Proposed Region Alignments Bring Change to Area Schools

Proposed region alignments for the next two school years from the Georgia High School
Association would result in a major change for some northeast Georgia football teams, including Stephens County.

With East Jackson moving to AA next school year – leaving just five current Region 8-AAA
teams – Stephens County, along with current region 8-AAA rivals Franklin County and Hart
County, would move into a new Region 7-AAA that stretches across north Georgia under the proposal released Thursday by the GHSA.

Joining Stephens County, Franklin County, and Hart County in the proposed new nine-team
region would be White County, Dawson County, West Hall, Lumpkin County, Gilmer, and
Pickens. This creates a region that stretches for a total of 122 miles from east to west.
The two other current remaining Region 8-AAA teams, Oconee County and Monroe Area,
would stay in 8-AAA, which would shift south and east to take in Morgan County and schools in and around the Augusta area.

Looking elsewhere, Habersham Central would remain in Region 8-AAAAAA, joined by
Apalachee, Gainesville, Jackson County, Lanier, North Forsyth, Shiloh.

Meanwhile, Rabun County, Banks County, and Elbert County remain in 8-AA with East
Jackson, Fannin County, Oglethorpe County, and Union County.

Schools can apply to be placed within a different region within the same classification. Those appeals will be heard next Thursday, after which the region alignments will be finalized and will take effect for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.