AURORA — The new football alignment for the next two-year cycle has been newly minted. The new alignment is made off a number of different criteria including but not limited to enrollment numbers, geography and school participation percentage.
While a few teams shifted around within different classifications one valley team changed classifications. The Del Norte Tigers will be testing the waters in the 1A Class next year among the likes of post season stalwarts Centauri and Monte Vista.
Del Norte’s last stint in the 1A classification dates back to at least 2000, spanning all the way to 2013. Over that time the Tigers saw eight playoff berths in eight years making it to the quarterfinals three times from 2004-06. The success dried up after 2007 and the Tigers went from an average of 7 wins per season in the last four seasons to 2 wins per season over the next six. In 2013 an 0-9 season was the last straw and Del Norte moved down to the 8 Man classification, where they’ve been ever since.
Since having moved down success still seems elusive for the Tigers who continue to average 2 wins per season. Del Norte will rely on an incoming class to fuel the future as last year’s leading rusher/passer Keagan Medina and leading receiver Izeah Peterson-Chillson both graduated.
In the 8 Man classification Del Norte’s spot will be filled by the Lake County Panthers. The Panthers are 7-38 over the past 5 seasons.
Six man will also feature a newcomer. The likes of Sierra Grande, Mountain Valley-Moffat and Antonito will tangle with La Veta as the newest member to the league. Not particularly good news for anyone as in their last meetings La Veta defeated all three valley teams by a combined score of 180-52.
Alamosa will be able to focus in on last year’s competition as the 2A Intermountain League enjoyed no changes this summer. For a complete listing of Colorado prep football alignments be sure to head to CHSAANow.com. San Luis Valley teams and league listings below.
Class 2A Southwest
Alamosa    
Bayfield    
Montezuma-Cortez
Pagosa Springs    
Salida
Class 1A Southern Peaks
Centauri    
Center    
Del Norte    
Dolores        
Ignacio    
Monte Vista
8 Man Mountain
Dove Creek
Mancos
Norwood
Sanford
Sangre de Cristo
Sargent
Lake County
6 Man South West
Antonito
Cotopaxi
Cripple Creek-Victor
Mountain Valley-Moffat
Sierra Grande
La Veta