The SCHSL released new realignment plans for the upcoming 2026-2028 athletic calendars.
The realignment plans see Class 5-A once again becoming a singular division, while a whopping 62 teams will play in the smallest class: Class 1-A.
Several Greer-area teams will be affected by the move, including Riverside. The Warriors have been competing in Class 5-A Division II for the past two years. Beginning in 2026-27, Riverside will shift down and compete in Class 4-A.
"It was kind of what we were expecting, because I believe Riverside has always been on that threshold of 4-A and 5-A," said Riverside athletic director Rob Hardy. "But with 1-A becoming the largest division, we felt that would put us back in 4-A. We look forward to see what region we will be in now, and we're excited to potentially compete against some old rivals like Greer again."
Another Greer-area school bumped down a class is Blue Ridge. The Tigers have competed in Class 4-A the past two years, but now become one of the larger schools in Class 3-A.
"As of now, I feel good about realignment," said Blue Ridge athletic director Austin Abercrombie. "We will have quality opponents in 3-A, and I already know several of the athletic directors, people who do things the right way and will be great to work with. Every classification has strong competition, but our focus will be on Blue Ridge and our athletes and coaches.
"What matters most to us now is finding out who will be in our region, because that impacts travel for our student-athletes and families. Once that’s set, we’ll be ready to compete and represent Blue Ridge the right way."
Other Greer-area schools were not affected by the new realigment plans and will remain in the same class. That includes Byrnes and Eastside staying in Class 5-A, Greer staying in Class 4-A, and Greer Middle College staying in Class 3-A.
Regions will be finalized by the SCHSL in late January.
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