GHSA reclass to send Buford, Tucker to higher classes

ATLANTA — Buford and Tucker, schools with football teams that are ranked No. 1, will be playing in higher classifications next season.

So will 49 other schools including Calhoun, Cartersvile, Carver-Columbus, St. Pius, Westminster and Woodward Academy.

The Georgia High School Association on Monday placed schools in six classifications for the 2014-15 academic year based on enrollment.

Here are some highlights:

- Buford, which won its 17th state title in 10 years this month (softball), is slated to move to AAAA in 2014. Buford’s football team has won eight state titles since 2001, when the school was in the lowest classification. Buford is favored to win a ninth football championship this year.

- Tucker, which has won state titles in football in 2008 and 2011, will be playing in the highest classification next year for the first time since 1985. The only other DeKalb County school in the highest class with be Lakeside. Stephenson and M.L. King remained in AAAAA.

- Other football powers heading up in class include Jefferson (2012 AA champion) and Calhoun (2011 AA champion). Joining Buford in AAAA will be Carver-Columbus and Cartersville.

- St. Pius, Woodward Academy and Westminster, Atlanta private schools that dominate the all-sports standings, are moving up one class. St. Pius has won three of the past four all-sports Directors Cup awards in Class AAA, while Woodward won the other. Westminster has won four straight in AA. St. Pius will play in AAAA with Woodward and perhaps be rejoined by Marist, a current AAAA member. Westminster will be separated from its Buckhead arch-rival Lovett, which will remain in AA.

- Thirty-four schools will move down in classification unless they choose to remain higher. Those schools include South Atlanta, Therrell, Washington and B.E.S.T. Academy in Atlanta, Morrow, Mount Zion and North Clayton in Clayton County and Southwest DeKalb, Druid Hills and Arabia Mountain in DeKalb County.

Schools have until Dec. 2 to request to play in a higher classification. Marist, for example, typically requests to play in a higher class than Class AA, where its enrollment falls. The GHSA’s reclassification committee will split each classification into eight geographic regions on Dec. 3. Reclassification is scheduled for ratification on Jan. 14.

Here are some GHSA deadlines for the rest of reclass:

Dec. 2 at noon — Deadline for schools to submit their intent to play at a higher classification.

Dec. 3 at 9 am — Meeting of the Reclassification Committee in Thomaston to place schools in regions.

Dec. 13 at noon — Deadline for schools to submit their intent to appeal for a lateral transfer to another region.

Dec. 17 at 9 a.m. — Reclassification Committee will meet in Thomaston to hear appeals for lateral transfers

Jan. 14 at 9 a.m. — The full Executive Committee will meet in Macon to hear final appeals for lateral transfers and to ratify the reclassification plan.

WSBTV