GHSA reclassification was kind to Region 7-AAA, at least travel-wise.
The new region is mostly a mix of what was 7-AAAA (Heritage, Northwest Whitfield) and 6-AAA (Adairsville, LaFayette, Ridgeland), with Gilmer from 7-AAA and Calhoun from Class AAAAA thrown in.
Heritage and Northwest no longer have to travel to Cedartown and Central-Carroll, and Calhoun gains a close new rival in Adairsville while losing its previous Atlanta-area 5A schools and the former 6-AAA teams can say goodbye to trips to Bremen.
“It’s good to see some familiar faces,” Calhoun coach Clay Stephenson said. “We went south for the most part before, and now we get to play some true northwest Georgia teams. It’s exciting that we get to play Adairsville again. For 15 years or so, that was one of the biggest games on the schedule.”
When the two meet in Calhoun to start region play in September it will certainly be big as the two preseason favorites renew their rivalry. But while the Yellow Jackets and Tigers may be the teams to beat at first glance, a closer look reveals a region race that could have quite a few twists and turns.