Peabody Football Placed in New Division 1A

The changes are coming fast and furiously for the MIAA. Just years after radically altering the playoff process, the governing board of high school football in Massachusetts has now decided to completely alter the division system the sport is centralized around.

As part of the changes Peabody will be on the move after 2 straight appearances in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs.

The MIAA has effectively created 8 new divisions under the names D1, D1A, D2, D2A, D3, D3A, D4, and D4A.

Peabody will now compete starting in 2016 in Division 1A North which will also include; Lynn Classical, Westford Academy, Revere, Central Catholic, Chelsea, Cambridge, Lincoln-Sudbury, Chelmsford, Malden Catholic, North Andover, and Woburn.

While the move my come as a surprise, the Tanners are used to change as of late, being moved into the NEC South this past season. That change brought new opponents to their schedule including Marblehead and Beverly, which both ended up being losses for Peabody.

Peabody will now go through a variety of new teams come playoff time and one factor that will surely be of great controversy is that Everett is no longer in the Tanners' division. After two all-time memorable playoff games in row and decades of rivalry, that's something nobody wants to see.

Nevertheless, Peabody's regular season schedule will not see too drastic of a change, as today's changes do not effect the state's conferences.

According to the Boston Herald; schools have until January 1 to appeal their placement to St. John's Prep athletic director Jim O'Leary.

All unsuccessful appeals will be deferred to the MIAA Football Committee at their next meeting on February 8, 2016.

No word on whether Peabody will appeal the decision or not.