Calhoun County, AL – Southside was bumped upwards to class 6A. Anniston and Jacksonville are bumped up to 5A, and Alexandria dropped to 4A in the most recent round of AHSAA change of classification as the AHSAA announced today.

URL: The complete AHSAA fall-sports classification and realignment for 2024-26.

Joe Medley Joe Medley

Southside moved up to Class 6A. Anniston as well Jacksonville upgraded to class 5A, and Alexandria dropped to 4A as part of the AHSAA Classification Reclassification.


White Plains stayed 4A, and Ohatchee was 3A. Saks, Weaver and Wellborn changed between 3A South and moved to 3A north.

The AHSAA Central Board approved the fall-sports realignment and reclassification for the 2024-26 season during Monday’s meeting in the AHSAA office in Montgomery and then announced the final project live on a webcast.

Reclassification is based on the average daily attendance of students in grades 9 to 11 during the initial 20 days following the day of labor. Private school enrollment is based on an 1.35 multiplier. Private schools are able to move between the two sports in accordance with “competitive equilibrium,” a scoring of the postseason’s success.

In football The AHSAA was adamant about avoiding areas with fewer than six teams.

“That was a top priority for the board was to ensure that we didn’t have any regions with six teams for football.” explained Central Board president Mike Welsh, superintendent of Cherokee County Schools. “A number of our coaches spoke of fair, consistent and even play, and trying to increase the number of teams in our regions to have seven or eight teams to make it a bit more constant.

“We did see a couple of nine teams in the mix due to travel and other conditions, but nothing like six-team regions was the top choice in football this year.”

A nine-team area is Region 4A Region 6 that includes Munford, Etowah, Alexandria, Cleburne County, Cherokee County, Hokes Bluff, Ashville, White Plains and Oneonta.

In response to the changes in class, Anniston football coach Rico Jackson stated that Rico Jackson was “definitely shocked” to observe the Bulldogs make the jump to 5A for the first time since 2007 “but thrilled to be a part of 5A.”

Alexandria will be class 4A for the first time since 2013.

“It’s mostly a mixture of what I remember back in the day,” said Alexandria football coach Todd Ginn, who also played for the Valley Cubs. “I’m pleased that they seem to have this north/south thing solved.

“There’s no way the teams from 4A that have been around us for the past two years shouldn’t have been classified as “south.”

Jacksonville will become 5A the very first time since. It is the Golden Eagles’ move back up was anticipated since the previous announcement of the reclassification process two years ago.

The increase also places Jacksonville back into the north bracket following that the Golden Eagles spent the past four seasons in the 4A south.

More to follow. It will soon be up-to-date.

The new football areas for teams from the area 2024-26

Class 1A

RIGION 6 Donoho Wadley, Fayetteville, Victory Christian, Winterboro, Woodland, Talladega County Central.

Region 8Spring Garden Valley Head, Appalachian, Gaylesville, Ider, Ragland, Woodville.

Class 2A

REGION 4Central Coosa Ranburne, Reeltown, Horeshoe Bend, Lafayette, Loachapoka, Lanett.

REGION 7 Pisgah, North Sand Mountain, Pleasant Valley, Section, Sand Rock, Gaston, Cedar Bluff.

Class 3A

REGION 4B.B. Comer, Childersburg, Dadeville, Randolph County, Lee-Scott, Beulah, Glenwood.

REGION 6 Wellborn, Saks, Locust Fork, Ohatchee, Westbrook Christian, Glencoe, Piedmont, Weaver. (Ohatchee remains 3A. Saks, Weaver and Wellborn returning in 3A North).

Class 4A

REGION 3: Handley, Booker T. Washington, St. James, Talladega, Bibb County, Tallasee, West Blockon, Bullock County.

REGION 6: Munford, Etowah, Alexandria, Cleburne County, Cherokee County, Hokes Bluff, Ashville, White Plains, Oneonta. (nine-team region, Alexandria moves down, White Plains stays 4A, Jacksonville presumably moves up. Anniston?)

Class 5A

RIGION 4 Central-Clay Beauregard, Valley, Sylacauga, Marbury, Holtville, Elmore County.

Region 6 Springville, Moody, St. Clair County, Lincoln, Anniston, Leeds, Jacksonville. (Jacksonville and Anniston advance)

Class 6A

RIGION 6.: Huffman, Mountain Brook, Clay-Chalkville, Pinson Valley, Shades Valley, Oxford, Pell City. (Oxford stays in place)

REGION 8: Southside, Buckhorn, Fort Payne, Gadsden City, Hazel Green, Lee, Mae Jemison.