If you’re having trouble still trying to figure out just which region your favorite high school team will be playing in over the next two years, you’re not alone.
The latest round of reclassification by the Georgia High School Association shook things up around the state more than a protein shake in a blender in the morning.
The GHSA implemented a 3.0 multiplier that applied to every member school in the state, which prompted more movement up, down, and sideways than in just about any other time in its 114-year history. It also initiated an exodus among many of its Class A Private schools to GISA, now known as the GIAA.
The sports staff at AccessWDUN and Friday Game Night, for the first time, reached out to other area and state media to see just who we, and they, think will win region titles in 2022.
Each day until opening night AccessWDUN and Friday Game Night will look at one of the seven GHSA regions in the Northeast Georgia area and share our thoughts on how we think things will shake out. We will work from the largest classification (7A) down to the smallest (Class A).
Voting was comprised by members of AccessWDUN, Athens Banner Herald, Blitz Sports Georgia, Forsyth County News, Friday Game Night, Jackson County Herald, North Georgia Sportslink, Potluck Football, WCON-FM, White County News, and WRWH AM/FM.
The teams with the lowest aggregate vote total were predicted to win region titles.
REGION: 8-7A
TEAMS: Buford, Central Gwinnett, Collins Hill, Dacula, Mill Creek, Mountain View (In: Buford, Central Gwinnett, Dacula; Out: North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge)
We open the series looking at Region 8-7A. The mostly-intact region now includes Buford and Dacula, who both moved up from Class 6A. And it's rare when two defending state champions end up in the same region the following year but this is one of those rare times.
The Wolves are coming off their second consecutive Class 6A state title and were bumped into Class 7A due to the multiplier. The region also houses defending Class 7A state champion Collins Hill plus Mill Creek, who advanced to the quarterfinals.
The newly-reconstructed all-Gwinnett County region figures to generate some of the best rivalries in the state with Buford, Dacula, Mill Creek, Mountain View, and Collins Hill all residing within 20 minutes of each other.
Buford coach Bryant Appling said the prospect of playing more local schools is exciting.
“We haven’t had a real natural rivalry. Dacula’s been a pretty good one the last couple of years (in Class 6A) as far as location and kids knowing each other, but (Greater Atlanta Christian) was probably the last one we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Appling said. “It’ll be good. That type of competition and trash-talking and all that stuff will be back in the air, and all that is good; it’s part of high school football.”
And despite having the reigning state champ, it figures to be a wide-open affair as both Collins Hill and Mill Creek will be reloading after graduating big senior classes. And Buford looks more than ready to hold its own.
The key games will all take place within a month. Buford will play host to Collins Hill on Sept. 30 and then entertain Mill Creek two weeks later on Oct. 14. Collins Hill and Mill Creek will meet at Mill Creek Stadium on Oct. 21. If one of the teams sweeps through, the region championship is sure to be decided. If not, it could come down to tiebreakers.
In the AccessWDUN and Friday Game Night poll, the Wolves earned the early-season nod to win the region receiving 13 of 15 first-place votes. That’s a bold prediction for sure considering it's their first-ever season in the state's highest classification. Mill Creek narrowly nipped Collins Hill for second. Dacula was picked fourth.
Next up is Region 8-6A.
