The GHSA began having two Class A champions in 2012, but it’s always been one public and one private champion until now.
After this year’s reclassification cycle, the former Class A Private and Class A Public have been reshuffled into Class A, Division I and Division II.
But, what’s in a name? Really?
There remain two classes and two playoff brackets, and each of the two divisions will yield a state champion at the end of the season.
So let’s see what changed … who is out, who is in, and take a look at the newly minted regions at the bottom of the blog. The reclass cycle was a numerical wash. Class A gained 18 teams and lost 18 teams. Some teams went to other classifications, and some exited the GHSA, preferring to compete in GISA.
Numerous Class AA programs dropped down into Class A Division I, including Bacon County, Bleckley County, Chattooga, Coosa, Dade County, East Laurens, Elbert County, Heard County, Jasper County, Jefferson County, Lamar County, Oglethorpe County, Pepperell, Rabun County, Swainsboro and Temple. Savannah, a former AAA program, also joins Division I. Early County, formerly in Class AA, joins Division II.
Leaving Class A and joining other classes are former A Public teams ACE Charter (2A), BEST Academy (2A) and Gordon Lee (2A). Also on the outs are former Class A Private teams Athens Academy (2A), Calvary Day (3A), Eagle’s Landing Christian (2A), Fellowship Christian (2A), Hebron Christian (3A), Holy Innocents’ (4A), Landmark Christian (2A), Mount Paran Christian (2A), North Cobb Christian (2A), Providence Christian (2A), Savannah Christian (3A), Savannah Country Day (3A), Trinity Christian (4A), Walker (2A) and Wesleyan (3A).
It’s also notable that one sitting state champion – Trinity Christian (Private) – will now compete in Class 4A, and A Public’s sitting champion, Brooks County, remains in Class A Division I.
Here are Division I and II regions
Region 1-A Division 1
Bacon County Mark Wilson
Brooks County Maurice Freeman
Irwin County Casey Soliday
Pelham Leonard Guyton
Region 2-A Division I
Bleckley County Von Lassiter
Dublin Roger Holmes
East Laurens Bin Turner
Jefferson County J.B. Arnold
Swainsboro Scott Roberts
Region 3-A Division I
Bryan County Cherard Freeman
Claxton Greg Hill
Metter Rodney Garvin
Savannah Michael Moore
Screven County Ron Duncan
Region 4-A Division I
Crawford County Craig Puckett
Heard County Shane Lasseter
Lamar County Travis Ellington
Temple Cory Nix
Region 5-A Division I
Jasper County Ashley Henderson
Oglethorpe County Mike Holland
Prince Avenue Christian Greg Vandagriff
Social Circle Rob Patton
Region 6-A Division I
Mount Pisgah Christian Ryan Livezey
Mount Vernon Wayne Dabbs
St. Francis Frank Barden
Whitefield Academy Coleman Joiner
King’s Ridge Christian Terry Crowder
Region 7-A Division I
Armuchee Jeremy Green
Chattooga Shawn Peek
Coosa Joey Mathis
Dade County Jeff Poston
Darlington Tommy Atha
Pepperell Rick Hurst
Trion Sean Patrick
Region 8-A Division I
Athens Christian Rickey Bustle
Commerce Mark Hollars
Elbert County Shannon Jarvis
Rabun County Michael Davis
DIVISION II
Region 1-A Division II
Baconton Charter David Bell
Early County Joel Harvin
Miller County Nate George
Mitchell County Dondrial Pinkins
Randolph-Clay Charles Truitt
Seminole County Cedric Stegall
Terrell County Jack Harris
Pataula Charter Daniel McFather
Region 2-A Division II
Atkinson County Carl McGowan
Charlton County Russ Murray
Clinch County Don Tison Jr.
Lanier County Kurt Williams
Turner County Ben Simmons
Region 3-A Division II
Emanuel County Institute Chris Kearson
Jenkins County Charley Waters
McIntosh County Academy Bradley Warren
Montgomery County Don Vandygriff
Portal Jason McEachin
Region 4-A Division II
Dooly County Cecil Lester
Hawkinsville Shane Williamson
Telfair County Matt Burleson
Treutlen Steve Versprille
Wheeler County Thomas Smith
Wilcox County Rob Stowe
Region 5-A Division II
Georgia Military Prep Lee Coleman
Glascock County Chris Kelley
Hancock Central Marleau Blount
Johnson County Don Norton
Twiggs County Irade Perry
Wilkinson County Keldrick Burke
Region 6-A Division II
Central (Talbotton) Chris Cowart
Chattahoochee County Ryan McKenzie
Greenville Alexander Ogletree
Macon County Dexter Copeland
Manchester Stephen Holmes
Marion County Billy Law
Schley County Darren Alford
Taylor County Brandon Byram
Region 7-A Division II
Bowdon Richard Fendley Jr.
Christian Heritage Jay Poag
Mount Zion (Carroll) Brad Gordon
Region 8-A Division II
Aquinas James Leonard
Greene County Terrance Banks
Lincoln County Lee Chomskis
Towns County Jason Roquemore
Warren County Steven Simpson
Washington-Wilkes Sid Fritts
GSIC Eddie Lord
Lake Oconee Academy Patrick Stewart
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