New Football Districts on the Schedule for 2012

District football is getting a new look around Missouri.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association recently released District assignments for the 2012 and 2013 season.

Under the old format, schools were placed in four or five-team districts and the last three to four weeks of the regular season became the de facto playoffs. A team that had a 0-7 record in the regular season could go 3-0 in districts and advance to the state tournament. 

For example, Duchesne started 2010 with a 0-7 record but won two of the three district games and advanced to the playoffs against Warrenton.

That system has been scrapped. Now each school is in an eight-team district that places a higher emphasis on game play.

According to MSHSAA, schools will play nine regular games and start the district championships in week 10. The new districts are comprised of eight teams who are seeded based on their records during the regular season and would compete in a tournament. The final game in the tournament would be the championship game for that district.

High School will compete against powerhouses Christian Brothers College, DeSmet, and St. Louis University next year in the highly competitive Class 6, District 2. Other teams in the district include Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood West, Pattonville and Ritenour.

and move into the same district starting next year. Also in Class 4, District 5 are Clayton, Gateway, Jennings, MICDS, Normandy and University City. 

and Orchard Farm High School will compete in Class 3, District 5 against McCluer, South-Berkeley, Sumner, Trinity Catholic, Winfield, and Wright City.