HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Ripping open region alignments
BACKGROUND: The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) has proposed adding a sixth classification to high school
sports.This proposal means the smallest classification is single A, and the largest is AAAAAA. GHSA denotes classifications by using the letter “A,” meaning 2A equals AA, spoken as “Two A” or “Double A.” Decatur plays in the 6-AA region. The six signifies the sixth region in the AA classification.
BY JAKE RODGERS |
jacksonrodgers@csdecatur.net W Good: Proposal would serve Decatur well Greater Atlanta Christian and Maynard
hy does Decatur support this proposal? Because Buford and Blessed Trinity leave Decatur’s
region. Buford has won the state champion- ship in football four years in a row and looks to make it five this season Blessed Trinity ranks 41st in state in baseball and came in third in the region last spring, guess who was number one? Buford. Other schools leaving Decatur’s region
are Clarkston, Terrell and South Atlanta. None of the three schools challanged De- catur much in football, but South Atlanta beat Decatur 61-43 in basketball last season.
Jackson will remain in Decatur’s region. Also, Lovett and Westminster will rejoin the region. Currently, with the large number of schools in 6-AA, GHSA has split the region into division A and division B. Decatur plays in division A, while Lovett and Westminster are in B. Bremen, Bowdon and Temple High
Schoolswill all move into the AA classifica- tion and enter Decatur’s region. Bremen were champions in their region
for football from 2006-2008 and Bowdon won the region most recently in 2009 and is second in their region this season.
Bad: Overwhelming foe makes plan a no-go BY SAM LEVY |
samuellevy@csdecatur.net O
ne word: Marist. Ranked 34th in the nation and
second in the state at base- ball, the War Eagles have been a force to reckon with. Marist has won the last two state champions in the 4A division, and finished their 2011 season with an astonish- ing 33-4 record. In the past two years, the War Eagles have sent kids to play baseball at Florida State University, Duke University and the United States Naval Academy. Baseball’s not their only strength. Last
Sam Levy
year, Marist went 9-3 in football, and made the state playoffs. Tey are currently 4-1 and are ranked 45th in the state of Georgia. Last year alone, they sent four kids to play col-
legiate football at schools like the University of Virginia, Furman and Presbyterian. Tere’s still more. Te boys lacrosse team
at Marist went 12-5 in their 2010-2011 season, advancing to the state playoffs, and finishing in the top 25 in state. All in all, the athletics at Marist are
incredibly impressive. Almost all of their varsity teams finished with winning records, and according to their school website, over 25 kids were sent to college to play sports. Marist isn’t the only new school that could
cause problems for Decatur in the upcoming years. Te Temple Tigers, another school that will enter our region, are in the 2A region. Tey are currently 4-1 in their 2011 football season. If the proposed plan gets passed, Decatur might have its hands full.
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In the end, all that matters is Buford leaves. Removing Blessed Trin- ity from a baseball stand- point will also soften up Decatur’s region. Strong competition is a good thing it makes players better, but when Buford wins seven football state championships in the past decade, it’s time for them to play at a higher level.
Jake Rodgers
FACE OFF OCTOBER 2011 • CARPE DIEM 7
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