Past Northern Region districts In 1965, the then nineteen schools in the Northern Region which competed at the AAA varsity level were first organized into three districts based primarily on geographic location. The Northern Region was originally made up of three districts. They were the
AAA Northern District, the
AAA Alexandria District, and the
AAA Potomac District. The Alexandria District had its name changed to the Gunston District within a few years. The Northern Region had these districts until 1976, when a fourth district, the Great Falls, was added. These districts served the region until the 1993–1994 school year. There are currently 17 teams playing in the Northern Region (6D) as of the 2018–2019 school year. The Concorde District includes Centreville, Chantilly, Madison, Oakton, Westfield. The Cedar Run District includes Battlefield, Osbourn, Osbourn Park, Patriot, Stonewall Jackson. The Liberty District includes Herndon, Langley, McLean, South Lakes, Washington-Liberty, Yorktown. Marshall is in the National District but the other members of that district play in region 6C.
Major changes in the Northern Region Current district names The four current district names (Concorde, Cedar Run, Liberty, National) were adopted in the 1993-1994 school based on which division (5 or 6) of football they played in. The Concorde and Patriot Districts held Division 6 schools which are larger AAA schools; the Liberty and National Districts held only Division 5 schools which are smaller AAA schools.
2005 In 2003, Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge, members of the
AA Dulles District, were moved to the AAA Northern Region for the 2005-2007 playing cycle due to enrollment increases in the schools. The Northern Region originally tried to keep both schools away from the region, but the VHSL forced them to accept the two Loudoun County schools anyway. Loudoun schools Broad Run, Park View, and Potomac Falls were Northern Region members before, but they joined before a 2001 VHSL provision was passed which would allow schools to play down a class due to transportation hardships, which both the Loudoun schools and the Northern Region used as a reason to keep its geography within Fairfax County, but this plan failed because the VHSL did not believe either school's location warranted such a request. Thus, Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge were forced to join the Northern Region, with Valley receiving an exemption to become a playoff only member of the National District and Stone Bridge joining the Liberty in all sports. However, Loudoun Valley's time in the region was short lived, as they were moved to the
AAA Cedar Run District of the
AAA Northwest Region for the 2007-2009 cycle.
2009 In 2007, Stone Bridge was provisionally placed to move to the Cedar Run District for the 2009-2011 cycle with Loudoun Valley along with
Heritage of Leesburg, because the district would lose three members due to a decline in enrollment, as well as to keep the balance of regions as equal as possible. However, all three Loudoun schools appealed the redistricting, with Loudoun Valley and Heritage requesting to move into the Northern Region, and Stone Bridge requesting to remain in it. The VHSL decided to reject Loudoun Valley's and Heritage's appeals, but allowed Stone Bridge to remain in the Northern Region.
Former members of the Northern Region Alexandria City schools Francis C. Hammond High School and
George Washington High School were members of the Northern Region until 1971, when they consolidated into the newer
T. C. Williams High School, as was portrayed in the 2000 movie
Remember the Titans. The city of
Alexandria has had just one senior high school for its students ever since. After the consolidation, Hammond and GW were reconfigured to hold the city's 9th and 10th graders, with the 11th and 12th graders attending T.C. In the 1980s Hammond and GW were reassigned as middle schools.
Fairfax County schools Fort Hunt High School and
Groveton High School were both members of the Northern Region in the 1970s and the 1980s until they consolidated to form
West Potomac High School in 1985. West Potomac uses the former Groveton High's facilities. Fort Hunt High School's facilities are now being used as the site of
Carl Sandburg Middle School.
Thomas Jefferson High School of Alexandria was also a longtime member of the Northern Region until 1985 when it phased in the
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology program. Though TJHSST and TJHS used the same building and had the same mascot (Colonials), they were still considered to be separate schools. Students at Thomas Jefferson High School were also eventually moved to nearby
Annandale High School in 1987.
Loudoun County schools From 1996 to 1999,
Broad Run High School of Ashburn and
Park View High School of Sterling were admitted to the Northern Region in the Liberty District.
Potomac Falls High School of Sterling opened in 1997 and was also a member of the Northern Region as a member of the Concorde District from 1997 until 1999. In 1999, all three schools dropped back to Group AA and returned to the Northwestern District because their enrollment numbers dropped significantly due to Potomac Falls' opening. From 2005 to 2007,
Loudoun Valley High School of Purcellville, entered the Northern Region as a full member for football and as a playoff only member for other sports in the National District. The school's distance caused travel concerns among Loudoun Valley and other district members. Loudoun Valley moved to the
AAA Cedar Run District of the Northwest Region after its two-year stint. ==Region champions==