It was confirmed this afternoon that St. Augustine Prep will be moving up to the American Conference starting with the 2008-09 school year in basketball, soccer and baseball. 

These alignments are based on enrollment figures and The Prep passed Lower Cape May this fall. Keep in mind, St. Augustine's enrollment is doubled for alignment purposes because it is a single-gender school.

Lower Cape May will drop to the National Conference in those three sports and in girls sports.

Some sports (lacrosse, swimming, etc.) do not have universal participation within the CAL and will therefore have different alignments that are still being determined.

No official determination will be made concerning football until after the NJSIAA's December vote on a proposal that would end existing leagues in football and create special leagues of teams from the same enrollment groups. But one source indicated that if that proposal is defeated, it is very likely that St. Augustine will also move up to the American Conference in football, with Hammonton dropping back down.

So, The Prep will no longer play Holy Spirit, Pleasantville and Middle Township twice in basketball. But it will play Atlantic City and Mainland twice every year in basketball and will play Ocean City twice in soccer. So, you lose a rivalry or two and you gain a couple more.