Mountain Brook drops to Class 6A in AHSAA reclassification

The Alabama High School Athletic Association revealed its bi-annual reclassification of member schools Dec. 17. Among the schools affected was Mountain Brook High School, which moved from Class 7A to 6A in all sports.

The AHSAA places schools across seven classifications based on average daily enrollment numbers, with the changes of the recently revealed numbers set to take effect for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

For the first time since the school opened in 1966, Mountain Brook will not compete in the state’s highest classification. The Spartans competed in Class 4A from 1966 through 1984 and moved up to 6A when the AHSAA added classes 5A and 6A. The AHSAA functioned with a six-classification system from 1984 to 2014 before expanding to seven classifications in 2015.

This cycle also marked the first time the AHSAA has compiled enrollment numbers using grades nine through 11 as opposed to 10 through 12. Mountain Brook is now the largest 6A school, with an average daily enrollment of 1,039.35 students in grades 9 through 11. The smallest 7A school, Theodore, averages 1,046.2.

The AHSAA Central Board also approved the alignments for the fall sports (football, volleyball, cross-country and swimming). The winter sports alignments will be announced following the end of the basketball season, and the spring sports alignments will be announced following the conclusion of the spring sports playoffs, according to the AHSAA.

Mountain Brook football will now compete in Class 6A, Region 5 with Briarwood, Chelsea, Homewood, Huffman, Shades Valley and Woodlawn. The volleyball program, which won four 7A titles in the last six years, moves to Area 9 in 6A with Briarwood, Chelsea and Homewood.

Mountain Brook’s cross-country section will now consist of Briarwood, Chelsea, Gardendale, Homewood, Huffman, Pelham, Shades Valley and Woodlawn. The swimming and diving team will compete in Section 4 of the Class 6A-7A division.