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The expected classification realignment of Utah high schools is coming into focus.

The proposal by the Utah High School Activities Association, expected to be approved later this month, was contingent on the Oct. 1 census of the state's high schools. The numbers, evaluated by the association and posted on its website Friday, solve some of the biggest structural problems, while raising some more questions.

Schools in St. George all fall within the enrollment numbers of a 28-team Class 3A, eliminating a loathed southern Utah region that is currently a blend of 3A and 4A schools. The numbers, however, indicate that Salt Lake City's three public schools could end up in one classification or three separate ones.

Region 9 — made up of four 3A schools and three 4A schools — has been a thorn in the UHSAA's side, and Hurricane football coach Chris Homer said it makes more sense for all of them to be in one classification.

"It didn't work for anybody," he said of the region in which his team finished No. 2 this season.

Specific region assignments will be recommended at Wednesday's board of trustees meeting, with 24 schools each in 5A and 4A; 28 in 3A; 20 in 2A; and 36 in 1A. Under the proposal, all regions within a classification must have the same number of schools.

"It's not going to be a cure-all. You're still going to have power regions from sport to sport," UHSAA director Rob Cuff said.

The board will make a final decision on realignment on Nov. 18, the day after a public hearing at the UHSAA.

The realignment process stipulates that schools will be assigned to classifications based on 11th- and 12th-grade enrollment. East, with 932 upperclassmen, is solidly in 4A, but West could fall into 5A or 4A, while Highland could be in 4A or slip to 3A.

The process, approved by the UHSAA's board of trustees in September, considers schools on the cusp of another classification to be tied.

Ties can be broken by mutual agreement among schools before the UHSAA steps in to decide, based on factors such as distance between schools.

Two schools among West, Lehi, Mountain Crest, Murray, Cyprus and Sky View will go to 5A.

Highland, Springville, Uintah and Orem are all vying for the final spot in 4A.

With Highland and Springville both teetering on the verge of relegation, that means one of this year's 4A football semifinalists will move to 3A.

Highland Principal Paul Schulte, who sits on the board of trustees and is the architect of the realignment proposal, said he is hopeful all three Salt Lake City schools will end up in 4A. He pointed to the geography tiebreaker.

"We're right smack in the middle of a lot of the 4A schools," he said.

No schools would move outright into a higher classification, though Lehi, Mountain Crest and Sky View could. No fewer than five 5A schools would transition to 4A, while at least seven 4A schools would become 3A. Among current 3A schools, only Emery would drop to 2A.

Among the 5A schools on the move would be Skyline.

The long-successful 5A school's enrollment has shrunk during the past decade, and football coach Roger Dupaix said 4A is probably a better fit for Skyline's athletic programs.

"There's not that much difference between 4A football and 5A football," Dupaix said. "It should help some of our other sports. It should help football, too, I think. It's hard to compete against much larger schools."

Under the new process, classifications will realign every two years, which proponents say will allow the UHSAA to tweak issues as they arise.

"There will be some growing pains," Schulte said.

boram@sltrib.com Twitter: @oramb —

Things to watch for:

Where do Salt Lake City's bubble schools, Highland and West, end up?

• With East cemented in Class 4A, they could all be in one region or in three different classifications. Does Springville or Highland get to stay in 4A?

• Uintah and Orem are likely to agree to drop to 3A, creating a battle between the Red Devils and the Rams that could be even more intriguing than next week's semifinal football game. —

On the move

From 5A to 4A

Hillcrest, Skyline, Roy, Clearfield, Herriman

From 4A to 3A

Payson, Stansbury, Tooele, Ogden, Spanish Fork, Pine View, Snow Canyon

From 3A to 2A

Emery

On the bubble of 5A/4A (Two spots in 5A)

Lehi, Mountain Crest, West, Murray, Cyprus, Sky View

On the bubble 4A/3A (One spot in 4A)

Springville, Highland, Uintah, Orem —

Important dates

Nov. 10 • UHSAA's board of trustees considers suggested regions.

Nov. 17 • Public hearing with board at UHSAA offices in Midvale.

Nov. 18 • Final consideration and assignment of schools by board.