AHSAA SPRING RECLASSIFICATION: Local teams somewhat stay the same
By TIM GAYLE
The Alabama High School Athletic Association released its 2024-26 classification for spring sports on Thursday and most of the area coaches likely will be pleased at their respective areas, considering the amount of travel some have faced the past two seasons to face area opponents.
Prattville once again found itself grouped with Tuscaloosa-area teams in baseball and softball, but Prattville Christian didn’t face the same fate -- as it did in basketball -- and the Capital City Conference schools, for the most part, found themselves in the same areas.
River Region baseball and softball teams were grouped in the same areas in Class 7A, 6A and 5A, with most of the differences in 3A and 4A attributable to Competitive Balance Factor.
In 4A Area 5, for example, Booker T. Washington, LAMP, Catholic and Tallassee are together for both baseball and softball. Trinity, which is elevated to 4A in baseball by Competitive Balance, is the fifth area opponent, while Prattville Christian, elevated to 4A in softball by Competitive Balance, is the fifth area opponent in that sport.
Therefore, in 3A Area 5, Alabama Christian, St. James and Montgomery Academy are joined by Prattville Christian in baseball and by Trinity in softball.
The strangest twist for baseball and softball is in 1A, where Billingsley, Breakthrough Charter, Ellwood Christian, Francis Marion and Maplesville are in Area 6 for baseball, but Billingsley, Breakthrough Charter, Maplesville and Verbena are in Area 7 for softball. Meanwhile, Autauga Academy, Autaugaville, Notasulga and Verbena are in Area 7 for baseball, but Autauga Academy, Autaugaville and Notasulga are in Area 6 for softball.
In tennis, St. James was boosted to 4A-5A by Competitive Balance, while CBF-elevated Trinity and Montgomery Academy remain in 6A and 7A, respectively. That leaves Alabama Christian and Prattville Christian in 1A-3A Section 2, along with Dadeville, Northside Methodist, Glenwood and Lee-Scott.
St. James, joining BTW Magnet, LAMP, Brew Tech and Catholic in 4A-5A, find themselves split among two sections, with St. James and Brew Tech joining five south Alabama teams and BTW Magnet, LAMP, Marbury and Catholic joining four other schools from the north central part of the state.
In soccer, the biggest change was Montgomery Academy’s elevation to Class 7A by Competitive Balance Factor as the Eagles’ soccer programs joins the tennis teams in the state’s highest classification.
Montgomery Academy will join Dothan, Enterprise and JAG in Area 3, while Prattville will be teamed with Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Thompson and Tuscaloosa County in Area 5.
Most of the Capital City Conference teams will be in 4A Area 3, featuring Booker T. Washington, LAMP, Catholic, St. James, Tallassee and Trinity in a highly competitive area.
While Competitive Balance Factor remains highly disruptive in the classification system, very few local teams were elevated by it.
In baseball, Prattville Christian and St. James remain in 3A despite a pair of postseason appearances, while Trinity’s two quarterfinal appearances keep the Wildcats elevated at 4A.
In softball, both Prattville Christian and St. James would have been elevated by reaching the finals, but St. James remains in 3A after missing that goal by one win, while Prattville Christian remains elevated at 4A but didn’t climb to 5A.
Track and golf remain relatively unchanged -- although Trinity moved up to 4A with Competitive Balance in boys’ golf -- but the regions’ success in tennis and soccer created some change, with St. James moving to 4A and Montgomery Academy to 7A in soccer and St. James moving to 4A-5A in tennis while Trinity remains at 6A and Montgomery Academy at 7A because of Competitive Balance.
AHSAA CLASSIFICATION FOR SPRING SPORTS
BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL
7A Area 3
G.W. Carver
Dothan
Enterprise
JAG
7A Area 5
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa
Prattville
Thompson
Tuscaloosa County
6A Area 3
Park Crossing
Pike Road
Rehobeth
Russell County
6A Area 4
P. Julian
Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka
5A Area 5
Brew Tech
Holtville
Marbury
5A Area 6
Beauregard
Elmore County
Valley
BASEBALL
4A Area 5
Booker T. Washington
LAMP
Catholic
Tallassee
Trinity
3A Area 5
Alabama Christian
Prattville Christian
St. James
Montgomery Academy
1A Area 6
Billingsley
Breakthrough Charter
Ellwood Christian
Francis Marion
Maplesville
1A Area 7
Autauga Academy
Autaugaville
Notasulga
Verbena
SOFTBALL
4A Area 5
Booker T. Washington
LAMP
Catholic
Tallassee
Prattville Christian
3A Area 5
Alabama Christian
Trinity
St. James
Montgomery Academy
1A Area 6
Autauga Academy
Autaugaville
Notasulga
1A Area 7
Billingsley
Breakthrough Charter
Maplesville
Verbena
SOCCER
7A Area 3
Dothan
Enterprise
JAG
Montgomery Academy
7A Area 5
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa
Prattville
Thompson
Tuscaloosa County
6A Area 3
Park Crossing
Pike Road
Russell County
6A Area 4
P. Julian
Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka
5A Area 5
BTW Magnet
Demopolis
Marbury
5A Area 6
Brew Tech
Elmore County
Holtville
4A Area 3
Booker T. Washington
LAMP
Catholic
St. James
Tallassee
Trinity
1A-3A Area 3
Alabama Christian
Autauga Academy
Autaugaville
Glenwood School
Lee-Scott Academy
Prattville Christian
TENNIS
7A Section 2
Auburn
Central-Phenix City
Opelika
Smiths Station
Prattville
Dothan
Enterprise
Montgomery Academy
6A Section 2
Baldwin County
Blount
Saraland
Houston Academy
Park Crossing
Pike Road
Trinity
6A Section 3
Benjamin Russell
Chilton County
Helena
Pelham
Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka
4A-5A Section 2
Andalusia
Brew Tech
Carroll
Charles Henderson
Eufaula
Providence Christian
St. James
4A-5A Section 3
BTW Magnet
Jemison
LAMP
Marbury
Catholic
Shelby County
Sylacauga
Valley
1A-3A Section 2
Alabama Christian
Dadeville
Glenwood School
Lee-Scott Academy
Northside Methodist
Prattville Christian