games.

Schools that wish to play additional games such as Thanksgiving Day traditional rivalries will be permitted to schedule those games following Week 10. If the two teams are scheduled to play in Weeks 1 through 10, that game must be played to assure equity in the playoff selection criteria. Schools who wish to play extra, traditional or Thanksgiving Day games that are with opponents not scheduled in Weeks 1 through 10 may, following the PIAA rules, schedule those games after week 10.