SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Other Prep Sports The State - New-look classifications set for SC high school sports after realignment. Take a look

By Lou Bezjak
Updated December 19, 2025 5:56 PM

The S.C. High School League on Friday released its new-look classifications that will
be in effect for two years starting with fall sports in 2026.
Class 5A once again will be one single classification after being split into two
divisions over the last two sports seasons. And Class A has 66 schools, the most of
any classification. Class A is made up of the state’s smallest schools.

Biggest changes from realignment
Gray Collegiate is moving up to Class 5A. The War Eagles, a public charter program,
were in Class 4A in the most recent realignment and in Class 2A before that. The War
Eagles opened up a second campus in Irmo earlier this year.

Other big moves include:
- Class 5A: South Florence is making the move from Class 4A to Class 5A.
- Class 4A: Irmo, TL Hanna, Westwood, Catawba Ridge, Nation Ford and Gaffney are
among the schools moving down from Class 5A to 4A. Legion Collegiate, in Rock Hill,
is re-entering the SCHSL and will be in Class 4A.
Lake Wylie, which is opening in 2026, will be in Class 4A. Clover High, which is
splitting to form Lake Wylie, also will be in Class 4A.
- Class 3A: Schools dropping from Class 4A to 3A include Airport, Camden, Hartsville,
Darlington, Lower Richland and Gilbert. Oceanside Collegiate, another powerhouse
charter school, will stay in Class 3A.
Legacy Early College, located in Greenville, will be in Class 3A when it enters the
league in 2026. Legacy, which doesn’t offer a full slate of sports, is ineligible for
championships in its first year, but will be able to compete after that.
- Class 2A: Schools dropping classification down to 2A include Mountain View Prep,
Clinton, Keenan and Newberry.
- Class A: Schools dropping from Class 2A into the new-look Class A include North
Central, Fairfield Central, Hampton County, Eau Claire, Batesburg-Leesville, Marion
and Mullins.

Below is a breakdown of each new class. Schools are listed in order of size and with
total enrollment. And the SCHSL still uses a multiplier: Students from outside that
school’s attendance zone are counted as three toward the enrollment.

Class 5A
1. Dorman High 2,929
2. Summerville High 2,729
3. Carolina Forest High 2,635
4. James F Byrnes High 2,547
5. Spring Valley High 2,336
6. Boiling Springs High 2,197
7. West Ashley High 2,177
8. Wando High 2,147
9. Mauldin High 2,143
10. Lexington High 2,132
11. Stratford High 2,087
12. Ashley Ridge High 2,056
13. James Island Charter High 2,013
14. Wade Hampton High 1,962
15. Cane Bay High 1,961
16. River Bluff High 1,958
17. West Florence High 1,877
18. Fort Dorchester High 1,871
19. Berkeley High 1,830
20. Blythewood High 1,829
21. Spartanburg High 1,812
22. J L Mann High Academy 1,793
23. Sumter High 1,764
24. Rock Hill High 1,753
25. Socastee High 1,752
26. Hillcrest High 1,747
27. R B Stall High 1,740
28. Eastside High 1,717
29. Dutch Fork High 1,708
30. South Florence High 1,708
31. Fort Mill High 1,681
32. Woodmont High 1,675
33. Gray Collegiate Academy 1,640
34. Ridge View High 1,630
35. Chapin High 1,628
36. White Knoll High 1,610
37. Northwestern High 1,571
38. Goose Creek High 1,566
39. Indian Land High 1,540
40. Lucy Beckham High 1,458

Class 4A
1. T L Hanna High 1,561
2. Conway High 1,557
3. Nation Ford High 1,534
4. Wilson High 1,517
5. Gaffney High 1,505
6. St. James High 1,464
7. Fountain Inn High 1,449
8. Greenwood High 1,442
9. Lugoff Elgin High 1,419
10. May River High 1,407
11. Riverside High 1,396
12. Westwood High 1,392
13. North Myrtle Beach High 1,386
14. Catawba Ridge High 1,377
15. North Augusta High 1,374
16. Irmo High 1,356
17. Easley High 1,354
18. Greenville High 1,345
19. Westside High 1,338
20. South Aiken High 1,297
21. Midland Valley High 1,267
22. South Pointe High 1,261
23. Fox Creek High 1,256
24. Richland Northeast High 1,254
25. Dreher High 1,235
26. Bluffton High 1,216
27. Myrtle Beach High 1,198
28. Travelers Rest High 1,192
29. York Comprehensive High 1,192
30. Aiken High 1,188
31. Legion Collegiate Academy 1,171
32. Greer High 1,145
33. Lake Wylie High School 1,132
34. Greenville Tech Charter Hi 1,113
35. A.C. Flora High 1,100
36. Laurens Dist 55 High 1,091
37. Clover High 1,075
38. Lancaster High 1,062
39. Brookland-Cayce High 1,058
40. Beaufort High 1,044
41. Hilton Head Island High 983
42. Colleton County High 981

