Chapel Hill, NC – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) put the finishing touches on its 2025-29 realignment plan on March 3, wrapping up a months-long effort to reclassify and reorganize its member schools into a bold new eight-classification system. The finalized conferences, released Thursday, sort schools by 2024-25 average daily membership (ADM) numbers, setting the stage for a seismic shift in high school athletics across the state. For Chatham County, the changes are profound, with its six high schools scattered across four distinct conferences, upending local rivalries and sparking anticipation for fresh matchups.
The realignment, approved with a near-unanimous vote by the NCHSAA Board of Directors, introduces a more granular competitive structure designed to level the playing field. Chatham County’s schools—Chatham Charter, Woods Charter, Chatham Central, Jordan-Matthews, Northwood, and Seaforth—face a new reality, with none of the final conference assignments altered from the third draft released on February 14. The absence of last-minute appeals from county schools signals confidence in the NCHSAA’s vision, but the split has local fans and coaches bracing for a reshaped competitive landscape.
Chatham’s New Battlegrounds
Chatham Charter and Woods Charter, both 1A schools, will compete in “1A Conference 3,” a familiar grouping alongside Ascend Leadership, Central Carolina Academy, Clover Garden, River Mill Academy, and Southern Wake Academy. The conference closely mirrors the current Central Tar Heel 1A, with Central Carolina stepping in for Triangle Math and Science (now in “1A/2A/3A Conference A”). For Woods Charter, a girls’ soccer powerhouse, the continuity offers a chance to build on its recent 1A state runner-up finishes.
Chatham Central, also 1A, stands alone in “1A/2A Conference E,” joined by College Prep and Leadership (1A), North Stokes (1A), South Davidson (1A), Winston-Salem Prep (1A), Bishop McGuinness (2A), and South Stokes (2A). The conference’s geographic spread will test the Bears’ road-game resilience.
Jordan-Matthews (4A) and Northwood (3A) find common ground in “3A/4A Conference B,” alongside Eastern Randolph (3A), North Moore (3A), Southwestern Randolph (4A), and Uwharrie Charter (4A). The pairing keeps a sliver of county camaraderie intact, but the conference’s competitive depth promises fierce battles.
Seaforth (5A), the county’s newest and largest high school, anchors “4A/5A Conference A” with Cedar Ridge (5A), Durham School of the Arts (5A), Orange (5A), South Granville (5A), Webb (5A), and Carrboro (4A). The Hawks will now face the Jaguars as conference foes.
Rivalries Reimagined
Last year’s realignment brought all four Chatham County Schools system high schools—Chatham Central, Jordan-Matthews, Northwood, and Seaforth—into the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference, a historic first that fueled intense rivalry games with playoff implications. Northwood vs. Jordan-Matthews, Northwood vs. Seaforth, and Chatham Central vs. Jordan-Matthews became marquee events, often played multiple times a season. Now, those matchups must shift to non-conference schedules.
What’s Next?
The NCHSAA’s next task is hammering out playoff structures for the eight classifications, a process that will shape postseason paths for sports like football, basketball, and soccer. The shift to eight classes aims to tighten playoff fields, reducing lopsided matchups and rewarding consistent performers. For Chatham County’s schools, the focus is on adapting to new opponents while preserving their competitive edge.