AHSAA Reclassification: How Does it Affect West Alabama High Schools?

In a landmark decision, the Alabama High School Athletic Association has revealed its latest round of reclassification, which has separated the championships for public and private schools. Public and private schools can still compete against one another in the regular season, but championships will now be split.

Get our free mobile app

Additionally, Alabama is reclassifying to six public school classifications (1A-6A) after spending the last 11 years with seven (1A-7A). The seven-class system was implemented before the 2014-2015 season. How does the latest round of classification affect West Alabama high school football?

Private Schools

Private schools will now compete in a two-class system, with the largest 16 schools in Alabama competing in the Private School Double A classification. The remaining private schools will now compete in the Private School Single A classification.

Based on class size, American Christian Academy will now compete in Private School Double A Region 2 as the only school in our coverage area in that classification.

Tuscaloosa Academy was previously competing in the 2A classification, dominating the region and making the state championship during the 2024 season. Now, as a private school, Tuscaloosa Academy will compete in the newly formed Single A Region 3. Joining Tuscaloosa Academy in Region 3 are Holy Spirit Catholic School and Pickens Academy (both previously in the 1A Region 3).

Public Schools

Gordo High School has dropped from Class 3A, where the Green Wave regularly dominated in the regular season, to the new 2A classification for public schools. Gordo is joined in our coverage area by Lamar County High School.

Hale County remains in Class 3A and stays in Region 3. Bibb County drops to Class 3A after spending the last two seasons in Class 4A. Bibb County joins Hale County in Class 3A Region 3.

Northside High School drops from its previous 5A classification to the new Class 4A. Sipsey Valley High School also drops from Class 5A to Class 4A, joining Holt High School and Northside in Class 4A Region 3. Holt remains in Class 4A, but shifts from Region 4 to Region 3.

Class 5A sees a heavy representation from Tuscaloosa schools in Region 3, as the second-largest public school classification. Class 5A Region 3 now holds:

Brookwood High School
Central High School
Hillcrest High School
Hueytown High School
McAdory High School
Northridge High School
Paul W. Bryant High School

Class 5A Region 3 is also joined by Bessemer City High School as the only school in that region not actively in our coverage area.

The only school in our coverage area that is in the new Class 6A is Tuscaloosa County High School, which joins a loaded Region 3 that features:

Hewitt-Trussville High School
Hoover High School
Oak Mountain High School
Prattville High School
Spain Park High School
Thompson High School
Vestavia Hills High School

The full reclassification details from the AHSAA can be viewed here.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.