Five days after the 2023 high school football season ended, the Arkansas Activities Association released its conference realignments to begin in 2024. Mountain Home is among the area schools that will see significant changes.
While the Bombers are staying in the 6A-West, three schools are moving out, and two are moving in. Shiloh Christian will be one of the newcomers as they move up from Class 5A, and Fort Smith Southside will drop down from Class 7A. Russellville, Siloam Springs, Van Buren, Greenwood and Lake Hamilton will remain in the league. Greenbrier will be moving out as they drop to Class 5A, and Pulaski Academy and Little Rock Christian will move up to Class 7A.
While Mountain Home head coach Steve Ary says it’s interesting to see the teams that are moving, it’s not going to change his approach to how he coaches.
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Yellville-Summit, Salem and Melbourne will also see changes in the 3A-2 as two schools move out, and another area team will be one of the three newcomers. Mountain View is moving back to the 11-man form of the game. The Yellowjackets spent the last two seasons in eight-man football and won back-to-back state championships. Mayflower will also join the conference as they drop down from Class 4A, and Episcopal Collegiate will move up from Class 2A. Newport and Perryville will move to other leagues in Class 3A. Quitman and Atkins will remain in the 3A-2.
Izard County is also moving from eight-man to 11-man football. The Cougars will join the 2A-2 with Cross County, Des Arc, Earle, East Poinsett County, Marianna, Marked Tree and McCrory.
Marshall will be one of four schools continuing to play eight-man football as a non-sanctioned club sport. The Bobcats will be joined by Rose Bud, Corning and Subiaco Academy.
The new alignments will be for a two-year period starting in the fall of 2024 and continuing through the spring of 2026.
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