The Rams’ enrollment number after adjustments for competitive balance was 349, putting them in the top division by one boy.
Ross and Monroe are also moving up based on enrollment increases.
Among the seven teams in the state to move up to Division I this winter because of competitive balance will be Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, the defending champion in Division II.
The Fighting Irish join what figures to be a loaded Division I championship race that will also include defending state champion Pickerington Central and runner-up Centerville, the 2021 champs who return Ohio Mr. Basketball Gabe Cupps and a pair of talented transfers.
Moving down to Division II because of competitive balance is Tecumseh while Fenwick remains in Division II because of it. So does Middletown Madison.
Meadowdale, Shawnee and Bethel all moved up to Division II because of enrollment increases.
In Division III, Greenon remained at the same level because of competitive balance while Valley View and Waynesville dropped a division because of it.
Powerhouse Tri-Village is moving up from Division IV because of competitive balance while Northwestern and Milton-Union dropped down to D3 because of enrollment.
Competitive balance adjustments dropped Cincinnati Christian and Triad to Division IV, where they will join newcomers Dayton Christian, Mechanicsburg and Covington.
The Crusaders, Indians and Buccs all dropped because of enrollment.
The OHSAA uses data provided by the Ohio Department of Education to determine each school’s base enrollment numbers for girls and boys sports.
In several sports, including basketball, those numbers are adjusted based on a competitive balance formula that takes into account students on a respective team from other districts or who have changed schools.
Divisional breakdowns for the sports that utilize competitive balance data are reconfigured every year, while the others are reconfigured every two years.
None of the scheduled division changes took place last year because of the impact of COVID-19 on school enrollment in 2020.
Girls basketball saw the majority of area changes in Division II, and the most noteworthy development is Alter not moving down.
The defending state champs would have been in Division III based on enrollment but remain in Division II after adjusting for competitive balance.
The same is true of Fenwick while competitive balance changes had Northridge, Waynesville and Greenon all move into D-II.
Franklin, Tecumseh and Wilmington moved down to Division II while Meadowdale moved up.
In Division I, competitive balance kept Monroe at the same level while Ross and Ponitz moved up because of enrollment.
Chaminade Julienne was bumped up to D-I because of competitive balance.
Northwestern and Graham moved down to Division III because of competitive balance while Mechanicsburg moved up and Carlisle remained in D-III because of it.
Madison, Shawnee and Brookville move down because of enrollment, and Dayton Christian remains in the division because of competitive balance.
In Division IV, Triad, Tri-County North and St. Henry remain because of competitive balance while Twin Valley South and National Trail dropped because of enrollment.
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