Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Gorillas will remain a 2b school
DAVENPORT—Despite advocacy from School District administration, Davenport will remain a 2B school for at least the next four years. Davenport’s appeal to move down to 1B was rejected by the WIAA last weekend after the Northeast 1B League voted against accepting Davenport into the league.
The WIAA released classification numbers for the 2024-28 cycle Sunday, Jan. 21. Davenport came in at 131.88 students, which is the number of ninth through 11th grade students adjusted for direct certification.
Seniors are not counted when determining classification numbers.
Davenport’s figure is nearly identical to fellow Northeast 2B league member Asotin. It comes ahead of league rivals St. George’s (101.13), Lind-Ritzville (119.74, though that number is closer to 150 when Sprague, Washtucna and Harrington are counted), Liberty (126.88) and Colfax (127.25).
“While I’m disappointed, I expected these results,” Davenport superintendent Chad Prewitt said. “We’ll rally, and you can’t deny Davenport’s past success.”
District administration unsuccessfully appealed that the number of students that can compete in athletics is much less than the 131 count. Many District students can’t participate in sports for religious reasons.
“If you take those students out of it, we’re actually closer to 96,” athletic director Tim Rasmussen said. “That’s (where) Wilbur-Creston is.”
Northeast 1B league president and Almira-Coulee-Hartline athletic director Brandon Walsh said league officials opposed Davenport’s move down due to the 131.88 figure, which fits squarely in the 2B range released by the WIAA, and past success of Davenport athletics.
“There is a huge disparity in numbers between Davenport’s count and the smallest schools in our league,” Walsh said. “Nine of the 14 schools in the NE1B league are at least half the size of Davenport, with the smallest school being over four times smaller by the adjusted numbers.”
Walsh said the students unable to play for religious reasons were considered, but past success and state placements by Davenport athletics was also a major factor.
The Northeast 1B’s smallest school, Columbia (Stevens), had an adjusted count of 27.17, while the league’s largest school, Wilbur-Creston, had a count of 96.
Davenport leadership, meanwhile, is among league schools concerned after Freeman and Newport dropped down to 2B and will presumably join the Northeast 2B league. Freeman has a 221 count, just three short of the 224 number that is the 1A/2B cutoff.
Newport, meanwhile, had a 227.75 count that was adjusted to 216.36 for direct certification.
Schools like Davenport, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague, Colfax, Asotin, Liberty and Kettle Falls will be playing two new schools with a count 75-100 students larger.
“We’re working on next steps forward with coaching staffs, students and parents,” Rasmussen said.
Drew Lawson is a reporter and sports writer for Free Press Publishing, including the Cheney Free Press and Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)