THE GORGE — The Executive Board of the Oregon School Activities Association voted Dec. 15 on league alignments for the next four-year time block, and Hood River Valley will be in a somewhat familiar Class 5A conference.
The OSAA’s Classification and Districting Committee recommend to the executive board what leagues the state’s high schools will be competing in beginning in fall 2026.
The final six-classification proposal has Hood River Valley in the 36-school, 5A enrollment division, competing in the 5A East Metro Conference. Other members of the conference are Centennial, Milwaukie, Parkrose, Putnam, Sandy and St. Helens in all sports except football. The OSAA has a separate committee which decides football alignments.
Other current Northwest Oregon Conference members Canby, Hillsboro, La Salle Prep, and Wilsonville, will join Aloha, Liberty, and Woodburn in a new-look NWOC starting next school year.
The OSAA has The Dalles in the 4A Tri-Valley Conference along with Estacada, Gladstone, Madras, Molalla, and North Marion. There are 36 Class 4A schools.
Hood River Valley has been in the NWOC since 2022. Prior to that, HRV competed in the 5A Intermountain along with The Dalles (2018-2021) and 5A Columbia River (2010-2017). The Eagles were in the state’s largest school category from 2006 to 2009, in the 6A Mt. Hood Conference.
The Dalles was in the Cass 4A Intermountain Conference in 2004-2005, and then the Riverhawks joined the 5A Intermountain from 2006-2009.
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