This overview is intended to explain which leagues CFA teams play in, what tournaments CFA teams are eligible for, and how selections into those tournaments are made.  CFA Middle School and High School teams are members of five different leagues, conferences, and state associations.

 

Leagues, Conference, and State Associations CFA teams compete in:

 

North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA)

Cape Fear Independent Conference (CFIC)

Southeastern Middle School League (SMSL)

 

East Central Lacrosse Conference (ECLC)

    

 

This is a league of private schools (day and boarding) in North Carolina.  The Cape Fear Academy athletic program is governed by the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association.  The Official NCISAA website is www.ncisaa.org.  The NCISAA fan website is www.ncisaa.com.  For athletic purposes the NCISAA is subdivided into three classifications based on size of school.  Schools are designated into 1A, 2A, or 3A classifications based on their grade 9-12 student population.  Classification numbers are reviewed every 3 years.  A school may change classifications based on enrollment size each year.  Each school may use a one-year grace period if a move up or down in classification occurs.  A school may appeal to the NCISAA each year in playing up a classification. Some sports such as Field Hockey, Girls' Lacrosse, and Boys’ Lacrosse are NCISAA all-classification sports where any team from all three classifications can compete for a state title.  This happens when not many schools field teams for a particular sport.  This ensures that there is sufficient competition for each school.  This also explains why CFA might play a bigger school like Durham Academy or Charlotte Latin in the state playoffs, but CFA and these schools will not compete against each other in other state tournaments.  Individual swimmers and golfers can qualify to compete in the state tournaments if they meet qualifying standards/times even if CFA does not field or qualify as a team.  Each school in the NCISAA is a member of a conference.  CFA is a member of the Cape Fear Independent Conference (CFIC)

 

CFA's Boys' Soccer, Girls' Field Hockey, Boys' Cross Country, Girls' Cross Country, Girls' Tennis, and Girls' Volleyball teams compete in the NCISAA during the fall season.

 

CFA's Boys Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Boys' Swimming, and Girls' Swimming teams compete in the NCISAA during the winter season.  

 

CFA's Girls' Soccer, Boys' Tennis, Boys' Lacrosse,Girls' Lacrosse,Girls' Softball, and Boys' Golf teams compete in the NCISAA during the spring season.

 

CFA Field Hockey, Girls' Lacrosse, and Boys' Lacrosse compete in the NCISAA.  Field Hockey, Girls' Lacrosse, and Boys' Lacrosse are all-classification sports where any team from all three classifications can compete for a state title. CFA does not belong to a conference/league for both Field Hockey and Girls Lacrosse.

 

NCISAA holds State Playoffs and Tournaments for team sports – Girls' and Boys' Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Girls' and Boys' Basketball, Softball, and Boys' and Girls' Lacrosse.  The tournament field is selected by a NCISAA Seeding Committee.  Conference champions receive automatic bids into the 12 or 16 team state tournament field.  Other schools receive at large bids.

 

NCISAA State Tournament and Meets for teams sports – Tennis, Cross Country, and Swimming are open tournaments were all schools qualify.  

 

NCISAA Golf Tournament is determined by an index. Eight(8) schools with the lowest golf indexes are selected for the state tournament.

 

This is a league of independent day schools which are located in the Cape Fear River Region of North Carolina and are members of the NCISAA 2A classification.  The schools in the league include: Cape Fear Academy, Fayetteville Academy, Fayetteville Christian School, Harrells Christian Academy, O'Neal School, and Village Christian Academy.  CFIC awards league championships in Soccer (B&G), Tennis (B&G), Volleyball, Cross Country (B&G), Basketball (B&G), Baseball, Swimming (B&G), Softball, and Golf.

 

CFA Field Hockey, Boys' Lacrosse, and Girls' Lacrosse are not CFIC sports but do compete in the NCISAA.

 

 

The SMSL is an eight-team middle school league for private schools in Southeastern North Carolina.  The SMSL is a basketball-only league.  The schools in the league include: Cape Fear Academy, Friends School of Wilmington, Harrells Christian Academy, Myrtle Grove Christian School, St. Mark's Catholic School, St. Mary’s Catholic School, Waccamaw Academy, and Wilmington Christian Academy.  

 

East Central Lacross Confernece (ECLC)

The ECLC is a four team Varsity Boys' Lacrosse league. The schools in the league include Cape Fear Academy, Cary Christian School, Caldwell Academy, and Parrott Academy. The league began play in the spring of 2010.