By Michael Butler

As the two-year cycle for athletic rescheduling nears, a couple of rivalry games for Tallassee are off the table for the moment.

“Elmore County said they’re not going to play us anymore,” THS athletic director L.A. O’Neal said. “We’ve reached out to (Reeltown). We haven’t heard back. The invitation is out there.”

The Alabama High School Athletic Association is expected to release new alignments in December. The reclassification numbers will be for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

If the basic arrangement of public and private schools participating together for championships is retained, O’Neal thinks Tallassee will remain in the 4A classification.

“We’ll probably stay 4A. There will be some shakeups with private schools. A couple, if they make the playoffs and win a game, might bump up.”

Elmore County is currently in Class 5A. If the Tigers and Panthers are in the same classification, they would likely be in the same region in football and area for other sports requiring competition.

“You’ve got a great gate,” O’Neal noted. “(We’re) literally 15 miles apart. I don’t understand why we wouldn’t play them. I respect their decision.”

Tallassee and Elmore County have played 63 times. The Panthers are Tallassee’s third-most played opponent in football, only behind Wetumpka (70 meetings) and Dadeville (66).

O’Neal has already penciled in Wetumpka as a replacement and mentioned Dadeville as another prospect to fill the Tigers’ schedule of non-region opponents.

“We’re just playing it by ear. For those non-region games, we don’t want to drive an hour and thirty minutes. You want a good gate. Wetumpka will bring a great crowd. Coach Bear (Woods) and I have a great relationship.”

Current football foe Holtville is also expected to stay on the football schedule moving forward.