Cape May Tech, with an enrollment that has increased by 22 percent over the last five years, is the only Cape-Atlantic League school to change NJSIAA groups for the 2009-10 school year.

The Hawks will play in Group 2 starting in September, joining Middle Township, Bridgeton, Buena and Pleasantville from the CAL. Tech will, however, remain in Group 1 for cross country.

Tech was one of CAL seven schools with an enrollment increase over the school year that ended in June. The others are Egg Harbor Township, Absegami, Millville, Oakcrest, St. Augustine Prep and St. Joseph.

Over the last five years, the biggest increase was 57 percent by St. Joseph, which has the largest enrollment (481) in its history. St. Augustine has increased by 35 percent and Egg Harbor Township by 30 percent. Each also has its largest enrollment ever.

These figures are for grades 10-12 during the fall of 2008. New figures will be compiled in three months and those figures will be used by the CAL to re-align its conferences for 2010-11. If those figures are basically the same as those just announced, it seems like St. Augustine Prep will move into the American Conference for football and Hammonton would drop back into the National. The decision of Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City about when it will start playing varsity sports could also effect that situation. Cedar Creek will join in September 2010.

There have been changes in South Jersey groups that will impact schools in the CAL. In Group 4, Clearview, Shawnee and Winslow Township have all moved up from Group 3. Gloucester Township Tech and Burlington Township are added to Group 3. In addition to Cape May Tech, Glassboro has moved up to Group 2 and West Deptford has dropped down to Group 2.

Five schools will move from South Jersey to Central Jersey – Toms River North (Group 4), Rancocas Valley (4), Pennsauken (4), Willingboro (2) and Cinnaminson (2). Three other schools are moving from Central Jersey to South Jersey – Brick Township (3), Point Pleasant Boro (3) and New Egypt (1).

Here are a few other observations about the newly released figures.
* Vineland is still the second largest school in South Jersey (to Washington Township) and EHT is a close No.4, 28 students behind third-ranked Cherokee. EHT’s enrollment has almost doubled since 2000.
* Millville’s enrollment increased by nearly 25 percent over the last year, moving the Thunderbolts past Atlantic City. For the first time ever, ACHS has the smallest enrollment in Division One of the American Conference.
* Wildwood Catholic has its smallest enrollment in at least 21 years. For the second straight year, there are more students in grades 10-12 at Wildwood High School than at Wildwood Catholic. It had not happened before last year since 1996.
* Ocean City and Wildwood have exactly the same enrollments as they did five years ago.
* If the NJSIAA figures hold up, it looks like Holy Spirit will compete in Division Two of the National Conference in boys sports starting in 2010. For the past few years, Pleasantville has filled that role.
* St. Joseph is now the third largest school in South Jersey Non-Public B.

Check this week's Gazette, Leader or Current for a complete CAL enrollment chart.