After announcing the new class desiginations last month, the Georgia High School Association moved forward in the next phase of reclassification, slotting teams into regions during Wednesday’s meeting in Thomaston.
Most Hall County schools will now compete in Region 8-AAA if the proposed realignment is approved by the GHSA executive committee at its meeting on Jan. 12.
The committee is also expected to approve an amendment that would shrink the reclassification cycle from four years to the traditional two-year period.
In 8-AAA, subregion A, Chestatee and North Hall will join Franklin County, Lumpkin County, Stephens County and White County beginning next fall.
Subregion B will house Gainesville, Johnson, West Hall, Lanier, Monroe Area, Oconee County and Walnut Grove.
East Hall, which is stepping down to Class AA due to a decrease in enrollment, will play in Region 8-AA, which will also be subdivided.
Banks County, Dawson County, East Hall, Fannin County, Rabun County and Union County will compete in 8A-AA, while East Jackson, Elbert County, Hart County, Jackson County, Jefferson, North Oconee and Oglethorpe County will make up 8B-AA.
Despite speculation to the contrary, Buford will will remain in an expanded version of 6-AA.
Flowery Branch will join Region 8-AAAA, now an 11-team subdivided league, according to the proposal.
The Falcons will play in subregion A with Apalachee, Clarke Central, Habersham Central, Madison County and Winder-Barrow.
In Class A, Riverside Military Academy is moving down where it will join fellow private Gainesville school Lakeview Academy in Region 8.
The Eagles and Lions will compete with Commerce, Rabun Gap, Tallulah Falls, Towns County and Woody Gap in subregion A, with Athens Academy, Athens Christian, George Walton Academy, Hebron Christian, Prince Avenue Christian and Social Circle making up subregion B.
Wesleyan, which won two straight 8-A titles in football, is slated to move to 7-A.
Schools may appeal region placement and request a lateral transfer to another region in its classification. The appeal meeting will be held Dec. 16 at the GHSA office in Thomaston.