Cottage Grove football will move down from competing in the OSAA Class 4A to 3A this fall.
The move was decided by the football ad hoc committee of the OSAA.
Cottage Grove, which won the 4A state championship in 2017, was dropped to 3A for “schools that meet 22% or less winning percentage” and will compete in the Special District 3 league with Creswell, Elmira, Harrisburg, La Pine, Madras, Pleasant Hill and Sisters. Nonleague contests will include South Umpqua and Coquille.
According to a press release, the move is exclusive to football and all other Cottage Grove sports will maintain their 4A status.
The Lions went 1-8 overall last season under head coach Steven Turner.
“It’s a strategic decision for our student-athletes, providing an opportunity to compete and find success on the football field while upholding our athletic department values of respect, integrity and excellence,” Cottage Grove athletic director Garrett Bridgens said in the press release.
Bridgens said the goal is to return to the 4A “as quickly as possible” but the Lions will for now “embrace the challenges and opportunities in this new chapter.”
Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at ENoriega@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Noriega_Edith
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Cottage Grove football will move from 4A to 3A OSAA classification
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cottage-grove-football-move-down-213012976.html
Author : The Register-Guard
Publish date : 2024-02-10 21:30:12
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