The new group classifications New Jersey high school sports for the 2009-10 school year will have the greatest impact on two local schools.  Kinnelon moves up from Group I to Group II for a number of sports, while Mountain Lakes will change sections.

Although its 10th through 12th grade enrollment only increased by 14 students, Kinnelon is no longer classified as a Group I school.  This past year, Kinnelon had the advantage of being the largest Group I school in the state.  Starting in the fall, the Colts will have to compete in the state playoffs in soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball and softball as one of the smallest Group II schools.

The greatest impact for Kinnelon would appear to be in soccer.  The boys' team won a sectional title in Group I last fall;  now the Colts will have to compete with perennial Group II power Ramsey and other much-larger schools like River Dell, which won the section last year.  The Kinnelon girls' team was considered a contender for the state Group I crown last fall before suffering an upset loss in the sectionals;  this year the Colts will have a far harder road to earn any title.

The general classification actually does not impact the majority of sports, which have their own groupings.  In those sports, including football, wrestling and lacrosse, Kinnelon remains in Group I.  The Colts won the group title in boys' lacrosse this spring.  Kinnelon will also continue to compete in Public Group B in ice hockey.

While Mountain Lakes saw its enrollment decline, it didn't go down quite enough to drop the school from Group II to Group I.  But in the sports covered by the general classification, the Lakers will now compete in North Jersey, Section II, after taking part in Section I this past year.  Mountain Lakes remains a Group I team in other sports, and will compete in North Section I in some of those.

Another school that saw an enrollment drop is Pompton Lakes, but it remains a Group II school in the general classification.  The Cardinals had been in Group I for several years before a big jump in students last year.  Pompton Lakes does remain a Group I team for those sports with sport-specific classifications.

Other area teams remained in the same sections and groups as well, but will still see some changes because of other schools that moved.  For example, Paterson Eastside dropped from Group IV to Group III, meaning the Ghosts will now compete with West Milford, Wayne Valley and other JSN-area schools in the boys' basketball sectional tournament.

Changes in the football classification include Hackensack dropping from Group IV to Group III.  The Comets reached the sectional final last year, but it's questionable if they could pose any threat to Wayne Hills's run of five sectional crowns in a row in Group III.

Also in football, Glen Rock moves up from Group I to Group II.  The Panthers reached the section final last year, losing to Mountain Lakes.  Glen Rock's move would appear to be a boost for the Herd in its bid to repeat as champion on the gridiron in 2009. -- Paul Mencher for Jersey Sports Now