Class AAAA Blog: The New Region Alignment Guide

ajc.com

Georgia’s new region landscape is set to make its debut next fall and since the Coronavirus outbreak wreaked havoc on the spring sports seasons (and spring football), it is worth taking a look ahead to the changes waiting on the horizon when the new school year gets underway. I have listed the new region assignments below and noted the changes that occurred from the previous landscape.

REGION 1-AAAA

Bainbridge

Cairo

Dougherty

Monroe

Thomas County Central

Westover

NOTES: Not surprisingly, the state's middle classification experienced a ton of turnover following the realignment and Region 1 is just one example. Only Cairo, Dougherty and Westover are back as Americus-Sumter, Carver-Columbus, Columbus, Hardaway, Northside-Columbus and Shaw have found new regions. Bainbridge and Thomas County Central arrive from Class AAAAA's Region 1 and Monroe is joining after competing in Class AAA Region 1. 

REGION 2-AAAA

Carver-Columbus

Columbus

Hardaway

Jordan

Kendrick

LaGrange

Shaw

Spencer

Troup

NOTES: Region 2 returns none of the six schools that resided in it pre-realignment (Howard, Mary Persons, Perry, Spalding, Upson-Lee and West Laurens). Carver-Columbus, Columbus, Hardaway, LaGrange, Troup and Shaw are arriving from within the classification. Jordan and Spencer are coming all the way from Region 5 in Class AA and Kendrick arrives from Region 4 in Class AAA.

REGION 3-AAAA

Benedictine

Islands

Jenkins

New Hampstead

NOTES: There are no returning teams as Burke County, Baldwin, Cross Creek, Richmond Academy and Thomson departed. Four newcomers are set to join Region 3. This group includes former Class AAA programs Benedictine, Islands and Jenkins and former Class AAAAA program New Hampstead.

REGION 4-AAAA

Baldwin

Howard

Perry

Spalding

West Laurens

NOTES: Region 4's former eight-team region will be replaced by five new programs that all competed within the classification this past season. Howard, Perry, Spalding and West Laurens come from Region 2 and Baldwin comes in from Region 4.

REGION 5-AAAA

Fayette County

Hampton

Luella

McDonough

Mt. Zion-Jonesboro

North Clayton

Riverdale

NOTES: Region 5 will have no returning teams from its former alignment (Cartersville, Cedartown, Central-Carroll, Chapel Hill, LaGrange, Sandy Creek and Troup). Former Region 4 opponents Hampton, Luella, McDonough and North Clayton are now in the region. They will be joined by former Class AAAAA Region 3 opponents Fayette County and Riverdale in addition to Mt. Zion-Jonesboro, which arrives from Class AAAAAA's Region 4.

REGION 6-AAAA

Arabia Mountain

Druid Hills

Hapeville Charter

Mays

Miller Grove

Stephenson

NOTES: None of the seven teams that competed in Region 6 return as it shifts from a North-Georgia group of teams to a Metro-based lineup of teams. Druid Hills and Marist join from within the classification, while Arabia Mountain and Miller Grove make their way to Region 6 from Class AAAAA. Hapeville Charter makes a two-classification jump up from Region 6 in Class AA, while Mays and Stephenson make a two-classification descent from Class AAAAAA.

REGION 7-AAAA

Cedartown

Central-Carrollton

Heritage-Catoosa

Northwest Whitfield

Pickens

Ridgeland

Southeast Whitfield

NOTES: Region 7 saw a complete turnover with the departure of Blessed Trinity, Chestatee, Denmark, Flowery Branch, Marist, West Hall and White County). Four former Region 6 teams (Heritage-Catoosa, Northwest Whitfield, Pickens and Southeast Whitfield) and Cedartown and Central-Carroll from Region 5 now form the region.

REGION 8-AAAA

Cedar Shoals

Chestatee

East Hall

Flowery Branch

Jefferson

Madison County

North Oconee

NOTES: Madison County and North Oconee will be joined by five newcomers after the vacancies left by Oconee County, St. Pius and Stephens County. Jefferson and East Hall arrive from Class AAA and Cedar Shoals hails from Region 8 in Class AAAAA. Additionally, former Region 7 opponents Flowery Branch and Chestatee arrive from within the classification.