I agree that Highlands’s size is an school issue when it come to competing with Ohio D I schools year in and year out.
Highlands’s current 4A alignment is based on 419 boys (2yr avg - Grades 9 thru 12). If there average was 417 boys they would be in 3A. They are the smallest 4A school and are ranked 110th in the state for the number of boys.
The number one ranked HS in Kentucky is St X with 1,453 boys and Trinity is second with 1,357 boys.
Ohio considers grades 9, 10 and 11 when making divisions – Cincinnati St X has 1,164 boys (Grade 9 thru 11), Colerain has 822 boys, Elder comes in at 714 boys.
Highlands would be in Division III in Ohio based on the number of Boys and how they are classified.
Playing one Ohio D I school a year I can see helping the program to prepare for the State Tournament but expecting a school of 419 boys to play a D I schedule year in and year out, is a large challange.
I think Dale has done a good job adding a mix of quality teams that offset the district teams that are not.