3AA does not need to play 10 region games that's HARD, we (Laney) need to go back to 4 non and 6 region. I hope the 3AA coaches agree to this.
The road to the football playoffs just got more difficult for schools in Columbia and Richmond counties.
That was the general reaction Wednesday after the Georgia High School Association released its region alignments for the next two years. The changes begin next fall.
Every Richmond County school except Laney was placed in Region 3-AAA with football powers Thomson and Washington County (combined state titles: eight) as well as Burke County. Harlem and Grovetown are also in the region.
The GHSA divided Region 3-AAA into subregions, with Burke County, Butler, Cross Creek, Glenn Hills, Hephzibah, Washington County in one, and Grovetown, Harlem, Josey, Richmond Academy and Westside in the other. Two teams on each side would make the playoffs.
"I can deal with it if it stays like that," Richmond Academy football coach Chris Hughes said.
Said Grovetown football coach Rodney Holder: "It looks like a really competitive region from top to bottom. We're excited to be in there with everybody local."
Laney remained in the 11-team Region 3-AA. The region's football coaches will meet after the regions are finalized to determine whether they want to continue a 10-game region schedule.
"It will be interesting to see what the coaches want to do," Laney coach Lemuel Lackey said. "I'm not sure a (10-game region schedule) will be the mind-set this time around."
The three remaining Columbia County schools -- Lakeside, Greenbrier and Evans -- are in a Region 2-AAAA subregion with Statesboro, Effingham County and South Effingham. Greenbrier returns to Class AAAA following a two-year, travel-heavy hiatus in Class AAAAA.
Aquinas, which lost out on a playoff spot on an obscure tiebreaker, moves to Region 5-A. In addition to fighting Lincoln County, Wilkinson County, Washington-Wilkes and Warren County for playoff spots, the Irish must also face Johnson County and Twiggs County. Those two teams combined to go 19-4 this past season.
The GHSA initially wanted to reclassify its teams for the next four seasons, but will instead amend that cycle to two years.
Schools can appeal their region placement before the GHSA on Dec. 16. Regions will then be finalized during the association's meeting Jan. 12.
Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or matt.middleton@augustachronicle.com.
GHSA REALIGNMENT
Changes in the Georgia High School Association region alignments take effect in the fall. Schools can appeal their placement.
REGION 2-AAAA
SUBREGION A
Brunswick
Glynn Academy
Liberty County
Richmond Hill
Ware County
Wayne County
SUBREGION B
Effingham County
Evans
Greenbrier
Lakeside
South Effingham
Statesboro
REGION 3-AAA
SUBREGION A
Burke County
Butler
Cross Creek
Glenn Hills
Hephzibah
A.R. Johnson *
Washington County
SUBREGION B
Davidson *
Grovetown
Harlem
Josey
Richmond Academy
Thomson
Westside
REGION 3-AA
SUBREGION A
Bleckley County
Dodge County
Dublin
East Laurens
Vidalia
SUBREGION B
Jefferson County
Laney
Screven County
Southeast Bulloch
Swainsboro
Toombs County
REGION 5-A
SUBREGION A
Aquinas
Glascock County **
Lincoln County
Taliaferro County *
Warren County
Washington-Wilkes
SUBREGION B
Georgia Academy for the Blind *
Georgia Military **
Hancock Central
Johnson County
Twiggs County
Wilkinson County
* does not play football; ** did not play a region football schedule this past season
Comments
3AA does not need to play 10 region games that's HARD, we (Laney) need to go back to 4 non and 6 region. I hope the 3AA coaches agree to this.
Westside really (stressed at the county meeting, not to mention that Dr. A stood up for us) wanted to play in 2A this year, but Bedden and Bailey forced us to play up. How does Laney get to stay down? Westside needs more parents to take a stand on this issue so ALL sports teams at our school can be relevant again!! I mean why give a school a choice if you know that you are going to force us to play up. It would be nice to play school that have the same amount of students as us.
to all the ppl that worry so much bout laney dont worry who and wat kind of regoin we go play in because we laney know wat we have to do to do big things and we dont want it to be easy we want to say laney football earn to be regoin champs and state champions we are a program of pride!!!!! we like the region we in and to be a young team last season we did good but thats over and done wit its a new year wildcats go hard by ur one and only #2
#2 print your post out and show it to Mrs. Jackson, ask her to help you with it *SHRUGS* please tell me you abbreviated some of your words for computer slang. Where are the commas were we can take a breath? There should have been some commas in there somewhere before we get to pride.
Wow, Laney has some fine literary geniuses.
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