The latest local news, weather and high school sports in and around Columbia and Jefferson City

The Missouri State High School Activities Association has released football district assignments for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Eight teams will now make up most districts. Jefferson City, Hickman and Rock Bridge are together in a Class 6 district that also features Francis Howell, Francis Howell Central, Ft. Zumwalt West, Timberland and Troy.

Helias remains in Class 4, playing in a district that includes Hannibal, Kirksville, Marshall, Mexico, Moberly, St. Dominic and Warrenton.

A pair of Mid-Missouri teams will switch classes in this cycle. Centralia, a perennial Class 2 power, will move up to Class 3. The Panthers will play in a district with Boonville, California, Chillicothe, Fulton, Macon, MMA and Southern Boone.

North Callaway has dropped from Class 3 to Class 2. The Thunderbirds' district includes Blair Oaks, Cuba, Hallsville, Hermann, Montgomery County, South Callaway and Tolton-Calvary, which will play its first varsity season in 2012. The team is made up of players from Father Tolton High School in Columbia and Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City.

Beginning in 2012, MSHSAA will switch to a new football playoff format. Each team will play nine regular season games before beginning a district tournament. Teams will be seeded in their district by a point system.

Class 6 will have four districts while Classes 1-5 will each have eight districts. Eight teams will make up each district in Classes 1-4 and Class 6. Class 5 districts will feature six or seven teams each.