High School Football reclassifications shake up Western Slope schedules

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Colorado High School Activities Association has released its reclassifications for high school football, and the Western Slope is seeing significant changes ahead of the upcoming season.

Reclassification decisions are based on student enrollment numbers, resulting in several local teams moving up or down in classification.

The Grand Junction Tigers, coming off a 9-3 season and back-to-back league titles in 4A, will move up to 5A competing against some of the largest programs in the state. The Tigers will play in a league featuring both 4A and 5A opponents this fall.

The Fruita Monument Wildcats, who were previously the only 5A program on the Western Slope, will drop back to 4A due to enrollment numbers. The Tigers and Wildcats Western Slope rivals are scheduled to meet in the third week of the season, after splitting their previous two matchups.

Grand Junction Central will move into a league that is a mix of 4A and 3A teams. In doing so, the Warriors will reunite with familiar opponents in the 3A classification, including Palisade, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, and Eagle Valley forming what amounts to a Western Slope league reunion.

Grand Junction Central will open its season with a crosstown rivalry game against the Tigers on Aug. 21. Fruita Monument will begin its season the following week, traveling to Vista Peak Prep, before facing the Warriors.