High School Football: FHSAA releases new classifications for 2024-26 for football teams
The Florida High School Athletic Association released the new football classifications for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 schools years on Friday.
After getting rid of the Metro/Suburban split – in which most of the Escambia and Santa Rosa county school districts appeared in the suburban classification – the state has now gone back to a 1A-7A system, keeping the rural classification (which had Jay and Northview during the 2022 and 2023 seasons).
Statewide, there are 16 districts with four regions. All area teams, no matter which class they are competing in, are in Region 1 and District 1, as they were the past two years under the Metro/Suburban split. That doesn't include rural schools, which has no districts.
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Classifications are considered tentative per appeals under FHSAA Policy 12. The appeal deadline is Jan. 12, 2024. Classifications for other sports are planned to be released in January, as well.
Here are what the classifications look like for area teams:
6A: Navarre, Pace and Tate
5A: Gulf Breeze and Milton
4A: Escambia, Pine Forest and Booker T. Washington
3A: Pensacola High and West Florida
2A: Pensacola Catholic
Rural: Jay, Northview and Central
Additionally, there are some out-of-county teams joining the districts – not any different than previous years – to round out the districts.
In 6A, Crestview will round out the four-team district. Previously, Crestview was a Region 1, District 2 team. In 2023, the Bulldogs played a few area teams, including Gulf Breeze, Pace and Milton, beating both the Dolphins and Panthers.
In 5A, Mosley and Niceville will complete the group for a four-team district. Both Mosley and Niceville were Region 1, District 2 teams. The Dolphins only played one area team in Navarre in 2023, while the Eagles did battle with Milton and Navarre.
In 4A, it will be a three-team district between the three Escambia County schools. All three teams played in the same classification last year (3S), but had a couple other out-of-area teams in their district.
3A will also be a three-team district, but will have Bay (Panama City) entering the group. Bay was also a Region 1, District 2 team last season. The Tornadoes played Pensacola High during the 2023 season.
In 2A, Pensacola Catholic will be joined by Freeport, South Walton and Walton to round out the four-team district. It's the only district that doesn't feature more than one Escambia or Santa Rosa County program, though the Crusaders did have Walton in its district in 2S the past two seasons.
In 2023, Freeport played against one area team in Jay, and Walton played against West Florida, Pensacola High, Northview and Pensacola Catholic (twice) – including the Region 1-2S semifinal matchup.
The rural classification, as mentioned, goes unchanged for the area teams that were in that class the past two seasons.
Area teams split up in new system
After the Region 1, District 1-4S class that comprised of all area teams (Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Pace and Tate), those five schools are now split.
There was a big battle for the District 1-4S crown during the regular season, after three-way competition for the title between Navarre, Gulf Breeze and Pace – with the Raiders ultimately earning the automatic entrance into regional play.
The schools that were in the 3S class (now essentially 4A) remain district rivals – and that means the Escambia and Pine Forest rivalry, which brought two exciting matchups during the 2023 season, stays intact.
Some of the smaller schools have also been split up. Previously, Pensacola High, Pensacola Catholic and West Florida all duked it out in 2S. However, the Tigers and Jaguars moved up to 3A, while the Crusaders stayed in 2A.
Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: FHSAA releases new football classifications for next two seasons
