One region's loss is another region's gain.
Not all gains, however, are equal. For the holdover football teams in GHSA Region 7-AA -- all three of them -- reclassification was not exactly kind, at least in one respect.
Joining holdovers Fannin County, Gordon Central and Model are three teams that combined to win 26 games last year: Haralson County, North Murray and Rockmart.
Three of the new league's members were region champions last season, with Haralson (5-AA in 2021) and Rockmart (6-AAA in 2021) joining Fannin, which easily won 7-AA a year ago. Those three teams and North Murray, also formerly of 6-AAA, have a combined 19 consecutive playoff appearances.
Those streaks are likely to continue this year.
"I think it's top heavy," North Murray coach Preston Poag said. "Rockmart is a great program with good speed. Then there's a different type team in Haralson County, a very physical team. Then you get Fannin County, and now they've gotten used to winning and they just reload.
"It's tough, but the one thing I do like is the playoff scenario. We match up with a more favorable region in the first round this year than our old region has."
Rockmart appears well equipped to add its sixth region title in a row with 7-AA's most potent collection of offensive talent. Quarterback J.D. Davis is back after amassing 1,500 total yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021, while Cam Ferguson, JoJo Haynes and Brent Washington are all back after combining for 1,600 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.
The Yellow Jackets do need to replace their top two receivers and four of their seven top tacklers, but there is ample talent available with the potential for bigger roles.
Haralson, 10-2 last year, has quite a few more holes to fill, including replacing two-way star Clay Hyatt, who led the team in tackles and was the quarterback of an offense that scored nearly 40 points per game.
Running back Caden Hughes is back, as is defensive tackle Ethan Bell, who had seven sacks, 11 other tackles for loss and 83 total tackles last year. He is, however, one of only two of the team's top eight tacklers back this season.
Fannin, also 10-2, lost 7-AA's top player from a year ago in quarterback Seth Reece, who had a combined 2,400 yards and 28 touchdowns. However, the Rebels have plenty of size, led by 6-foot-4, 372-pound lineman Bryson Fink and Logan Long (6-2, 295). Seven of the top 10 tacklers return, including Cade Sands -- who will also likely be the lead running back -- and linebacker Andrew Waldrep, who had 19 tackles for loss among his 118 stops.
For Poag's Mountaineers, there should be plenty of offensive fireworks behind quarterback Seth Griffin (6-4, 200), who has averaged nearly 3,000 total yards as the starter the past two seasons. Poag said the athletic senior will be used more running the ball this season.
When he's not, though, there will be plenty of air time with the return of 1,200-yard receiver Jady Rice, steady Judson Petty and Skyler Williams, a tall target at 6-3. And all of them could play running back, joining the speedy Kyler Henry.
"I've got more depth than I ever have in skill guys," Poag said. "I've got so many receivers that they are still battling to see who is going to start, which is a good problem to have."
Poag expects the defense to take a step forward, and it will need to in order to compete for the region title. In its four losses last year, North Murray gave up 170 points, prompting Poag to say this summer, "We've got to be better defensively, but so far I like what I'm seeing."
In the same region, optimism is high on the other end of Chatsworth as well with the start of the Kurt Napier era at Murray County. Napier, the son of area coaching legend Bill Napier and the brother of new University of Florida coach Billy Napier, has nine starters back from last year's 1-9 team.
The strength of the Indians lies up front, where a group that includes Eli Hope (6-0, 275), Caleb Jones (6-2, 240) and Elijah Kruse (6-3, 260) will anchor both lines. Napier believes junior quarterback Judah Woodall can be a weapon on the ground, where Chase Jarvis and Aaron Flood (also the team's top returning tackler) will be the lead backs.
Gordon Central, coming off a winless season, has a group of talented underclassmen, including freshmen twins Brandon and Riley Thomas and sophomores Matthew Hammock, Jayden Jones and Jayden Sibley. Coach T.J. Hamilton said Peyton Wilson has taken a leadership role at quarterback, and he will have one of the region's top tight ends in Peyton Chastain, whose brother Parker (6-3, 305) is one of the region's top interior defensive linemen.
Rounding out the region is Model, which won three games a year ago and returns athletic playmakers Jermaine Campbell and Jeremiah Gamble.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.