SCHSL finalizes reclassification for 2026-28; FMHS remains 5A; Nation Ford, Catawba Ridge moving to 4A

The South Carolina High School League finalized its reclassification plan for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years this week, following a series of appeals that shifted the landscape for several member schools.

The new biennial alignment, which determines the competitive divisions for sports and activities across the state, was built using a combination of enrollment data and the league’s 3.0 out-of-zone multiplier. According to league officials, the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee also considered geographic proximity and travel demands when finalizing the groups.

The announcement comes after the SCHSL Executive Committee and the Appellate Panel met Jan. 13–16 to hear appeals from schools seeking to change their initial assignments. Several of those appeals were successful, resulting in schools being moved from their original placements.

Local Impact

The new alignment brings significant changes to the York County area:

Fort Mill High School will remain in Class 5A, the state’s highest competitive tier.
Catawba Ridge and Nation Ford high schools will both move down to Class 4A.

Next Steps

While the classifications are now set, the specific regions — the smaller groups of schools that play each other during the regular season — have not yet been determined.

League staff are currently working to organize schools into regions within their respective classes. The SCHSL expects to release the full region placements to member schools by Friday, Jan. 23.

2026-2028 Realignment Regions