FHSAA Releases Tentative New State Series Assignments

The long-awaited baseball state series assignments have been released by the Florida High School Athletic Association. These tentative new assignments are scheduled for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Based upon these proposed changes, most teams will find themselves forging new rivalries over these next few years. For others, very little has changed.

Schools have the option to appeal their assignment, but must act by 5 p.m. EST on June 25th via fax to (352) 244-5043. All appeals must be sent to Assistant Executive Director Justin Harrison. The appeal must be on school letterhead, signed by the principal as well as the County Superintendent, County Athletic Director or Governing Body Representative. Appeals must be based on Policy 12.2.6 and 12.2.7. In the appeal, it will be necessary to include the distance to each school in the assigned district and distance to each school in the requested district.

One possible change could be done by Suncoast, which is slated to play in 5A-15 against Palm Bay and Bayside. Both these schools are located far north of the Charger’s Riviera Beach location.

Perhaps the most notable adjustment comes in Class 5A-District 16, where four-time defending state champion Archbishop McCarthy would move into a district with national powerhouse American Heritage-Plantation. 4A-15 would also pit two teams fresh off a state appearance in Florida Christian and Monsignor Pace.

For the first time in Miami-Dade County history, there will be a 7A district. This district is set to include American, Hialeah-Miami Lakes, Miami Central, North Miami Beach, Reagan and Westland Hialeah.

Class 7A also takes an interesting turn in Palm Beach County, where the previous two 7A districts now essentially combine to form one large district compiled of eight teams.

Westwood Christian would not get a chance to defend their Class 2A state title, as the team is now set to join Class 3A in District 15. This district would also feature Sagemont out of Weston in Broward County, and Hialeah Educational Academy, which was previously an independent program ever since the baseball program was started after the school opened in 2008.

Numerous reclassifications feature cross-county districts. 6A-14 would include Boynton Beach out of Lake Worth playing Stranahan, from downtown Fort Lauderdale, and Pembroke Pines Charter from west Pembroke Pines. 3A- 14 is another example of such, with a mixture of Palm Beach and Broward County schools combining to make up the new district that includes Coral Springs Christian, Highlands Christian, Lake Worth Christian, Oxbridge Academy, Trinity Christian and Westminster Academy.

Trinity Christian returns to district play following a three-year ban stemming from an on-field incident during the 2009 state playoffs, while Oxbridge Academy joins district play for the first time since the school opened in 2012.

With the subject of new schools, one addition to the state series assignments that should not go overlooked is the addition of the SLAM program as an independent. This new school operating under the guidance of legendary coach Rich Hofman is required to play as an independent for its first two years, with this coming season being the second such year. By the time this subject resurfaces again prior to the 2016 season, the SLAM figures to be garnering plenty of attention.

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