The Guerin Catholic football team will move up to Class 4A this season after spending over a decade in Class 3A. Pictured for the Golden Eagles is Kolbe Klee. (Mike Navarro/File photo)
By RICHIE HALL
The Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles are flying up to a higher football class.
The IHSAA announced its classifications for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years on Wednesday. Guerin Catholic moved up to Class 4A in football after spending over a decade in 3A.
In terms of enrollment numbers, Guerin Catholic sits at 799, which is the second-smallest in Class 4A. The Golden Eagles’ Circle City Conference rival Bishop Chatard is the smallest at 794. This does not count the two schools that are in 4A due to the success factor: Heritage Hills (which remains in 4A) and Bishop Luers (which moves into 3A by factor rules).
“We knew it was trending that way, and even the last time is was reclassified we were right on the dividing line,” said GC coach Tom Dilley. “Not surprised, but certainly excited to take on that challenge. It’s a whole new level and a whole new opportunity to test ourselves, test our kids and hopefully push us to new heights.”
Dilley had previously coached at Bishop Chatard, which won back-to-back 3A state titles in 2001 and 2002. He then coached at Lawrence North from 2003-12 when the Wildcats were in Class 5A, the highest class at the time.
Dilley played football at Penn High School, which won the first-ever 4A state title in 1983, his senior year and the first year for four-class football. (Class 5A was introduced in 1985 and Class 6A began in 2013.)
Schedule challenges
The Golden Eagles’ move to 4A means they will match the class of its other Circle City rivals. Brebeuf Jesuit and Roncalli are also in 4A, along with Chatard.
Starting with the 2027-28 school year, Guerin Catholic and Brebeuf will join the Hoosier Heritage Conference. The Golden Eagles already have two of those teams, Pendleton Heights and Mt. Vernon, on their schedule for the upcoming football season.
Both the Arabians and Marauders are also moving up, advancing to 5A from 4A. Pendleton Heights will be the second 5A team on GC’s schedule; Guerin Catholic plays the Arabians in Week 2 after opening the season against 5A McCutcheon. The Golden Eagles play at Mt. Vernon for their Week 8 game.
“We play a tough schedule, here’s no doubt,” said Dilley. “We always have. We still need to do a better job of meeting the challenges of how our schedule was. I’m sure we’ll run across some of the old tough programs that we’ve been accustomed to competing against.”
As for other Hoosier Heritage schools, Greenfield-Central is moving up to 5A from 4A, while New Palestine is spending another year in 5A after winning the state title in 4A in 2024. The Dragons won an undefeated state title last season in their first year in 5A.
Yorktown is also in 4A, as is Lebanon, which will join the Hoosier Heritage in 2027.
“New class, new conference,” said Dilley. “Should be exciting.”
Other sports
Guerin Catholic’s move to 4A football is the only change among Hamilton County schools and sports. The five largest county schools (Carmel, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield) are still in 6A, with Hamilton Heights staying in 3A and Sheridan remaining in 1A.
There were no changes to county classifications in the four-class sports (girls volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball), or in the three-class sport of soccer.
The IHSAA said in a press release that committee meetings of school administrators “from around the state will be conducted to make the sectional assignments. Their final recommendations will be presented to the IHSAA Executive Committee for its approval on May 5.”
