By: John Clark
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) released its initial draft of the 2017-2021 Realignment proposal today. Hopefully for the Bladen County Schools there will be changes before it is formally adopted.
The initial draft has East Bladen and West Bladen in a 9-team 2A Conference with current Four County Conference members Clinton, Midway, and Wallace-Rose Hill and newcomers James Kenan, Goldsboro, East Duplin and Spring Creek.
Travel distance that is already a problem for the Bladen Schools in the current Four County Conference will only increase with the addition of the four new league schools.
For West Bladen, it is 79 miles to Goldsboro High, 78 miles to Spring Creek, 71 miles to East Duplin and 58 miles to James Kenan. For East Bladen, the distances are about 3-4 miles less one way – 76 miles to Goldsboro, 75 miles to Spring Creek, 67 miles to East Duplin and 54 miles to James Kenan.
The average one-way travel distance for West Bladen to the other 7 schools (excluding East Bladen) is 63 miles. The average one-way travel distance for East Bladen to the other 7 schools (excluding West Bladen) is 58 miles.
By contrast the Three Rivers Conference will continue to have the same eight member schools with the only change being that Whiteville will move back up to Class 2A.
The three Four County Conference schools not already mentioned will join other leagues. Heide Trask is moving up to Class 2A and along with Class 1A Pender will join a split/conference with Southwest Onslow (2A), East Carteret (1A), Croatan (2A), Richlands (2A), Dixon (2A) and Lejeune (1A).
Union will join a Class 1A league with Hobbton, Lakewood, Neuse Charter, North Duplin, Princeton and Rosewood.
This is only the initial draft. Hopefully those who finalize the realignment will take into account fuel prices and late night traveling for students.
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