St. Francis football coach Frank Barden is leaving to take the same position at Christian Heritage.

Barden led St. Francis to the Class A Division I semifinals and a 10-4 record last season. The Alpharetta private school had won only one playoff game in its 12 seasons prior.

Barden also won a state title at Cartersville in 1999, and his 216 victories are sixth among active GHSA coaches.

Christian Heritage, a Class A Division II school in Dalton, was 5-7 last season under Jay Poag, who stepped down after seven seasons. Christian Heritage started varsity football the same season as St. Francis, in 2010, and has won region title, in 2020.

Poag is taking a coaching job in North Carolina.