The numbers are out, and the area high school teams now know which division they will be participating in once the fall sports season begins in August around the state of Ohio.

Division assignments are based on school enrollment numbers provided by the Ohio Department of Education, and then modified in football, volleyball and soccer based on Competitive Balance factors that OHSAA member schools approved by referendum vote in 2014.

On the football field, Tecumseh maintains their Division Two status, as their base enrollment was 399 with a competitive balance addition of 12 for a total adjusted enrollment of 412 boys. The Arrows are at the lower end of the Division Two enrollment, as the range is 390-616.

Tippecanoe also maintains their Division Three status with 296 kids plus three adjusted for competitive balance for a total of 299. To note, Dayton Chaminade Julienne and Kettering Alter both move up to Division Three for the playoffs.

Moving up to Division Four is Northwestern, who sits at 229 kids and moves up from Division Five.

Greenon also remains in Division Five with 175 kids including 15 adjusted due to competitive balance. Bethel also stays put in Division Six, as the Bees sit at 155 kids. Bethel just landed shy of moving up, as the cutoff in Division Six is 117-162.

Of the 718 schools that play football in Ohio, 75 schools moved up to a higher division due to competitive balance and/or a higher base enrollment number. In volleyball (790 schools), 51 moved up a division. In girls soccer (522 schools), 24 moved up a division, while in boys soccer (571 schools), 30 moved up a division.

“This is a journey that we have been on for more than eight years to get to this point,” Dr. Dan Ross, OHSAA Commissioner, said. “Today’s approval of the fall sports divisional breakdowns is the result of countless hours of work by our staff and our member schools. For the first time in OHSAA history, enrollment isn’t the only factor in determining a school’s division in certain sports. But the journey isn’t over. We will study the results of this first go-around and discuss with the Competitive Balance Committee and the board.”

*In volleyball, Tecumseh remains in Division One with 382 girls, while three of the local teams will compete in Division Two. Tippecanoe checked in with 274 girls. Northwestern moves up to Division Two and Greenon remains in D2, while Bethel sits in Division Three with 150 girls.

The OHSAA reported that according to Competitive Balance regulations, the previous season’s roster data (grades 9-12) is used for affecting the following season’s additional roster count in the selected sports. The additional roster count is added to the school’s base enrollment number to determine the final adjusted enrollment count before divisional placements are made.

Northwestern is the only area team to see their girls’ soccer division change, as they moved up to Division Two with 232 kids. Remaining in Division One is Tecumseh, while joining Northwestern in Division Two are Tippecanoe (274) and Greenon (227). Bethel sits in Division Three with a total of 157.

On the boys’ soccer side, Tecumseh remains in Division One with a total of 407, while Tippecanoe stays in Division Two with 296. Moving up to Division Two is Northwestern, who enters the two-year window with 230 boys. Greenon drops to Division Three for the next two years with 182 kids, dropping down one division by 12 kids. Bethel remains in Division Three.