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The landscape of high school athletics in Stanly County will have some differences next year with the plan recently finalized.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association recently released the final realignment draft for high school athletics for the 2021-22 academic year.

In the final draft, Albemarle, Gray Stone Day, North Stanly and South Stanly will be part of a split 1A-2A conference, with the Comets moving back to the 2A classification.

Two Cabarrus County Schools, Jay M. Robinson and Mount Pleasant, will play in the conference as 2A schools.

Union Academy, a former member of the Yadkin Valley Conference, will join the new conference with the Stanly and Cabarrus schools.

Uwharrie Charter moves into a new conference with Eastern Randolph, dropping to 1A, along with five 2A schools: Providence Grove, Southwestern Randolph, Randleman, Trinity and Wheatmore.

Chatham Central and North Moore move from the Western Region to the Eastern and will play in a split 1A/2A conference with 2A schools Bartlett Yancey, Cummings, Graham, Jordan-Matthews and Seaforth.

South Davidson and North Rowan will stay in 1A and join Thomasville in a split conference with 2A schools East Davidson, Lexington, Salisbury and West Davidson.

For West Stanly, the Colts remain in the same conference with Anson County, Forest Hills and Central Academy. The conference will become a split 2A/3A with the Cougars moving up to 3A and Parkwood, a former Rocky River Conference team, joining the new conference as a 3A school. Monroe also rejoins a conference with former RRC members as well, playing in the 2A classification.

Montgomery Central moves out of the RRC and joins a new 3A-only conference with Asheboro, Central Davidson, Ledford, North Davidson and Oak Grove.

The NCHSAA Board of Directors will hear final appeals this month and vote on the completed realignment plan.