AREA TEAMS IN NEW SYSTEMHow area teams in the 2012-13 school year would be placed in the GHSA’s six-classification system based on the current cycle’s student enrollement numbers (schools are listed from largest to smallest in each region):Region 6-AAAAA – Osborne, Sprayberry, Sequoyah, Woodland-Cartersville, Allatoona, Pope, Dalton, Kell, Rome.Region 7-AAAA – Cass, Ridgeland, Southeast Whitfield, Northwest Whitfield, Pickens, Gilmer County, LaFayette, Paulding County, River Ridge, Heritage.Region 6-AAA – Cedartown, Central Carroll, Haralson County, Cartersville, Adairsville, Pepperell, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Murray County, Sonoraville, Ringgold, North Murray.Region 7-AA – Calhoun, Armuchee, Chattooga, Coahulla Creek, Coosa, Dade County, Model, Gordon Central, Rockmart, Gordon Lee.Region 6-A – Trion, Mount Zion, Mount Paran, Walker, North Cobb Christian, Excel Christian, Georgia School for the Deaf, Fellowship Christian, Darlington.
Led by a block of support from Atlanta-area schools, the Georgia High School Association approved Tuesday a six-classification plan for the next cycle, beginning with the 2012-13 school year. In doing so the state’s prep ruling body both surprised and pleased most northwest Georgia coaches.
“I like it,” Calhoun athletic director and football coach Hal Lamb said. “I wasn’t for the 4/8 plan for several reasons, and I’m sure there will be pros and cons to this plan. Right now, it looks like we’ll remain in Class AA and our region will look fairly similar. Of course, we’ll have to wait on the [enrollment] numbers.”
Under the plan, which was introduced by committee member and former Brookwood football coach Dave Hunter, Class AAAAAA will be made up of the top 15 percent of the state’s member schools in student population, with AAAAA getting the next 15 percent. Classes AAAA, AAA and AA each will have 16 percent. Class A, because many of its schools do not play football, will have 22 percent.
The 4/8 plan would have had four classifications for the regular season and eight for the postseason. Though that plan was approved by the committee and submitted for vote, the GHSA tabled the first vote last month and Tuesday it was soundly defeated by a vote of 35-15.