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By J.R. TIDWELL / Editor

Every two years the Alabama High School Athletic Association reclassifies member schools across the state.

Class and/or region may change, or a school may stay just as it is.

Several changes are coming to schools in Chilton County when it comes to fall sports, most notably football.

Chilton County High will return to Class 6A. The Tigers were in 6A from 2014-2017.

CCHS will be in Region 3, which includes opponents Benjamin Russell, Calera, Helena, Pelham, Stanhope Elmore and Wetumpka.

Jemison’s schedule will remain mostly the same in Class 5A in Region 3. Central-Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Marbury and Shelby County remain, while Selma and Sipsey Valley will fill the gaps left by Chilton County moving up to 6A and Bibb County moving down to 4A.

Isabella, coming off a solid performance in 1A football this season, will return to Class 2A, where the Mustangs were from 2008-2013.

They move up into Region 3 along with county rival Thorsby, which remains in 2A.

The other region opponents will be Calhoun, Central Coosa, Francis Marion, Highland Home and Luverne.

Class 1A will also see an interesting change.

Maplesville, Verbena and Billingsley will all be together in Region 4. They are joined by Autaugaville, Barbour County, Loachapoka and Notasulga.

According to the AHSAA, the “Central Board of Control unanimously approved the classification for member schools for the school years 2020-21 and 2021-22. The classification will once again classify member schools in seven classes.”

According to a release by the association, reclassification, conducted every two years, is based on average daily enrollment numbers for the first 20 school days after Labor Day. Public schools provide those figures to Alabama State Board of Education (ASDE). Member private schools supply the same enrollment information for their schools or school systems to the AHSAA.
“The AHSAA functioned with a six-classification system from 1984 to 2014 and have been grouped in seven classifications ever since,” said the AHSAA. “The schools were grouped in a four-classification system from 1964-1983 and a two-classification system from 1947-1964. Prior to 1947, the AHSAA had just one classification system.”