The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced the new classifications for all sports for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

The AHSAA added a seventh classification that holds the 32 largest high schools in the state.

“The seven-classification system will allow more student-athletes to participate in championship events and more will experience first-hand what it means to play in some of the best venues in our state,” AHSAA Central Board President Lamar Brooks said. “With the addition of an extra championship game, revenues should increase which will mean much-needed additional money for all schools through the AHSAA revenue sharing program.”

AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese said the seven-class system allows the AHSAA to group schools more closely in enrollment, also reduces the need for nine-team regions in football and has created fewer five-team areas in sports like basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball.

“It also will allow more schools to make the state playoffs and will crown more state champions than at any other time in the history of our organization.”

All six local teams in the AHSAA will remain in the same classification, but the regions will look different.

Demopolis remains in Class 5A, and will be in a football region with Calera, Central Tuscaloosa, Dallas County, Helena, Jemison, Sumter Central and Wilcox Central. The area for basketball, baseball and softball will be Dallas County, Sumter Central and Wilcox Central. Volleyball will be in an area with Dallas County and Sumter Central.

Demopolis head coach Tom Causey said he’s excited to have the opportunity to play new teams.

“It’s exciting to be able to play new teams,” he said. “We’re all unfamiliar with each other, and that will be a challenge. I think change is always a good thing, and I think it was time for some changes.”

Causey added that he is proud that the AHSAA made the decision to move to a seven-class system.

“That wasn’t an easy decision to change something that had been in place for 30 years, but when you have such a big discrepancy between the biggest 6A and the smallest 6A, something needs to happen,” he said.

He also said the new region for Demopolis, geographically, is a mix of regions the school has been in since he arrived in 2007.

“It’s kind of a combination of where we’ve been in the past,” he said. “There are still a couple of long trips, but every region has that unless you’re in the metropolitan area. It’s definitely different and it gives us some new challenges.”

Sweet Water remains in 2A, and their region looks similar to what it was the last two seasons. The Bulldogs will be in a region with Choctaw County, Flomaton, Leroy, Mobile Christian, St. Luke’s, Southern Choctaw and Washington County. Their area for basketball, volleyball, softball and baseball will be Choctaw County, Southern Choctaw and Washington County.

In Class 1A, Linden and A.L. Johnson will remain in the same football region, but Marengo High School will no longer be with those two teams. Linden and ALJ will be in a region with Akron, Ellwood Christian, Keith, Maplesville and Sunshine. Linden, Marengo and ALJ will be in the same region in basketball, along with John Essex, who will not have a football team.

Marengo will be in a football region with Chickasaw, Fruitdale, J.F. Shields, J.U. Blacksher, McIntosh and Millry.

Below are the seven classifications and the new regions for football.

CLASS 7A

Region 1
Alma Bryant
Baker
Davidson
Fairhope
Foley
Mary Montgomery
McGill-Toolen
Murphy
Theodore

Region 2
Auburn
Central Phenix City
Enterprise
Jeff Davis
Lee Montgomery
Prattville
Smiths Station

Region 3
Hewitt-Trussville
Hoover
Mountain Brook
Oak Mountain
Spain Park
Thompson
Tuscaloosa Co.
Vestavia Hills

Region 4
Bob Jones
Buckhorn
Gadsden City
Grissom
Hazel Green
Huntsville
James Clemens
Sparkman

CLASS 6A

Region 1
Baldwin Co.
Blount
Citronelle
Daphne
Gulf Shores
LeFlore
Robertsdale
Saraland
Spanish Fort

Region 2
Carver Montgomery
Dothan
Northview
Park Crossing
Russell Co.
Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka
Carroll

Region 3
Benjamin Russell
Chelsea
Opelika
Oxford
Pell City
Valley
Chilton Co.

Region 4
Bessemer City
Brookwood
Hillcrest Tuscaloosa
McAdory
Northridge
Paul Bryant
Selma

Region 5
Briarwood Chr.
Homewood
Hueytown
Jackson-Olin
John Carroll
Minor
Pelham
Walker

Region 6
Center Point
Clay Chalkville
Gardendale
Huffman
Pinson Valley
Shades Valley
Woodlawn

Region 7
Albertville
Arab
Brewer
Lee Huntsville
Southside Gadsden
Scottsboro
Fort Payne

Region 8
Athens
Austin
Cullman
Decatur
Florence
Hartselle
Muscle Shoals

CLASS 5A

Region 1
B. C. Rain
Escambia Co.
Faith Academy
Jackson
Saint Pauls Episcopal
Vigor
Williamson

Region 2
Alabama Chr.
B. T. Washington
Charles Henderson
Eufaula
Greenville
Rehobeth
Sidney Lanier

Region 3
Beauregard
Clay Co. Central
Marbury
Shelby Co.
Sylacauga
Talladega
Tallassee

Region 4
Calera
Central Tuscaloosa
Dallas Co.
Demopolis
Helena
Jemison
Sumter Central
Wilcox Central

