Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

The Southern Illinois River to River will see teams shifting divisions in the 2023-24 school year, with Benton and West Frankfort moving to the Mississippi side and Carterville heading to the Ohio.

Benton will replace Carterville as the biggest school in the Mississippi, while the Lions will slot right in the middle of the now five-team Ohio.

Sparta’s decision to head to the Cahokia Conference next year will leave the SIRR with 11 schools. There was a movement a few months ago to start a new conference with six to eight of the current SIRR schools. That did not gain traction, with the 11 schools ultimately deciding it was best to move forth together.

Conferences must have six teams for the champion to get an automatic bid for the IHSA football playoffs. There had been debate about whether to eliminate the divisions and go with 11 teams, but that presents a scheduling nightmare. The SIRR will remain a two division conference for all sports except boys soccer, which only has six teams.

Here is how the new divisions will stack up in 2023-24 based on current enrollment:

Mississippi
Benton 555.5
Anna-Jonesboro 512
West Frankfort 504
Du Quoin 435
Pinckneyville 425.5
Nashville 405

Ohio
Herrin 745
Murphysboro 610
Carterville 593.5
Massac Co. 587.5
Harrisburg 543.5