
Deming Athletics and Activities Director Mike Ellis was in Albuquerque Thursday to appeal the classification and alignment change before the New Mexico Activities Association directors, but the appeal was denied.
In fact, Ellis said, 17 schools across the state appealed the new district alignments, and 16 of them were denied. Only the new alignment for Pecos High School is being reviewed.
That means beginning in August, Deming High School will be competing in Class 6-A against four Dona Ana County schools in the district: Gadsden, Las Cruces High, Mayfield and Onate.
Ellis used student-athlete numbers as part of his appeal.
Schools have to complete federal Title Nine reports each year to confirm how many student-athletes are participating within the school, and Ellis said the last report showed Onate with 225 more student-athletes than Deming – and the other three schools have even more than Onate.
The new classification will affect athletics and activities across the board that are aligned using NMAA districts.