By Michael Butler

The long-anticipated reclassification numbers have been revealed by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. A new eight-class system will be incorporated for the next two-year cycle beginning in August separating public and private schools for post-season competition.

There will now be six public school classes with two new private school classes. Tallassee landed in Class 4A with the smallest average enrollment of the 66 schools in the classification. Tallassee’s average is 326.55. The largest 4A, Wenonah, has an average of 519.55.

The shift dropped regular sports rivals Elmore County and Holtville back to 4A. In football, Elmore County is Tallassee’s third-most played opponent. The two have played 63 times and every year since 1971, but the two had not reached an arrangement to continue playing. That issue was resolved with both being assigned to Class 4A Region 4.

Tallassee’s football region includes Beauregard, Charles Henderson, Elmore County, Greenville, Holtville, Marbury and Valley.

Last season, Tallassee played three private school teams and were eliminated in the playoffs by American Christian of Tuscaloosa. St. James was in the Tigers’ region. And Tallassee opened its season with Montgomery Academy. Regular season matchups against privates can continue if coaches want to schedule them.

“Montgomery Academy is penciled in,” Tallassee head football coach and athletic director L.A. O’Neal said. “I’m for private schools being in. I like competition. I want my kids to play the best. If we do play for a championship, we can say we’re the best and did not play somebody.”

O’Neal has not yet finalized his non-region schedule. He has three spots to fill. Wetumpka, Tallassee’s most played opponent, has been mentioned as a possibility. The two have been played 70 times but just twice over the past 20 years.

Class 6A will have 32 teams. All other public-school classifications will have more than 60 each. There are 60 private schools in the AHSAA. 43 will make up the smallest class, Private Class Single A, and 17 will comprise the largest, Private School Double A.

Region, area and section alignments for all fall sports were released on Friday. In addition to football, flag football, volleyball, cross country and swimming and diving are now posted on the AHSAA website.