BY D. MARK MITCHELL
BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Central Board of Control held its board meeting to approve the seven-classisification system for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. The seven-class system began in 2014-15 and is still in place.
The AHSAA Central Board of Control manages classification and championship programs. Classification is based on average daily membership figures provided by the Alabama State Department of Education for public schools grades ninth throught 11th, plus students held back in the eighth-grade. Private member schools provide the report to the AHSAA and an index of 1.35 is used to determine the enrollment for classifying private school members. The final addition to private member schools is the “competitive balance” success factor is also applied to private school teams in each sport which effects only 10% of the private schools.
The following is a look at local teams:
Opelika, Auburn, Central, Smiths Station, Enterprise, Dothan, Johnson Abernathy Greatz (JAG) and Carver Senior High (Lanier and Carver combined schools) are in Region 2 in Class 7A.
Prattville moved to the north in Region 3 in Class 7A and Percy Julian dropped to class 6A.
The two local private schools joining the AHSAA, Lee-Scott Academy and Glenwood, found out they are in Class 3A-Region 4 with BB Comer, Beulah, Childersburg, Dadeville and Randolph County. This is a great region for both LSA and GHS for many reasons: less travel, the rivalry stays intact and it is only a seven team region instead of eight or nine teams. The top four teams make the playoffs.
Lee-Scott will have six region games and four non-region games or play a nine game schedule with two open weeks.
Beauregard remains in class 5A Region 4 with Central-Clay, Elmore County, Holtville, Marbury, Sylacauga and Valley.
Booker T. Washington, Handley and Tallassee remain in class 4A Region 3.
Lanett, LaFayette, Loachapoka are in Class 2A- Region 4 with Central Coosa, Horsehoe Bend, Randburn and Reeltown.
Notasulga is the only 1A school in our area since Loachapoka moves to class 2A.
You can find all the info at www.ahsaa.com/schools/2024-2026-classification-alignments .
PERSONAL NOTE
Congratulations to Opelika Superintendent Farrell Seymore for hiring Bryan Moore to lead the Opelika High football program.
Let me clear — there were other qualified coaches tied to Opelika that would have been good hires but Moore is a proven head coach with ties to Opelika. Like most Bulldog fans I wanted Seymore to make a quick desisive hire, but he methodically executed his plan to perfection.
Moore is a major hire for Opelika, OHS student/athletes that play football, fans and boosters. I look for coach Moore to re-start the Booster Club, live and be apart of the Opelika community, be involved in all aspects of athletics, promote the program, reach out to boosters, make himself available to Opelika people and represent Opelika with class and dignity.
I look forward to the 2024 football season!
Congratulations and welcome back to Opelika, Bryan, Lindsey, Parker, Baker and Tucker.
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.