Minneapolis South High School's football team will drop from Class 6A to 4A for next season.

The Minnesota State High School League's new section assignments dropped the Tigers from super-Class 6A and Section 6, which includes schools in the formidable Lake Conference. South joins Section 3 in Class 4A, and coach Lenny Sedlock is confident his team is more than capable of competing there.

"This is about as close of a perfect fit we could have right now," Sedlock said. "I know Holy Family and [Holy Angels, Richfield, St. Paul Highland Park, St. Paul Academy co-op] are really good, but they're still not Wayzata and Eden Prairie."

Last season Sedlock and athletic director Mark Sanders headed an initiative to move South football into the Lake Conference. They were denied by the Minneapolis Public Schools, so Sanders approached the high school league about reassignment to a lower class, citing various socioeconomic factors.

"I don't regret one thing that we did," Sedlock said. "I know at times people weren't very happy with us. To be honest, though, we did what we thought we had to do."

Minneapolis Washburn also received a new assignment, bumped up from Class 4A to Class 5A, Section 3, where it joins Minneapolis Southwest.

JASON GONZALEZ

Gophers post filled

Chris Werle has been named associate athletic director for strategic communications at the University of Minnesota after more than 20 years of work with a variety of sports, corporate and public organizations in Minnesota and across the country.

Werle will begin work Monday and will oversee Gophers athletics communications and media relations functions. He will also provide strategic advice on brand management, creative services and marketing, and stakeholder and policy-maker relationships.

Windle is pitcher of the week

Tom Windle of the Gophers was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. On Friday, Windle became the first Gopher since 1931 to throw a nine-inning no hitter, beating Western Illinois 3-0 at the Metrodome.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS