John McClellan’s closer look at the reclassification appeals before the Georgia High School Association this week

By John McClellan

The Georgia High School Association Executive Committee will meet on Thursday, January 13, to consider several reclassification appeals that could affect schools in northwest Georgia.

Cartersville High School is appealing its placement in Region 5-AAAA. The new reclassification plan puts Cartersville in a region with Cedartown, Central of Carrollton, Chapel Hill, LaGrange, Sandy Creek and Troup. Cartersville wants to move to Region 6-AAAA, which currently includes Gilmer, Heritage of Catoosa, LaFayette, Northwest Whitfield, Pickens, Ridgeland and Southeast Whitfield. Region 5-AAAA is considered a far tougher football region for Cartersville, the defending Class AAAA state champion.

Temple High School is asking to move from Region 5-AA to Region 7-AA. Region 5-AA also includes Callaway, Heard County, Jordan, Lamar County and Spencer. If GHSA grants Temple’s appeal, it will play in the region with Armuchee, Chattooga, Coosa, Dade County, Gordon Central, Model, Pepperell and Rockmart. The move also would force the Region 7-AA schools to rework their 2016 football schedules.

Bremen High School is appealing the new GHSA requirement that it play in Class AAA. Bremen is among the smaller Class AA schools in Georgia. However, because more than 17 percent of its students live outside Haralson County—the second highest percentage next to Buford of any public school in Georgia—the new rule places Bremen in Region 6-AAA with Adairsville, Calhoun, Coahulla Creek, Haralson County, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Murray County, North Murray, Ringgold and Sonoraville. If GHSA grants Bremen’s appeal, it also may seek placement in Region 7-AA, which would further disrupt football schedules not only of the schools in Floyd County but also Adairsville, Calhoun, Chattooga, Gordon Central, Rockmart and Sonoraville.

Dalton, Discovery, Jefferson and Riverside Military also are appealing various reclassification issues but those challenges would not affect local schools.