The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission’s Board of Directors approved a change for postseason action on Thursday eliminating the preliminary sectional round.

The new format will combine the existing sections in each region into a regional tournament, according to a release issued by the WVSSAC on Thursday.

There will be two final games in each region, with the two champions in each of the four regions advancing to the state tournament.

The teams in each region will be seeded by coaches’ balloting.

The Inter-Mountain photo by Joey Kittle The WVSSAC also approved modifications in the high school football rating system and competition rule on Thursday.

The higher-seeded teams could receive a first-round bye, depending on how many schools are in the region.

The highest-seeded school in each game of the regional tournament will be the home team.

The teams advancing to Charleston for the state tourney will be reseeded using the system that’s currently in place — coaches’ balloting.

The new four-class system begins next year for boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball.

Buckhannon-Upshur is paired with John Marshall, Wheeling Park, Morgantown, Preston and University in Class AAAA Region 1.

Elkins will be in Class AAA Region 1 with North Marion, Weir, Brooke, East Fairmont, Fairmont Senior and Grafton.

In Class AA Region II, Philip Barbour will be joined by Moorefield, Petersburg, Liberty-Harrison, Braxton County, South Harrison, Doddridge County and Ritchie County.

The Class A Region II field includes Tygarts Valley, Tucker County, Harman, Pocahontas County, Pendleton County, East Hardy, Union and Paw Paw.

The WVSSAC Board also approved modifications in the high school football rating system and competition rule for the 2024 season.

In regards to ratings, a team will now receive one bonus for wins regardless of the opponent’s classification, according to the WVSSAC release on Thursday.

Previously, bonus points were awarded only for wins their classification or above.

The strength of the schedule component of the rating system will remain the same but in the four classification system which begins this fall, Class AAAA teams will be valued at 15 points in the ratings system, Class AAA 12, Class AA 9 and Class A 6.

The game-shortening rule was also changed, now taking effect in the third quarter if a team has a 42-point lead.