Changes in policy by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control could result in a change of classes for the Caldwell County football team starting in 2025.
The Tigers have typically competed in Class 2A in Kentucky football since the playoffs started in 1959, although the team did spend four years as a member of 3A from 2015-18.
With the state now having six classes in football, Caldwell County is usually near the cutoff line, meaning it is one of the larger schools in 2A or one of the smallest in 3A.
Caldwell head coach Aaron McClung says the school is keeping a close eye on enrollment data for the next realignment, which will now take place following the 2024 season.
The last realignment placed Caldwell in Class 2A’s 1st District along with Crittenden County, Mayfield and Murray for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
It was originally thought that lineup would be for a four-year period.
However, the KHSAA Board recently reviewed a survey of all 51 state associations regarding the interval for classifying enrollment-based sports that was conducted by KHSAA staff, reflecting overwhelming nationwide favor of 34 associations utilizing two-year alignment periods to just six associations utilizing four-year periods.
The Board approved changes for the football classification period to two years for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with final parameters and draft alignments to be presented at the February Board of Control meeting for final adoption in May.
Another change for the coming realignment is that schools will no longer be allowed to “play up.”
Instead, teams will be aligned strictly on enrollment numbers.
The current Class 3A 1st District schools are Hancock County, Hopkins County Central, McLean County, Trigg County, Union County and Webster County.
Regardless of how the upcoming realignment shakes out, look for Caldwell to make some changes to its schedule for the 2025 and 2026 cycle.
2024 CALDWELL COUNTY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 9 — at Hancock County (scrimmage)
Aug. 16 — APOLLO (scrimmage)
Aug. 23 — HOPKINS COUNTY CENTRAL
Aug. 30 — MADISONVILLE-NORTH HOPKINS
Sept. 6 — at Union County
Sept. 13 — at Graves County
Sept. 20 — McCRACKEN COUNTY
Sept. 27 — at Christian County
Oct. 4 — at Mayfield *
Oct. 18 — MURRAY *
Oct. 25 — CRITTENDEN COUNTY *
Nov. 1 — at Trigg County
Nov. 8 — Class 2A Playoffs First Round – TBA
