The reclassification and the elimination of a classification may be felt the most at the Class 4A level. The makeup is mostly teams that played under the 5A banner last season, with a few holdovers from 4A and a few others who dropped down from 6A. The result may be the most competitive classification in the state.
Region 1: You will have to search long and hard to find a competitive division that’s tougher, deeper and more accomplished than any other in the state. The six-team league features four teams that have won state championships within the last four seasons – Perry, the 4A champion in 2023; Ware County, the 5A champion in 2022; Warner Robins, the 5A champion in 2020 and 2021, second in 2022; and Benedictine, 4A champion in 2021 and 2022. The other two teams are good, too. Wayne County went 7-4 last year and New Hampstead was 6-5. When a coach from this region says, “Our region is like the SEC” – a constantly repeated mantra – you can actually believe it.
Region 2: This 10-team league is loaded with teams from Henry County, although the most consistently good team in the region is Jones County. The Greyhounds went 8-4 last year and reached the second round of the playoffs. The most accomplished team a year ago was Stockbridge, where the Tigers went 12-3 and lost in the 4A championship game.
There are four new coaches in the league, including at Stockbridge, where Kendrick Callier takes the reins. Other new faces are veteran coach Earthwind Moreland at McDonough, Greg Harris and Union County Dustin Adkins at Ola.
Region 3: This league is packed, too, with three double-digit winning teams from 2023 – Central Carroll (12-1), Harris County (11-2) and Starr’s Mill (10-4). It also includes Jonesboro and Mundy’s Mill, who both won eight games last year.
The big change at Starr’s Mill is the retirement of coach Chad Phillips, who was only the second coach in program history. Phillips followed Mike Earwood and ran the program from 2010-23, went 111-55 games and won seven region championships. He was replaced by David Cooper, who has been on the staff since 2015.
Region 4: Creekside went to the 5A championship game last year before running afoul of Coffee. Coach Maurice Dixon has built a powerhouse program in South Fulton and should again be the team to beat in the region. The Seminoles continue to play an aggressive non-region schedule, and this year are flying to play DeSoto, Texas, last year’s Texas state champion who is ranked as high as No. 5 in the country.
Mays went 7-5 last year and has a new coach in Reggie Austin, while Maynard Jackson and Pace Academy may be the sleeping giants in this solid region.
Region 5: Mighty Marist moves down from Class 6A, where it went 12-2 last season and reached the semifinals, and will be the favorite to win a fifth straight region championship. The War Eagles return three-year starter Jack Euart at quarterback and have plenty of playmakers, but must rebuild a=the offensive line and rebuild the defense. Tucker, a playoff team last year, and St. Pius will be there to challenge.
Region 6: There are only five teams in this league, but each one made the state playoffs last year. The three favorites are: Blessed Trinity, 11-2 in 6A; Kell, 9-2 in 5A; and Westminster, 8-4 in 4A. Each has a proven veteran coach – Ed Dudley at BT, Bobby May at Kell, and Gerry Romberg at Westminster. Cambridge went 6-5 and has a new coach in Tyler Jones, who takes over for Craig Bennett, formerly the dean of Fulton County coaches, who moved to Pickens.
Region 7: Cartersville went 13-1 last year and will again be the favorite when the league begins. But Hiram (9-3), Dalton (8-4) and Cass (7-6) all made the playoffs last year as members of Region 7-5A. The new face that should be a big factor is Cedartown, which moved up; the Bulldogs went 8-4 in 2023 after playing for the championship in 2022.
“North Georgia football is as good as it’s ever been,” Cartersville coach Conor Foster said.
Region 8: North Oconee went 12-1 in 4A last year after reaching the semifinals the two previous seasons. The Titans will need to beat the likes of steady Eastside, Madison County, Flowery Branch and Cedar Shoals. East Forsyth made the playoffs last season in its third varsity season but has a new coach in Dustin Cannon.
About the Author
