Valdosta, Lowndes in proposed Region 1-6A
Nov. 9—THOMASTON — The Georgia High School Association heard 2024-26 classification placement appeals Thursday and placed all of its member schools into regions at the conclusion of the appeals. What resulted is a Class 1-6A that equals its predictions, minus one school.
Houston County and Effingham County both appealed to the league to be moved from Class 6A to 5A. Houston won their appeal, 16-0-1, according to GHSA minutes, with one committee member abstaining from voting. Effingham, however, lost their appeal, 12-5.
The end result sees Region 1-6A with the following members: Camden County, Colquitt County, Effingham County, Lowndes, Richmond Hill, Tift County and Valdosta.
No regions were subdivided on the statewide list, even those with 10 or more member schools. It is unknown whether Region 1-6A could be subdivided.
Though Camden, Colquitt, Lowndes, Richmond Hill and Valdosta were part of 1-7A the past two years, the addition of Effingham adds at least 30 minutes each way in travel time. Moultrie to Richmond Hill is a 3.5-hour drive one way. Though the distance is less than a trip to north Atlanta, mileage-wise, the lack of direct routes makes the drive for Tift, Colquitt, Valdosta and Lowndes more difficult.
The revised Class 6A will have 59 schools, each with at least seven teams. The four "south Georgia" regions cover as far north as the southern halves of Cobb and Gwinnett counties.
Freed from 6A, Houston County joins Region 2-5A with Coffee, Lee County, Northside (Warner Robins), Thomas County Central and Veterans. Tift is currently in 1-6A with all of those teams, sans Coffee. Unlike 6A, 5A has two regions of schools in southern Georgia.
With Class 7A disappearing, many area schools moved down at least one classification.
Cook remained in Class AA. The Hornets are the southwestern outpost in a region that extends to Savannah. Appling County, Crisp County, Pierce County and Tattnall County are also in 3-2A, in addition to a non-football school, Savannah Arts.
Region 1 of Class A's Division I features Berrien, Fitzgerald, Thomasville and Worth County with Bacon County Brantley County, Dodge County and Jeff Davis.
Class A's Division II has a very familiar Region 2 — Atkinson County, Brooks County, Charlton County, Clinch County, Echols County, Irwin County, Lanier County and Turner County.
Schools will be allowed to appeal regions Nov. 16 at the next GHSA meeting.
Besides regions, the league also discussed power rankings, with debate on whether to solely using rankings in Classes A-3A or in all classifications. GHSA minutes said that committee members "seemed to agree that teams should get credit for playing teams in higher classifications." A proposal will be heard next week as well.
A full list of classifications for 2024-26 and proposed regions can be found at the GHSA's website, ghsa.net.
