MHSA Amends Guidelines for Co-Ops, WHS Football Now Class B West

The Montana High School Association has amended its rules for co-ops, announcing Thursday that any schools whose combined enrollment exceeds the maximum limit for a class will compete in the next class up.

The decision was made at the MHSA's annual meeting on Monday, January 16 in Missoula.

The amendment comes after the MHSA voted Saturday to allow the Drummond and Philipsburg football co-op to remain intact. The organization had initially opted to dissolve the highly successful co-op, but after a well-attended meeting in Missoula the Executive Board opted to retain the co-op and revise its rules.

In other moves by the MHSA announced Thursday:

• 8-Man football will have a new five-division alignment: East, Southeast, South Central, North and West. The South Central includes football newcomer Manhattan Christian.

• The Whitehall-Harrison football co-op will move into Class B's West division.

• Westby-Grenora and Plevna will move into the East division of 6-Man football, and Chester-Joplin-Inverness is in the North.

• Realignments were made for Class B basketball, volleyball and track and field.

• Class A also underwent realignment, notably with East Helena moving to the Southeast division.

• Eastern C volleyball realigned.