The Catawba Ridge Copperheads are moving to the 5A classification despite being the smallest high school in the new class.

Catawba Ridge comes in 54th out of 54 schools with the latest reclassification numbers released by the S.C. High School League on Tuesday, Dec. 19. The number is based on a school’s enrollment on the 45th day of school from earlier this academic year.

On the 45th day, the Copperheads came in with an enrollment of 1,319 students. Compare that to the top ranked 5A school – Dorman – which came in on the same day with 3,106 students.

Fort Mill High comes in 40th out of 54 with 1,605 students and Nation Ford comes in 47th with 1,485 students.

Nearby Indian Land, which is currently 4A like Catawba Ridge, will also be moving to 5A, coming in at 1,492 students, just one school above Nation Ford, with a seven-student difference. Northwestern also moves back to the 5A level with 1,534 students. Rock Hill and Clover remain at 5A as well.

Other local schools like York, South Pointe, and Lancaster High schools all remain in 4A.

One possible aspect of moving to 5A for Catawba Ridge is that they could be in the same region as Fort Mill, Nation Ford and Indian Land based on their proximity to each other.

There is talk at the state level of having the 5A classification split into two sections when it comes to playoffs with the bigger of the 5A schools playing against each other and the smaller of the 5A schools playing against each other in the postseason. How, or if, that would take place is not known exactly yet.

With the Copperheads being the smallest of the 5A schools, they could appeal to remain in 4A. The largest of the 4A schools based on the reclassification numbers is North Augusta High School, which had 1,411 students on the 45th day.

Based on Catawba Ridge’s enrollment, there are six 4A schools with a higher number of students enrolled on the 45th day than the Copperheads. Those schools are – North Augusta, May River, Richland Northeast, Westside, South Florence, and Midland Valley.

Catawba Ridge athletic director Rick Lewis didn’t comment one way or another regarding if the school will appeal to stay in 4A or accept going to 5A. He did say he would talk to his coaches as a group once he returned from an out-of-town conference, he was at earlier this week.

Appeals to the High School League will be made Jan. 18-19 before regions are finalized.

Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep