Sports
Changes in Class System Will Have Little Impact on Blaze Football
The Minnesota State High School League will add a new Class 6A for football in 2012, but the change is unlikely to significantly impact the Burnsville program
In addition to familiarizing themselves with a new head coach, new plays and a new team chemistry, more changes are in the midst for the Burnsville football program.
First year head coach Tyler Krebs will elect to have the Blaze participate in the new Class 6A, which was introduced by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2012.
The new class will be open to Minnesota's 32 most populous high schools and even though the MSHSL has 32 schools listed on its website right now, the official list is yet to be announced.
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Owing to a long history of competitiveness at Minnesota's top level, programs such as Cretin-Derham Hall can opt to play 6A which would mean a larger school would then be able to move down to 5A.
Either way, the new Class 6A will have little affect on the boys at Burnsville.
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“All in all it is not going to impact us too much,” Krebs said. “We are one of the top schools in enrollment and are going to continue to play the big schools in football. That is one thing we are excited about.”
In football—more so than in other high school sports—success often comes down to numbers. A high number of students often results in a successful football program, particularly for public schools.
For example, Eden Prairie and defending Class 5A state champions Wayzata are almost always in the mix when conversation turns to elite football in Minnesota. Not coincidentally, the schools have the highest enrollment figures in the state.
“Football is such a numbers game,” Krebs said. “Teams like Eden Prairie and Wayzata that have 3,000 students run through teams in 5A that have a little over 1,000. (Creating Class 6A) will even things up and give more teams a chance to play in the state tournament.
“All I know is we are excited about the challenge of having to play against what we think are the best teams in the state," Krebs continued. "It’s a good move I think, but it’s probably best to talk to teams that are near the bottom of the list or the private schools. Cretin, for example, has a great program and will probably want to move up and rightfully so.”
According to the MSHSL website, Burnsville has 2,551 students which ranks it seventh highest in what would be the new Class 6A.
“Besides maybe a few games during the regular season, there won’t be much change,” Krebs said. “We are going to play the best and it is my job and the staff’s to get this team back on track.”
