The Montana High School Association executive board on Nov. 23 approved a number of changes to high school sports conferences and regulations intended to further protect athletes.

Class A now has 20 high schools with the reclassification of Libby and Anaconda to Class B, and the Class A high schools have been realigned into two divisions.

The proposal will combine the Northwestern and Southwestern conferences and the Eastern and Central conferences into Eastern and Western divisions. The divisions will hold a combined divisional tournament in volleyball, basketball, wrestling, and track and field, but football playoffs will remain within conferences.

The board also approved regulations to protect athletes. They passed a provision limiting football players to playing a maximum of eight quarters per week or two games in a 48-hour period.

The measure is intended to protect athletes from being overworked in both junior varsity and varsity competition. The board also limited the amount of contact in practice to no more than 90 minutes per week.

For track and field, the board approved regulations limiting athletes to compete in only one top 10/8 meet per season.

The Montana High School Association executive board also reclassified a number of high schools in Class B and C and realigned their conferences.