Class 3A
1. Airport High 1,042
2. Wren High 1,030
3. D W Daniel High 1,024
4. Greer Middle College 1,022
5. Pickens High 986
6. Lower Richland High 982
7. Blue Ridge High 974
8. Berea High 966
9. Walhalla High 960
10. Gilbert High 955
11. Hartsville High 945
12. Southside High 933
13. Emerald High 928
14. Brashier Middle College 926
15. Crestwood High 901
16. Camden High 890
17. Hanahan High 887
18. Aynor High 881
19. Powdersville High 877
20. Darlington High 876
21. Legacy Early College 873
22. Bridges Preparatory School 853
23. Atlantic Collegiate Academy 846
24. N Charleston High 842
25. Palmetto High 839
26. GREEN Upstate High School Greenville 834
27. Seneca High 831
28. Chapman High 827
29. Oceanside Collegiate Academy 805
30. Georgetown High 797
31. Broome High 794
32. Union County High 791
33. Belton Honea Path High 781
34. Lakewood High 779
35. Christ Church Episcopal 777
36. Bishop England High School 763
37. Marlboro County High 761
38. Pendleton High 757
39. Swansea High 745
40. Loris High 738

Class 2A
1. Charleston Charter Math/Science 759
2. Battery Creek High 736
3. Woodruff High 723
4. Orangeburg Wilkinson High 721
5. Carolina Academy (High) 711
6. St. Joseph’s High 709
7. Mountain View Preparatory 703
8. High Point Academy 701
9. Waccamaw High 698
10. Clinton High 686
11. Landrum High 672
12. American Leadership Academy SC-Lexington 671
13. Chesnee High 666
14. Keenan High 666
15. Horse Creek Academy 665
16. West-Oak High 662
17. Southside Christian School 660
18. Philip Simmons High 654
19. Crescent High 642
20. York Preparatory Academy 609
21. Newberry High 607
22. Pelion High 604
23. Strom Thurmond High 604
24. Woodland High 600
25. Silver Bluff High 597
26. Dillon High School 596
27. Andrew Jackson High 588
28. Liberty High 588
29. Academic Magnet High 575
30. Columbia High 572
31. Lake City High 570
32. Manning High 568
33. Timberland High 564
34. Lake Marion High 559
35. Saluda High 548
36. Mid-Carolina High 546
37. East Clarendon Middle-High 532
38. Palmetto Scholars Academy 525
39. Central High 513
40. Chester Sr High 511
41. Blacksburg High 492

Class A
1. Ninety Six High 489
2. Hampton County High 487
3. Fairfield Central High 485
4. Kingstree High 479
5. Barnwell High 472
6. Buford High 456
7. North Central High 454
8. Batesburg-Leesville High 453
9. Burke High 453
10. Mullins High 449
11. Edisto High 439
12. Cheraw High 437
13. Eau Claire High 436
14. Marion High 433
15. Riverwalk Academy 428
16. Chesterfield High 410
17. Latta High 401
18. Andrews High 393
19. Bamberg-Ehrhardt High 365
20. Virtus Academy of South Carolina 361
21. Abbeville High 348
22. Whale Branch Early College 343
23. Carvers Bay 342
24. Dixie High 331
25. Hannah-Pamplico 330
26. Lee Central 328
27. Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence 328
28. Johnsonville 325
29. Lewisville High 323
30. Green Sea Floyds 305
31. Hardeeville 305
32. St John’s High 303
33. CA Johnson High 297
34. Calhoun County 296
35. Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts and Sciences 282
36. McBee 262
37. Baptist Hill 261
38. Clear Dot Charter 249
39. Ridge Spring-Monetta 247
40. Thornwell Charter School 232
41. Coastal High 231
42. Wagener-Salley High 220
43. Lake View High 212
44. Lamar High 211
45. Lowcountry Leadership Charter School 209
46. Polaris Tech Charter School 193
47. Ware Shoals High 193
48. Whitmire 193
49. Military Magnet Academy 185
50. Scott’s Branch High 179
51. Allendale Fairfax High 177
52. Williston-Elko High 176
53. Bethune-Bowman Middle/High 163
54. Great Falls High 158
55. Branchville High 154
56. Cross 145
57. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics 138
58. Denmark Olar High 136
59. Hemingway High 123
60. McCormick High 119
61. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High 115
62. Blackville-Hilda High 104
63. North Middle/High 99
64. Midlands STEM Charter School 96
65. Calhoun Falls Charter School 94
66. SC School For the Deaf and the Blind High 44

