While it was already known that Bridgeport’s basketball teams wouldn’t have familiar postseason foes such as Robert C.  Byrd, Liberty and Lincoln, among others, what wasn’t known was how the sectional and regional tournament would look next year.

 

As of late last week, the picture is starting to become a bit clearer. The West Virginia Secondary Schools released the proposed alignment for the new playoff system that will go into place next year. The pilot system is set for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 and sets up basketball with four classifications instead of three.

 

Bridgeport was one of the schools that will be moving up. In fact, the Indians – who will move up to Class AAA next year in all sports – will be a Class AAAA school in basketball.

 

Under the proposal by the WVSSAC, the Indians will compete in Class AAAA, Region I and would be in Section 2. The Tribe would be joined by Buckhannon-Upshur, Morgantown and University. On the Section 1 side of the region would be Brooke, John Marshall, Preston and Wheeling Park.

 

The regional breakdown is the same for Bridgeport in boys and girls. Several teams in boys and girls have opted to play up a classification. Locally, Notre Dame is playing up to compete in Class AAA, which alters the regionals.

 

WVSSAC Director Bernie Dolan said most of the feedback he’s received has not been negative on not only the breakdown for basketball, but the decision to go to four classes. He said there has been one surprise.

 

“I think most of the comments have been positive. Many will notice on the list that several schools went up in classification,” said Dolan. “Some were a little bit surprised at the number of schools opting to up a class in basketball.”

 

Dolan did say the proposed regionals are out for comment. However, he added that the comments they’re taking are from West Virginia principals, for whom the WVSSAC operates. Dolan added if anyone is concerned, they would need to talk to their local principal.

 

“It’s a rule by the principals and our charge is to enact the rule,” said Dolan. “If they come back and say it doesn’t work, then we won’t have it.

 

“As of now I actually think it’s good. We’ll reevaluate it in the future to see if four classes are appropriate,” he continued. “Maybe we use the same formula and go back to three classes or maybe we do something different. We have to play out and see if it happens and we’ll do what the principals charge us with. Realistically, my opinion doesn’t matter.”

 

Dolan said if after two years the basketball concept remains at four classes, that doesn’t mean that it would apply to every other sport at that time. In fact, he said it’s impossible.

 

“Many sports, like swimming, don’t operate under three classes so it would be a problem. Even football would be difficult because of so many things like out-of-state opponents where we would have to reclassify every school,” said Dolan. “I don’t anticipate football going to four unless radical changes were proposed.”

 

Dolan said sports where it would be easier to consider include volleyball, baseball and softball. Even then, a proposal would need to be brought forward for each sport.

 

“If the principals say so, then we’ll go forward and make changes,” said Dolan.

 

Here is the rest of the boys’ regional breakdown in Class AAAA.

 

Region 2

Section 1 – Hedgesville, Martinsburg, Spring Mills

Section 2 – Jefferson, Musselman, Washington

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Capital, George Washington, Riverside, South Charleston

Section 2 – Greenbrier East, Oak Hill, Princeton, Woodrow Wilson

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Cabell Midland, Huntington, Spring Valley

Section 2 – Hurricane, Parkersburg, Parkersburg South, St. Albans

 

The regional breakdown for the new Class AAA is as follows:

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Oak Glen, Trinity, Weir, Wheeling Central Catholic

Section 2 – Berkeley Springs, Elkins, Hampshire, Keyser

 

Region 2

Section 1 – East Fairmont, Fairmont Sr., Grafton, North Marion, Philip Barbour

Section 2 – Lewis County, Liberty Harrison, Lincoln, Notre Dame, Robert C. Byrd

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Independence, Pikeview, Shady Spring, Westside

Section 2 – Herbert Hoover, Midland Trail, Nicholas County, Sissonville

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Nitro, Point Pleasant, Ripley, Winfield

Section 2 – Lincoln County, Logan, Scott, Wayne

 

The regional breakdown for the new Class AA is as follows:

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Magnolia, Ritchie County, St. Marys

Section 2 – Parkersburg Catholic, Williamstown, Wirt County

 

Region 2

Section 1 – Frankfort, Moorefield, Petersburg

Section 2 – Braxton County, Clay County, South Harrison

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Bluefield, Summers County, Wyoming East

Section 2 – Liberty Raleigh, Chapmanville Regional, Mingo Central

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Buffalo, Poca, Huntington St. Joseph’s

Section 2 – Charleston Catholic, Ravenswood, Roane County

 

The regional breakdown for the new Class A is as follows:

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Cameron, Hundred, Madonna, Paden City, Valley Wetzel

Section 2 – Clay-Battelle, Doddridge County, Tyler Consolidated

 

Region 2

Section 1 – East Hardy, Paw Paw, Tucker County, Union

Section 2 – Harman, Pendleton County, Pocahontas County, Tygarts Valley

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Greater Beckley Christian, James Monroe, Montcalm, Mount View, River View

Section 2 – Greenbrier West, Meadow Bridge, Richwood, Webster County

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Man, Sherman, Tolsia, Tug Valley, Van

Section 2 – Calhoun County, Gilmer County, Hannan, Wahama

 

Here is the rest of the girls’ regional breakdown in Class AAA.

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Grafton, Oak Glen, Weir, Wheeling Central Catholic

Section 2 – Berkeley Springs, Elkins, Hampshire, Keyser

 

Region 2

Section 1 – Liberty Harrison, Lincoln, Robert C. Byrd, Lewis County,

Section 2 – East Fairmont, Fairmont Sr, North Marion, Philip Barbour

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Independence, Pikeview, Shady Spring, Westside

Section 2 – Herbert Hoover, Midland Trail, Nicholas County, Sissonville

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Nitro, Point Pleasant, Ripley, Winfield

Section 2 – Lincoln County, Logan, Scott, Huntington St. Joseph’s, Wayne

 

The regional breakdown for the new Class AA is as follows:

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Magnolia, St. Marys, Trinity

Section 2 – Parkersburg Catholic, Ritchie County, Williamstown

 

Region 2

Section 1 – Frankfort, Moorefield, Petersburg

Section 2 – Braxton County, Clay County, Notre Dame, South Harrison

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Bluefield, Summers County, Wyoming East

Section 2 – Chapmanville Regional, Mingo Central, Liberty Raleigh

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Buffalo, Charleston Catholic, Poca

Section 2 – Ravenswood, Roane County, Wirt County

 

The regional breakdown for the new Class A is as follows:

 

Region 1

Section 1 – Cameron, Hundred, Madonna, Paden City, Valley Wetzel

Section 2 – Clay-Battelle, Doddridge County, Tyler Consolidated

 

Region 2

Section 1 – East Hardy, Paw Paw, Tucker County, Union

Section 2 – Harman, Pendleton County, Pocahontas County, Tygarts Valley

 

Region 3

Section 1 – Greater Beckley Christian, James Monroe, Montcalm, Mount View, River View

Section 2 – Greenbrier West, Meadow Bridge, Richwood, Webster County

 

Region 4

Section 1 – Man, Sherman, Tolsia, Tug Valley, Van

Section 2 – Calhoun County, Gilmer County, Hannan, Wahama