Apr. 4—On Thursday, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Board of Directors met and finalized the competitive section placements for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. Friday, the League released the decisions they made.
For reference, according to the MSHSL, here is how it is broken down:
MSHSL enrollment is determined by the schools Minnesota Department of Education enrollment in year one in grades 9 — 12 minus 40 percent of their educational benefit (free and reduced lunch).
According to the MSHSL: The class member schools are placed to perform and compete during the postseason. A member school's MSHSL enrollment determines classification. Schools have the option to both opt up or appeal, if they qualify, down in team sports every two years. Classification is determined on odd-numbered years every two years.
Determined every two years, like classification, member schools are placed by enrollment and geographic location in sports and activities where they compete for postseason play.
With that being said, here is what schools from southeast Minnesota broken down by the respective sport went up or down or changed sections these next two years. Football districts will be finalized in June.
View all competitive sections at MSHSL.org.
The football sections will look a little bit different this year. The Post Bulletin has already mentioned the changes involving Mayo dropping back down to Class 5A, Stewartville going back up to Class 4A and Lourdes dropping down to 2A.
Here are some others:
Lewiston-Altura is now in Section 1-1A, dropping down from Class 2A. That same section will see Southland go up from 9-Player and also the addition of New Richland-H-E-G and United South Central. Rushford-Peterson moves up to Class 2A, while Blooming Prairie not only moves up to Class 2A but will be playing in Section 2. Triton moves from Section 2-2A back to Section 1-2A.
Winona Cotter will be playing in Section 1-3A — up from 1-2A. Meanwhile, Cannon Falls moves from Section 1-2A to Section 4-2A.
There will also be some changes to volleyball sections next season. Blooming Prairie will move up to Section 1, Class 2A from Section 1, Class 1A. Goodhue and Rushford-Peterson will do the same, jumping from Section 1-1A to 1-2A. Lewiston-Altura is shifting down to play in Section 1-1A from 1-2A. Red Wing is moving down from Section 1-3A to 1-2A.
Northfield will move sections but stay in the same class, going from Section 6-3A to 1-3A. New Richland-H-E-G is moving sections and classes from Section 2-2A to 1-1A. Medford is moving from Section 1 to Section 2 but will stay in Class 2A.
Over on the pitch, four-time defending Section 2-1A champion Pine Island/Zumbrota boys team and the two-time defending section champ girls squad will be moving back to Section 1 and also move up to Class 2A. Austin boys and girls will be moving up to Section 1-3A after being in 1-2A. Cannon Falls boys and girls soccer moves to Section 2-1A.
Red Wing girls move down to Section 1-1A from 1-2A.
Arguably the biggest news comes in regards to wrestling.
Simley will be moving back to Section 1-2A after spending the last four years in Section 4. Simley had been in Section 1 the previous four years before that, capturing the section title each of those four years. The Spartans had won six consecutive state titles until this year. This means Kasson-Mantorville — the four-time section champs and Class 2A runner-up three of the last four years — and Simley will once again square off in sections along with the perennially strong Cougars of Zumbrota-Mazeppa. Z-M returns most of a lineup that finished as Section 1-2A runner-up last year. It will result in one of the top wrestling programs across the state not making it to the state tournament. It ...
