When high school sports returned after the COVID-19 pause, it was a natural time to shake things up.

The MIAA changed to a true statewide format, and at the local level, the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference (PVIAC) realigned most of its leagues. As tends to be the case in high school athletics, not all of the teams — which naturally age out players year-to-year with graduation — who were in a good position in 2021 to compete in a high-level league are still at the same level. The same is true on the other side, where some teams have grown out of a certain league. 

The new leagues remained in place through this spring but realignment will shift things beginning with the 2025-26 school year. The PVIAC has announced the new leagues for the fall and winter season already. Here’s what they’ll look like: 

Football

Franklin Tech and Ware split the Intercounty League North title a year ago and the two will battle it out again next fall. The North remained unchanged, as Palmer, Athol, Mahar and Greenfield will once again comprise the league.

The Intercounty South will look much different. Just Frontier and Commerce remain, as Lee, Hoosac, Belchertown and Easthampton have departed. Chicopee, Ludlow, Springfield International and Northampton join the Redhawks and the Raiders.

Boys soccer

Frontier has had plenty of success on the pitch these last few years and will be taking a step up in competition this fall as it joins the Holley League that features Chicopee Comp, Westfield, Chicopee, Central and South Hadley.

Mahar also leaves the Moriarty League to join the re-worked Schmid League along with Monson, Westfield Tech, Smith Academy and SICS. 

The Tri-County League North is full of Recorder area teams, as the league is made up of Pioneer, Greenfield, Athol, Turners Falls, Franklin Tech and Hopkins Academy. 

Girls soccer

Like its boys team, the Frontier girls soccer team is moving up a league this fall. 

The Redhawks cruised to a Pioneer North title last year and will now compete in the Central League against Hampshire, Monson, Southwick, Amherst and Granby. 

Greenfield also moves up a league, heading to the Pioneer North where it will face off with Palmer, Hopkins, Easthampton, Holyoke and Chicopee. 

The remainder of Recorder area teams will play in the Bi-County League, which is made up of Athol, Smith Academy, Franklin Tech, Pioneer, Mahar and St. Mary’s. The Bears won the league a year ago. 

Field hockey

Greenfield and Frontier are once again in the Suburban League — the toughest division in Western Mass. The two are joined once again by Longmeadow, Minnechaug and Agawam while East Longmeadow and Westfield make the leap up.

The County League also has area teams, as the league is made up of Franklin Tech, Mohawk Trail, Turners, Mahar, Hampshire, Palmer and West Springfield.

Golf

Frontier will compete in an expanded Suburban League that now features Amherst, Chicopee Comp, Belchertown, Hampshire, West Springfield, Ludlow and Southwick.

The Bi-County East also expanded and will now feature Franklin Tech, Pioneer, Athol, Smith Vocational, Mohawk Trail, McCann Tech, Westfield Tech, Hopkins and Turners Falls.

Girls volleyball

Frontier will again be competing against the best in Western Mass., playing in what is now called the Northern League along with Longmeadow, Amherst, Baystate Academy, Westfield, Minnechaug and Agawam.

The original Northern League has turned into the Western League and features the same teams: Mohawk Trail, Franklin Tech, Athol, Greenfield, Pioneer, Mahar and Turners.

Cross Country

Frontier, Greenfield and Mohawk Trail remain in the Pioneer North but will now be joined by Hampshire, PVCICS, Belchertown, Southwick and Pope Francis.

Pioneer, Mahar and Turners will run in the Pioneer Central along with McCann Tech, Hopkins, Smith Vocational and Liberatas. 

Boys basketball

This is where the largest shift might have happened, as Drury and Lenox have exited the Hampshire League.

Pioneer, Greenfield, Mahar, Frontier and Hopkins will be joined by Athol and Smith Academy in what is now called the Hampshire League North.

Turners and Franklin Tech have left the Hampshire League North and will play in the Tri-County North along with McCann Tech, Westfield Tech, PVCICS, Smith Vocational and Mohawk Trail. The Warriors are expected to bring back their varsity team after several years playing a JV schedule.

Girls basketball

Girls hoops will also look quite different. 

Frontier moves to the Suburban League where it will take on the likes of Lenox, Drury, Hoosac, Pope Francis and Wahconah. 

Greenfield, Franklin Tech, Mahar, Mohawk Trail, Pioneer, Smith Academy and Hopkins make up the newly formed Franklin County League South while Athol and Turners are joined by Smith Vocational, Pathfinder, Duggan, Baystate and Putnam in the Tri-County North. 

Hockey

Greenfield won the Berry Division in its first year in the league and are back to defend their title against the same group in West Springfield, Longmeadow, Minnechaug, East Longmeadow, Westfield and Ludlow. 

Swimming

Turners Falls is back in the Constitution League, which now features Chicopee, Monson, Renaissance, Hampden Charter and Easthampton. 

Wrestling

Another sport with a shakeup, Athol and Mahar have moved from the Suburban League to the Valley Wheel where it will compete with East Longmeadow, Ludlow, Hampden Charter, Belchertown, Pathfinder and South Hadley. 

Frontier and Franklin Tech remain in the Suburban League where they will take on Westfield, Holyoke, PVCICS, Smith Vocational and Longmeadow. 

Mohawk Trail remains in the Tri-County League and will face Hampshire, SICS, Gateway, Duggan and Southwick. 

Skiing

Mohawk Trail is once again in the North Division where it will score against Northampton, Longmeadow, Minnechaug, Agawam, Westfield and Amherst. East Longmeadow also in the league on the boys side but not the girls side. 

Indoor track

Frontier, Mahar and Mohawk Trail are joined by Hampshire, Pope Francis, South Hadley and Southwick in the Valley North. Athol, Greenfield and Pioneer will race with Baystate, Commerce and Hampden Charter in the Valley South.