What is realignment? Where are the new regions?
- Realignment happens in the state every two years and attempts to level the
competitive playing field among schools.
- This year’s realignment is based on 45-day enrollment numbers from grades 9-11.
- This year’s formula also featured an out-of-zone multiplier for the second time. That
multiplier took each student who lives outside of the school’s assigned attendance
zone and counted them as three for total enrollment purposes.
- During this year’s realignment, it also was decided that Class A (league’s smallest
classification) would have the most teams in it, between 62 and 74 schools, with the
chance of being split for sports that have more than 45 participating schools. Other
classifications would between 36 and 44 schools.
- Schools will have a chance to appeal their realignment next month. After that
process is over, then region placement can occur. Schools then will be able to appeal
region placement.
- Any school wishing to appeal its classification placement to the SCHSL Executive
Committee must submit it in writing by 1 p.m. on Jan. 7. Appeals will be heard Jan.
13-14. A second appeal, if necessary, would go before the Appellate Panel on Jan. 15-
16.
- Region placements will be sent will be sent out Jan. 23. Appeals to classification
executive committee will be Feb. 3-5 and then to the SCHSL Executive Committee on
Feb. 10 and Appellate panel on Feb. 12.

This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM.

More than 10 schools will appeal SCHSL class placement
Lou Bezjak

Gray Collegiate, Brookland-Cayce, Dreher, James Island, South Florence and Beaufort are among the schools appealing to the S.C. High School League for their 2026-28 classification placement.

More than a dozen high schools in total are all asking to drop one classification, The State has learned, from what the SCHSL assigned them during the latest round of realignment.

Schools had until 1 p.m. Wednesday to inform the SCHSL if they wanted to appeal the classification they were put in for the next two school years.

Appeals will be heard by the SCHSL’s executive committee on Jan. 13-14. A second appeal, if necessary, would go before the league’s appellate panel on Jan. 15-16.

Gray Collegiate was in Class 4A in the most recent realignment, and in Class 2A before that. The War Eagles opened up a second campus in Irmo earlier this school year. They’re appealing their new placement in 5A.

James Island was in Class 5A Division II this year, but the classification isn’t splitting its top class this year. James Island was placed in 5A again and will make its case to drop to 4A.

Realignment happens in the state every two years and attempts to level the competitive playing field among schools. This year’s realignment formula is based on 45-day enrollment numbers from grades 9-11 and featured an out--of-zone multiplier for the second time. That multiplier took each student who lives outside the school’s assigned attendance zone and counted them as three for total enrollment purposes.

South Florence and West Florence high schools will make appeals, according to state athletics sources, that contend reporting errors were made in counting their out-of-zone students and in how new students were counted from a merger with Florence School District 4 (Timmonsville).

Lowcountry schools Beaufort and Hilton Head Island are appealing their placement in 4A and want to be in 3A. Factoring in enrollment and the multiplier, the two schools are the 40th and 41st schools among the 42 assigned to 4A.

Brookland-Cayce, the 39th-largest school in 4A, is expected to appeal to move to the 3A. Dreher (25th in 4A) also is appealing to move to Class 3A. During this year’s realignment, it also was decided that Class A (league’s smallest classification) would have the most teams in it, between 62 and 74 schools, with the chance of being split for sports that have more than 45 participating schools.

Other classifications would be between 36 and 44 schools.

Summary
Gray Collegiate wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
South Florence wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
West Florence wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
James Island wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
Eastside wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
Indian Land wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
Lucy Beckham wants to go from Class 5A to 4A
Beaufort wants to go from Class 4A to 3A
Brookland-Cayce wants to go from 4A to 3A
Dreher wants to go from Class 4A to 3A
Hilton Head Island wants to go from 4A to 3A
Fox Creek wants to go from Class 4A to Class 3A

The State

SCHSL Updated Classifications Placements for 2026-2028

Class AAAAA (1/20/2026)
1 Ashley Ridge High
2 Berkeley High
3 Blythewood High
4 Boiling Springs High
5 Cane Bay High
6 Carolina Forest High
7 Chapin High
8 Dorman High
9 Dutch Fork High
10 Eastside High
11 Fort Dorchester High
12 Fort Mill High
13 Goose Creek High
14 Gray Collegiate Academy
15 Hillcrest High
16 J L Mann High Academy
17 James F Byrnes High
18 James Island Charter High
19 Lexington High
20 Mauldin High
21 Northwestern High
22 R B Stall High
23 Ridge View High
24 River Bluff High
25 Rock Hill High
26 Socastee High
27 Spartanburg High
28 Spring Valley High
29 Stratford High
30 Summerville High
31 Sumter High
32 Wando High
33 West Ashley High
34 White Knoll High
35 Woodmont High

