A rollercoaster of changes has swept through MIAA sports teams in the form of division realignments. This can be good or bad news depending on who you ask. Divisional changes can affect a team’s standings. Most likely due to having better competition at a lower division and easier competition at a higher division.

​School numbers are the main factor for division changes. If you have more students in a school, you have more opportunities for better athletes. Lower divisions have fewer opportunities to get amazing athletes because of the smaller total student body. Having more students prompts you to be more competitive, so you’re in a lower division compared to a smaller school.

​The Cross Country team here at Oakmont is being moved to a new divisional home this Fall 2025 season. Our Boys and Girls Cross Country Team is being moved from Division 3 to Division 2. Does this negatively affect the team?  Both Captains and Coach Brunelle think the team is prepared more than ever with the work they have put in so far this season. 

​For Oakmont’s cross country team, it will be considerably harder to meet the qualifications for the divisional state championship because of the movement of divisions from D3 to D2.  With better competition in the division, Oakmont’s team will be forced to try its hardest to compete with other teams to qualify.

​Being in a lower division isn’t always necessarily bad; it has its benefits. Being in a lower division in most sports means you get more recognition from college recruiters and get noticed by many more people. Because of the pure population increase of the people watching the teams and the teams themselves.

In other sports, for example, soccer, if you are in a lower division and you keep losing games, it doesn’t make you look totally bad. While being in a low division and having a losing record, you can still receive recognition and kudos.

​On the other side, there is cross-country. While it’s not impossible to be noticed if you don’t qualify for the divisional state meet, it is definitely harder. Not qualifying means that they meet all year with the most people and recruiters the team just doesn’t get to go.

​Cross country team captain Jayden Brostrom says, “You know it’s gonna be tough, but I think we have some good new talent. It will be good.”  

​The team Captains & Coach Brunelle look forward to how the Cross Country team will adapt to the new division and will perform throughout the season.