By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
Claremore is going to Class 6A and Tulsa Washington will drop back down to Class 5A in all sports except football in the 2007-08 school year as the Oklahoma School Activities Association released the new classifications this week, known as the ADM.
Washington participated in 5A until last season. In their first year in the state's largest class in football, the Hornets finished with a 9-2 record. Included in their victories was a shocking win over Jenks, which eventually won the Class 6A state championship.
Claremore will have a legitimate chance to be a top 10 team in girls basketball in its first year in Class 6A. Last season, the Lady Zebras finished with a 20-7 record after losing in the state semifinals to Carl Albert. Claremore won three straight Class 5A titles in girls basketball from 2003-2005.
John Marshall of the Oklahoma City Public School system dropped from Class 5A all the way to Class 2A. The reason for the change is the new Oklahoma Centennial High School, slated to open this year. John Marshall will have to deal with Class 5A in football in 2007, with a three-year average in enrollment of just 341 students.
John Marshall was the last Oklahoma City Public School to win a state championship in football in 1995, when the Bears took home the Class 5A crown. The `New' John Marshall opened its doors last school year in a plush new facility on 12201 N. Portland in Northwest Oklahoma City.
Centennial will start its endeavors in Class 2A with a three-year average of 333 students. The new Centennial school can be blamed for dropping John Marshall's enrollment, also occupying the Northwest Oklahoma City area.
Deer Creek (Edmond) will move to Class 5A after spending most of its time in Class 4A. Deer Creek's girls basketball program won the Class 4A title in 2006.
Broken Arrow and Tulsa Union are still by far the largest schools in the state, both with enrollments of over 4,000 students. Jenks checks in with 2,908, placing third.
According to the latest ADM, Tahlequah will spend its final year in Class 6A in 2007-08. Southmoore will open in 2008-09, with the Sabercats expected to participate in Class 6A. Southmoore will be a member of the Moore School District.
It appears most of the schools that are coming into OSSAA from being Independent schools will take part in Class 2A in basketball. Christian Heritage, Lincoln Christian, Dove Science-Oklahoma City, Dove Science-Tulsa, and Harding Fine Arts Center are the new schools in OSSAA after the association made it easier for private schools to obtain membership.
Christian Heritage and Lincoln Christian will play football in Class A starting in the 2008 season.
The classifications will become final on August 8. At that time, the football districts will be released for 2008.
Check out the MaxPreps Oklahoma High School Football Preview on August 1.
Scott Hansen: maxprepsok@cox.net
