after seeing Atkins and Walkertown with 2A numbers, the Bears may be staying put with those other WS area schools (BM and Prep)....along with North/South Stokes and add ES, that may be our new conference in '17....but that's just me and a pencil figuring....(the problem is that those 2 schools have no where to go and state is running from split leagues)
There are a lot of factors that will go into the decision making process. There's already a split conference with the MVC - would they want to continue with it or move to 1A and 2A conferences? Would the NW1A schools (and 2A schools from the WPAC) like to go back to the previous NW1A/2A split conference? What do you do with North Rowan (who is likely head back down to 1A)?
I know most of the MA and ES folks would rather move back to a 1A conference with the more western teams (Starmount, Elkin, Alleghany, E.Wilkes). That would leave the more "eastern" 1A schools like Prep, Bishop, North Rowan, to go with N.Stokes and South Stokes. The gate revenue would be much greater for MA and ES. Unfortunately, I don't think the state would create a small 5 team conference like that. The more likely outcome is regurgitated NW1A that swaps S.Stokes and N.Rowan in for Atkins and Walkertown (who will move to 2A and probably join with the current WPAC schools).
A dream scenario would see the old NW1A reemerge with Starmount, Elkin, E.Wilkes, Alleghany, Mt.Airy, E.Surry, S.Stokes, and N.Stokes. Let the MVC and WPAC 2A's merge to have W.Central, Ashe, W.Wilkes, N.Wilkes, Forbush, S.Central, N.Surry, and maybe W.Stokes. Then create a new Metro 1A/2A with WS Prep, Bishop, Atkins, Walkertown, Carver, maybe N.Rowan and possibly W.Stokes (although they'd probably prefer the MVC/WPAC merge). I guess we'll find out soon enough.
