GHSA sets new regions for 2016-18 seasons

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

Posted 9:57PM on Tuesday 1st December 2015 ( 8 years ago )

THOMASTON — The Georgia High School Association released the new region alignments Tuesday for the upcoming 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

The new alignments created some very interesting regions across the board. The new alignments came one week after the GHSA released its reclassification numbers for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school seasons.

The reclassification created a new Class AAAAAAA, which included the top 10 percent of schools in the state to help bring about more competitive balance for the state’s largest schools.

Here are the regions including northeast Georgia schools as set on Tuesday (from largest classification to smallest, area teams in bold):

REGION 5-AAAAAAA
Forsyth Central
Lambert
Milton
North Forsyth
South Forsyth
West Forsyth

REGION 6-AAAAAAA
Collins Hill
Discovery
Duluth
North Gwinnett
Mill Creek
Mountain View
Peachtree Ridge

REGION 8-AAAAAA
Apalachee
Dacula
Gainesville
Habersham Central
Lanier
Winder-Barrow

REGION 8-AAAAA
Buford
Cedar Shoals
Clarke Central
Flowery Branch
Johnson
Loganville
Walnut Grove

REGION 7-AAAA
Blessed Trinity
Chestatee
Marist
Riverside Military
West Hall
White County

REGION 8-AAAA
Jefferson
Madison County
North Oconee
Oconee County
St. Pius X
Stephens County

REGION 7-AAA
Dawson County
East Hall
Fannin County
Greater Atlanta Christian
Lumpkin County
North Hall
Union County

REGION 8-AAA
East Jackson
Hart County
Jackson County
Franklin County
Monroe Area
Morgan County

REGION 8-AA
Banks County
Elbert County
Monticello
Oglethorpe County
Putnam County
Rabun County
Social Circle

REGION 8-A
Athens Academy
Athens Christian
Commerce
George Walton
Hebron Christian
Lakeview Academy
Prince Avenue
Providence Christian
Towns County
*Tallulah Falls
*Woody Gap

*-Schools not playing varsity football

Check back on accessWDUN throughout the day as we gather reaction from area coaches and administrators on the new region alignments.

Also, here is the remaining reclassification timetable for the GHSA:

Dec. 7 – The deadline for schools to appeal for a lateral transfer within the same classification will be at noon.
Dec. 8 – The Reclassification Committee will meet in Thomaston to hear appeals for lateral transfers within the same classification.
Jan. 13 – Full Executive Committee meets to ratify the reclassification.

Gainesville and Flowery Branch battle in a game from this season. The two rivals will not be in the same region starting next season, as Gainesville moves up to Class AAAAAA and the Branch remains in Class AAAAA.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/12/353216/new-ghsa-regions