The Maine Principal’s Association’s recent spate of big changes could mean several small changes ahead for Wiscasset High School.

With the decision to shake up the classes by adding a fifth class, the current class system will feel the aftershocks of the MPA's recent decision.

But, while Wiscasset will remain in Class C next year, the league could look a little different.

Beginning with the winter 2015-16 basketball season, Wiscasset will be playing in the new Class C. Sarah Ricker, Wiscasset High School athletic director, said the changes should benefit small schools who have to drive long distances for games.

“Before, we could play (out of conference teams), but we'd have to say 'We can play you, but it's only a scrimmage,'” she said. “Now, the Mountain Valley Conference constitution has to change to say now we can play other teams. Now, when we make the schedule, it will make those Heal Points count.”

That means next winter Wiscasset could be swapping a trip to Mt. Abram or Telstar for a game at Hyde Academy or Richmond.

Before, such games would have only counted as scrimmages; but being able to travel to Bath to face the now Class A Morse High School could give Wiscasset a boost in the Heal points.

Heal points award playoff spots to the top teams in each division, and factors such as opponent strength and classification earn extra Heal points. Even a loss to a large school such as Morse would grant the Wolverines added points.

Wiscasset would still play its Mountain Valley Conference rivals for 13 games a year with the remaining five regular season games having the option of being out-of-conference.

The basketball breakout will also change from the traditional east-west format to north-south in 2015-16. Wiscasset, as of April 1, will be the 16th of 21 teams in Class C south in terms of student count.

Newly-added Hyde (158) and Richmond (142) make up the last two spots in Class C's south region, while familiar foe Dirigo (314 students) and Hall-Dale (303) stay atop the head count leader board.

While the south league is new, it won't change the Mountain Valley Conference. Wiscasset will still be a member of the conference and will continue to battle the same teams for the conference championship.

Ricker said the Mountain Valley Conference has its own constitution and in the past few years has been closed to new teams joining. At an April athletic directors meeting, Ricker said most teams in the conference were open to the new rules, citing that it would better for the students to have less travel.

One of the concerns, Ricker said, was that the far-away schools might not be picked for additional games.

“It's best for the kids — it's potentially less travel,” she said. “Instead of playing Telstar twice, we play Telstar once and then maybe Richmond. It also allows the MVC schools to choose five schools that are at their competition level and this will give the Western Conference more schools to play.”

One change that will affect Wiscasset will be the baseball team. One of the scheduling oddities in recent years has been Wiscasset's baseball and softball teams playing a Class C regular season schedule before dropping down a class for the playoffs. That has allowed the Wolverines to rack up large amounts of Heal points, as the baseball team in particular has been successful at the Class C level.

Starting next year, the Wolverines will remain in Class C throughout the year and into the playoffs.

Ricker said that one of the reasons the schedule will be shaken up is because in some of the smaller conferences, schools often have to play the same opponents up to three times. Allowing teams to play outside their conferences would allow those teams to diversify their schedules.

“Expect us to play all the MVC teams, and an additional five games of the 18 will be (out of conference),” she said. “Those five games will be determined on the needs of the schools outside the MVC, their schedule needs and ours as well. Factors include distance, competition level, and assuring that schools in the East-West league, the Western conference and the independents all have a well-rounded schedule.”

Another factor was proximity, Ricker said. Teams such as Richmond or Hyde, which are both within 20 minutes of Wiscasset High School, haven't been regular opponents of the Wolverines.

“I think ADs are realizing, and schools are realizing, that we drive past a lot of schools that we can't play,” she said.