By: Joseph Stuckey

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

With the high-school football season right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to examine the state of GIAA teams across the area.

GIAA stands for Georgia Independent Athletic Association, otherwise known as the private school league here in Georgia.

I follow GIAA sports very closely as I am the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bulloch Academy Gators football team.

One thing I became aware of last year, with the Gators making several trips up Interstate 16, is that there is a belief among football fans in that area that you have to beat out the Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.

What I mean by this is that you can always count on a Middle Georgia area team making a push into the Final Four and State Championship game of the GIAA playoff brackets.

Last year, 3 of the 4 state titles went home to Middle Georgia teams. Brentwood Academy in Sandersville brought home the AA title for the second straight season. John Milledge Academy added another trophy to its very large trophy case. And finally, Stratford Academy won the big prize of the AAAA state title, even though they did lose to John Milledge handily in the regular season, 51-13.

Another powerhouse in the Macon area is First Presbyterian Day, which reached the final four in 2025 and lost to Bulloch Academy in the State Championship in 2024.

Also, there is Strong Rock Christian, which is in Locust Grove, that made the elite eight the past 2 seasons.

So, as you can see, there is some backing to the claim of having to beat out Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.

Southeast Georgia was able to claim 1 of the 4 titles this past season, with Robert Toombs in Lyons winning the A State Championship.

Robert Toombs beat Edmund Burke Academy in the rematch of the 2024 State Championship, which Edmund Burke won.

Right down the road, there is Pinewood Christian Academy in Bellville, which made the elite eight in 2025.

Then, finally, there is the premier GIAA region in Southeast Georgia, which consists of Frederica Academy, Bulloch Academy, St. Andrews, and the newest addition from GHSA, Savannah Country Day.

Pinewood has been in this region in years past, but they are moving down to an A/AA region starting this season. This region consists of AAA/AAAA teams, and the last 3 champions have been Frederica Academy (2025), Bulloch Academy (2024), and Bulloch (2023).

Not only did Frederica win the region last year, but they also reached the Final Four in the AAA playoffs before losing to John Milledge.

Bulloch Academy is celebrating 3 straight seasons of reaching the Elite Eight or beyond (2023-Final 4, 2024-State Championship, 2025-Elite 8) and has its sights set on another State Championship run in AAAA with a loaded senior class.

The unknown in this region is Savannah Country Day, which is coming from GHSA after going 4-7 last season.

Anytime a GIAA school plays a GHSA school, most would think it would be a tough victory. However, GIAA schools have been holding their own; Frederica beat Savannah High School last season 34-7, and Bulloch Academy has gone 4-0 against GHSA schools over the last 2 seasons.

So, with all of that being said, this should be a very exciting year of GIAA High School Football!