By: Colin Lacy

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

New Regions…. Again!

Just when the new regions that were set prior to the 2022 season started to feel comfortable, it’s time to adjust to brand new regions beginning in the fall of 2024, and in some cases, vastly different.

In early November 2023, the GHSA released the new classifications that would take effect in July 2024.

The most notable change was eliminating the 7A classification, which would compile the 457 GHSA Member Schools into one fewer classification.

In the following few weeks, the GHSA committee would finalize the new region alignment, and the flurry began of what that looks like for the 2024 football season, especially around South Georgia.

So, who does realignment affect the most? Let’s dive into a few teams that are the most affected (good or bad) by the new look GHSA.

 

Southeast Bulloch

Arguably one of the most drastic differences will come from Brooklet as the Yellow Jackets of SEB move not only into a vastly different region, but a whole new classification. The past 2 years, SEB competed in region 3 of the 4A Classification which turned out to be one of the most difficult regions in the state with the likes of Benedictine, Wayne County, Burke County, New Hampstead, and Islands. With the step down in classification to the 3A level for 2024-2026, the new region 3-3A is also the second largest region in all classifications with ten teams. Because of the crowded region, everyone in region 3-3A will play nine Region games, and only one non-region contest. A couple old region rivalries will be renewed because of the classification for the Jackets, adding Liberty County, Calvary Day School, and Groves back as region foes.

 

Tift County

No bones about it, Tift County is heading into a bear of a region. Five of the six members in the new Region 1 of the 6A class were the entirety of region 1 of the since departed 7A in 2022-23. Tift County stays a 6A school where they have been the last few years but are essentially thrown into a full 7A region with Colquitt County, Valdosta, Camden County, Richmond Hill, and Lowndes. Those five were part of an incredibly competitive region and are historically some of the best football programs in South Georgia. Tift did face Colquitt County last year as a non-region opponent, but it didn’t go the Blue Devils’ way with a 40-2 win for the Packers.

 

Statesboro

Statesboro High will enter year two under former Georgia Southern Eagle, now Blue Devil Head Coach Matt Dobson with the same region name as they played in for the past 2 years of region 1 of 5A, but it’s a much different look than it has in the past.  Because of the reclassification, Effingham and South Effingham drop from 6A down to 5A and bring a huge addition to the depth of the region. Coffee County and Ware County that had run that region the last few years do depart (Coffee placed in Region 2 of 5A, and Ware County drops to 4A), but the addition of the two Effingham schools along with Glynn Academy, Brunswick and Evans will prove to be a huge test for SHS.

 

These are just three scenarios where the new classifications and regions impact greatly how the 2024 season plays out, but I have a sneaky suspicion that (at least for the next two athletic years) there will be a region that turns out just how the GHSA envisioned and becomes a new highly competitive region. Below are the new look regions in South Georgia:

 

1-AAAAAA (6)

Camden County

Colquitt County

Lowndes

Richmond Hill

Tift County

Valdosta

 

1-AAAAA (9)

Bradwell Institute

Brunswick

Effingham County

Evans

Glynn Academy

Greenbrier

Lakeside, Evans

South Effingham

Statesboro

 

2-AAAAA (6)

Coffee

Houston County

Lee County

Northside, Warner Robins

Thomas County Central

Veterans

 

1-AAAA (6)

Benedictine

New Hampstead

Perry

Ware County

Warner Robins

Wayne County

 

1-AAA (6)

Bainbridge

Cairo

Dougherty

Monroe

Peach County

Westover

 

2-AAA (9)

Fayette County

LaGrange

Mary Persons

Sandy Creek

Spalding

Trinity Christian

Troup County

Upson-Lee

Whitewater

 

3-AAA (10)

Beach

Calvary Day School

Groves

Islands

Jenkins

Johnson, Savannah

Liberty County

Long County

Southeast Bulloch

Windsor Forest

 

3-AA (6)

Appling County

Cook

Crisp County

Pierce County

Savannah Arts Academy*

Tattnall County

 

1-A Division I (7)

Bacon County

Berrien

Brantley County

Fitzgerald

Jeff Davis

Thomasville

Worth County

 

3-A Division I (7)

Savannah Christian

Savannah Country Day

St. Vincent’s Academy*

Swainsboro

Toombs County

Vidalia

Woodville-Tompkins*

 

2-A Division II (8)

Atkinson County*

Brooks County

Charlton County

Clinch County

Echols County*

Irwin County

Lanier County

Turner County

 

3-A Division II (12)

Bryan County

Claxton

Emanuel County Institute

Jenkins County

McIntosh County Academy

Metter

Portal

Savannah

Savannah Classical*

Savannah Early College*

Screven County

Steam Academy*