RECLASS SHAKES UP AREA

West Point, Good Hope moving up; Addison drops

By Justin Graves Staff Writer

CULLMAN — No one at West Point High was surprised when the Alabama High School Athletic Association released its reclassification numbers for the 2010-12 school years.

West Point’s return to Class 4A was short-lived. When the ’10 football season begins next fall, the Warriors will be playing in Class 5A, Region 6 alongside Cullman, Hartselle and Walker.

This move wasn’t unexpected. West Point spent two seasons in Class 5A from 2006-08, compiling a 1-19 overall record in football during that time. The Warriors also struggled in every other varsity sport while competing in the Class 5A ranks.

Cullman and West Point will both compete in Area 13 for basketball. Brewer and Hartselle are also in that area.

The move was good news for Cullman’s football program. During the previous two seasons, the Bearcats were stuck in a nine-team region, meaning the team only had two non-region games.

By getting placed in an eight-team region with two local rivals — West Point and Hartselle — Bearcats coach Mark Britton can be more flexible when making his football schedule.

“I’m not sure who we’ll play in our non-region games. That’s something we’re working on,” Britton said. “What I do know is that I like being back in an eight-team region. We’ve wanted to get the Hartselle game back on the schedule. Now that’ll happen for sure with the realignment.”

West Point wasn’t the only local school to change classifications. Good Hope will be moving up to Class 4A for the first time ever, while Addison will be dropping down to Class 1A for the first time in four years.

“We saw this coming,” Good Hope football coach Chris Moss said. “When the numbers were turned in, we knew it would be close. So this didn’t really come as a surprise.”

The last time Addison was a Class 1A school, the Bulldogs won a state championship in football and claimed three straight volleyball titles.

Addison will compete in Class 1A, Region 8 for football. R.A. Hubbard, Hackleburg, Phillips-Bear Creek, Shoals Christian, Tharptown, Vina and Waterloo will also be in that region.

Even though Good Hope will be moving up to Class 4A, the Raiders were not placed in the same football region with Fairview. Good Hope will compete in Region 5 with teams located in Jefferson, Walker, Fayette and Winston counties.

“The biggest thing for us is the gate money we’ll lose by not playing more local teams,” Moss said. “Our three non-region games will be still be against local teams, but that’s it.”

Fairview will remain in Region 7, but Plainview, Priceville and Columbia were replaced with Butler, Cherokee County and Crossville.

Good Hope and Fairview will be in Area 13 for basketball, competing against Priceville and East Lawrence.

Vinemont, Hanceville and Holly Pond will all remain in Class 3A, but were placed in a widespread football region with several perennial powers. They will compete in Region 5 with teams like Cordova, Hamilton, Winston County, Winfield and Carbon Hill.

In basketball, Vinemont, Hanceville, Holly Pond and Winston County will make up Class 3A, Area 12.

Cold Springs may have gotten the toughest draw for football. The Eagles will compete in Class 2A, Region 7, which has nine teams. The region runs from Tanner to Fultondale, stretching across nine counties.

Cold Springs will also be in a large basketball area. The Eagles will compete in Area 11 with Sumiton Christian, Oakman and American Christian of Tuscaloosa.

St. Bernard will play in Class 1A, Region 6, which is practically the same as the one the Saints are currently in. Meek was placed in Class 1A, Region 5.

Justin Graves can be reached by phone at 734-2131, ext. 257 or by e-mail at jgraves@cullmantimes.com.