Region 5
Carver Birmingham
Corner
Dora
Fairfield
Parker
Pleasant Grove
Ramsay
Wenonah

Region 6
Alexandria
Anniston
Hayden
Lincoln
Moody
Mortimer Jordan
Saint Clair Co.
Springville

Region 7
Boaz
Butler
Douglas
Etowah
Fairview
Guntersville
Madison Co.
Randolph

Region 8
Ardmore
Columbia
East Limestone
J. O. Johnson
Lawrence Co.
Pope John Paul II
Russellville
West Point

CLASS 4A

Region 1
Clarke Co.
Monroe Co.
Satsuma
Southside Selma
Thomasville
UMS-Wright
W. S. Neal

Region 2
Andalusia
Ashford
Bullock Co.
Headland
Montgomery Catholic
Saint James
Straughn
Trinity Presbyterian

Region 3
Childersburg
Dadeville
Elmore Co.
Handley
Holtville
Leeds
Munford

Region 4
Bibb Co.
Holt
Montevallo
Northside
Oak Grove
Sipsey Valley
West Blocton

Region 5
Carbon Hill
Cordova
Curry
Danville
Fayette Co.
Haleyville
Hamilton

Region 6
Cherokee Co.
Cleburne Co.
Crossville
Hokes Bluff
Jacksonville
Saks
Sardis
White Plains

Region 7
DAR
Good Hope
J. B. Pennington
Locust Fork
North Jackson
Oneonta
Priceville
Westminster Chr.

Region 8
Brooks
Central Florence
Deshler
East Lawrence
Elkmont
Rogers
West Limestone
Wilson

CLASS 3A

Region 1
Bayside Academy
Cottage Hill
Excel
Geneva
Hillcrest Evergreen
Opp
T. R. Miller

Region 2
Abbeville
Barbour Co.
Dale Co.
Daleville
Houston Academy
Pike Co.
Slocomb
Wicksburg

Region 3
B. B. Comer
Beulah
Central Coosa
Fultondale
Midfield
Montgomery Academy
Prattville Christian

Region 4
Aliceville
American Chr.
Gordo
Greene Co.
Greensboro
Hale Co.
Lamar Co.

Region 5
Hanceville
Holly Pond
Oakman
Susan Moore
Vinemont
Winfield
Winston Co.

Region 6
Ashville
Glencoe
Ohatchee
Piedmont
Pleasant Valley
Walter Wellborn
Weaver
Westbrook Chr.

Region 7
Brindlee Mountain
Geraldine
New Hope
North Sand Mountain
Pisgah
Plainview
Sand Rock
Sylvania

Region 8
Clements
Colbert Co.
Colbert Heights
Lauderdale Co.
Lexington
Madison Academy
Sheffield
West Morgan

CLASS 2A

Region 1
Choctaw Co.
Flomaton
Leroy
Mobile Chr.
Saint Lukes
Southern Choctaw
Sweet Water
Washington Co.

Region 2
Ariton
Cottonwood
G. W. Long
Geneva Co.
Houston Co.
New Brockton
Providence Chr.
Samson

Region 3
Calhoun
Central Hayneville
Elba
Goshen
Highland Home
Luverne
Zion Chapel

Region 4
Fayetteville
Francis Marion
Holy Spirit
Pickens Co.
R. C. Hatch
Thorsby
Vincent

Region 5
Horseshoe Bend
Lafayette
Lanett
Ranburne
Randolph Co.
Reeltown
Woodland

Region 6
Addison
Cold Springs
Falkville
Southeastern
Sumiton Chr.
Tanner
Tarrant

Region 7
Cleveland
Collinsville
Fyffe
Gaston
Ider
Section
West End Walnut Grove

Region 8
Cherokee
Hatton
Mars Hill Bible
Phil Campbell
Red Bay
Sulligent
Tharptown

CLASS 1A

Region 1
Chickasaw
Fruitdale
J. F. Shields
J. U. Blacksher
Marengo
McIntosh
Millry

Region 2
Brantley
Florala
Georgiana
Kinston
McKenzie
Pleasant Home
Red Level

Region 3
Billingsley
Autaugaville
Isabella
Loachapoka
Notasulga
Saint Jude
Verbena

Region 4
A. L. Johnson
Akron
Ellwood Christian
Keith
Linden
Maplesville
Sunshine

Region 5
Appalachian
Donoho
Ragland
Shades Mountain Christian
Talladega County Central
Victory Christian
Wadley
Winterboro

Region 6
Berry
Brilliant
Hubbertville
Lynn
Marion County
Meek
Parrish
South Lamar

Region 7
Cedar Bluff
Coosa Christian
Gaylesville
Jacksonville Christian
Spring Garden
Valley Head
Woodville

Region 8
Decatur Heritage
Hackleburg
R.A. Hubbard
Phillips
Shoals Christian
Vina
Waterloo