The NHIAA has approved a new football alignment for the next two-year cycle, beginning with the 2012 season. There will once again be six divisions, but that won’t be the case for long.
As for the movement of schools, there is nothing too surprising. Division I stays the same, while Bedford moves up to Division II and Alvirne goes down to Division III. Pelham drops from Division III back to Division V and Merrimack Valley moves up to fill the spot in Division III.
Windham will slide into Division IV after playing its first two seasons in Division V, while Trinity will remain in Division IV despite some push to get the Pioneers to move up. Laconia will also stay in Division IV and St. Thomas will move up into the division as well.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the story – from NH Football Report – is the following:
The Classification Committee recommends that this alignment be for one year and request the Football Committee develop another alignment that consists of no more than 5 divisions by April 1, 2012 for the second year of the cycle. If a proposal is not presented for implementation for the second year of the 2012-13, 2013-14 cycle, the Classification Committee will set the alignment for football for the second year of the cycle, per By-Law Article IV Classification Sect. 2 and Section 3.
The new alignment will only be for one year, and in less than five months, another alignment will be determined for the 2013 season.
NHIAA approves football realignment for 2012 – NH Football Report