By Michael Butler

Last week, Tallassee learned that it would be in Class 4A for the AHSAA’s next two-year sports cycle beginning in August. It also found out that it would participate in Region 4 for football.

“Travel-wise, I’m glad we’re still 4A,” said THS head football coach L.A. O’Neal. “In 3A, we would’ve been in a region in the Dothan area. Our region is jampacked with competition. I’m all about competition. There are no weeks off. Every opponent is capable of beating you.”

On Tuesday, O’Neal met with representatives from the region in Beauregard to set game dates for the upcoming season. O’Neal has also filled his three allotted non-region games.

The season will open at Montgomery Academy on Aug. 21. The Eagles and Tigers have met in the season kickoff the past two seasons.

O’Neal is bringing back an old rival in Wetumpka for the second game. That will be played at J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium. Tallassee renewed its series with the Indians in 2020 after a 17-year break. They played again in 2021 but have not since. Wetumpka is Tallassee’s most-played opponent. The two have met 70 times.

Tallassee’s other non-region foe will be Booker T. Washington during the mid-season on Sept. 25. The two have played the last four years as region foes. BTW has now dropped a classification to 3A.

All of Tallassee’s region matchups will be against teams who were 5A the last cycle. County rivals bookend the region slate with Holtville as Tallassee’s first region game on Sept. 4 and Elmore County as its last on Oct. 23. Tallassee will have an off week the Friday prior to the playoffs.

Homecoming is set for Sept. 18 versus Greenville and Senior Night on Oct. 9 against Beauregard.

Tallassee’s remaining games are road matchups at Marbury (Sept. 11), Charles Henderson (Oct. 1 or 2) and Valley (Oct. 16).

2026 Schedule
Aug. 21 – at Montgomery Academy
Aug. 28 – Wetumpka
Sept. 4 – Holtville
Sept. 11 – at Marbury
Sept. 18 – Greenville (Homecoming)
Sept. 25 – Booker T. Washington
Oct. 1 or 2 – at Charles Henderson
Oct. 9 – Beauregard (Senior Night)
Oct. 16 – at Valley
Oct. 23 – at Elmore County