Class AAAA (1/20/2026)
1 A. C. Flora High
2 Aiken High
3 Beaufort High
4 Bluffton High
5 Catawba Ridge High School
6 Clover High
7 Colleton County High
8 Conway High
9 Dreher High
10 Easley High
11 Fountain Inn High
12 Fox Creek High
13 Gaffney High
14 Greenville Sr High Academy
15 Greenwood High
16 Greer High
17 Hilton Head Island High
18 Indian Land High
19 Irmo High
20 Lake Wylie High School
21 Lancaster High
22 Laurens Dist 55 High
23 Legion Collegiate Academy
24 Lucy Beckham High
25 Lugoff Elgin High
26 May River High
27 Midland Valley High
28 Myrtle Beach High
29 N Myrtle Beach High
30 Nation Ford High
31 North Augusta High
32 Richland Northeast High
33 Riverside High
34 South Aiken High
35 South Florence
36 South Pointe High
37 St. James High
38 T L Hanna High
39 Travelers Rest High
40 Wade Hampton High
41 West Florence High
42 Westside High
43 Westwood High
44 Wilson High
45 York Comprehensive High

Class AAA (1/20/2026)
1 Airport High
2 Atlantic Collegiate Academy
3 Aynor High
4 Belton Honea Path High
5 Berea High
6 Bishop England High School
7 Blue Ridge High
8 Brookland-Cayce High
9 Broome High
10 Camden High
11 Chapman High
12 Christ Church Episcopal
13 Crestwood High
14 D W Daniel High
15 Darlington High
16 Emerald High
17 Georgetown High
18 Gilbert High
19 Hanahan High
20 Hartsville High
21 Lakewood High
22 Legacy Early College
23 Loris High
24 Lower Richland High
25 N Charleston High
26 Oceanside Collegiate Academy
27 Palmetto High
28 Pickens High
29 Powdersville High
30 Seneca High
31 Southside High
32 Swansea High
33 Union County High
34 Walhalla High
35 Wren High

Class AA (1/20/2026)
1 Academic Magnet High
2 American Leadership Academy SC-Lexington
3 Andrew Jackson High
4 Battery Creek High
5 Brashier Middle College Charter High
6 Bridges Preparatory School
7 Carolina Academy (High)
8 Chesnee High
9 Chester Sr High
10 Clinton High
11 Columbia High
12 Crescent High
13 Dillon High School
14 East Clarendon Middle-High
15 Green Upstate High (Greenville)
16 Greenville Technical Charter High
17 Greer Middle College Charter High
18 High Point Academy
19 Horse Creek Academy
20 Keenan High
21 Lake City High
22 Lake Marion High
23 Landrum High
24 Liberty High
25 Manning High
26 Marlboro County High
27 Mid Carolina High
28 Mountain View Preparatory
29 Newberry High
30 Orangeburg Wilkinson High
31 Pelion High
32 Pendleton High
33 Philip Simmons High
34 Saluda High
35 Silver Bluff High
36 Southside Christian School
37 St. Joseph's High
38 Strom Thurmond High
39 Timberland High
40 Waccamaw High
41 West-Oak High
42 Woodland High
43 Woodruff High
44 York Preparatory Academy

Class A (1/20/2026)
1 Abbeville High
2 Allendale Fairfax High
3 Andrews High
4 Bamberg-Ehrhardt High
5 Baptist Hill High
6 Barnwell High
7 Batesburg-Leesville High
8 Bethune-Bowman Middle/High
9 Blacksburg High
10 Blackville-Hilda High
11 Branchville High
12 Buford High
13 Burke High
14 C A Johnson High
15 Calhoun County High
16 Calhoun Falls Charter School
17 Carvers Bay Early College and Career High
18 Central High
19 Charleston Charter School for Math & Science
20 Cheraw High
21 Chesterfield High
22 Clear Dot Charter
23 Coastal High
24 Cross High
25 Denmark Olar High
26 Dixie High
27 Eau Claire High
28 Edisto High
29 Fairfield Central High
30 Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
31 Great Falls High
32 Green Sea Floyds High
33 Hampton County High
34 Hannah Pamplico High
35 Hardeeville Junior/Senior High
36 Hemingway High
37 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High
38 Johnsonville High
39 Kingstree High
40 Lake View High
41 Lamar High
42 Latta High
43 Lee Central High
44 Lewisville High
45 Lowcountry Leadership Charter School
46 Marion High
47 McBee High
48 McCormick High
49 Midlands STEM Charter School
50 Military Magnet Academy
51 Mullins High
52 Ninety Six High
53 North Central High
54 North Middle/High
55 Palmetto Scholars Academy
56 Polaris Tech Charter School
57 Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/High
58 Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence
59 Riverwalk Academy
60 Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts & Sciences
61 SC School For the Deaf and the Blind High
62 Scott's Branch High
63 St Johns High
64 Thornwell Charter School
65 Virtus Academy of South Carolina
66 Wagener-Salley High
67 Ware Shoals High
68 Whale Branch Early College Hig
69 Whitmire Community School (High)
70 Williston-Elko High