The Georgia High School Association will have a different look this year thanks to the new reclassification plans.

There will still be eight football championships handed out in December, but the layout will be different. The Class 7A designation has been wiped away, making the highest classification 6A. For example, Milton won the Class 7A championship last year but will be playing in Class 5A this fall. 

But in an attempt to quiet the lower-classification critics, the private schools in Class 3A, 2A and Class A Division I and Division II, will be combined in the postseason and will have their own state championship. The private schools will continue to play in regions alongside public schools but will compete against each other in their own championship tournament.

That means when you watch the GHSA championships on GPB in December, there will be trophies handed out for Class 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, Class A Division I, Class A Division II and Class 1A-3A Private.

Teams who reach the state championship will be playing five days later than usual. Because of activity at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, site of the title games, no GHSA playoff games will be played the week of Thanksgiving. The playoff dates will be Nov. 8-9 for the first round, Nov. 15 for the second round, Nov. 22 for the third round, Dec. 6 for the semifinals and Dec. 16-18 for the championships.

A new chief for the GHSA: Tim Scott, formerly the superintendent of Dalton Public Schools, was approved as the new executive director for the GHSA. He replaces Robin Hines, who retired after holding the position since 2017.

Scott is a graduate of Warner Robins, played football at West Georgia and was principal at Douglas County, Dublin and Northside Warner Robins before become superintendent in Dalton in 2018.

Hines will remain connected to the GHSA and will continue to work as a liaison to the Georgia legislature.

Record watch for these programs: Glynn Academy needs one victory to become the 25th team to reach the 600-win level. The Red Terrors, coached by Garrett Grady, open the season on Friday at Wayne County.

Other teams closing in on milestones are: Lovett (497), Gordon-Lee (399), Adairsville (397), Pelham (397), Jones County (396), Villa Rica (395), North Springs (296), Winder-Barrow (296)_, Sequoyah (199), Haralson County (198), Jefferson County (197), Heritage-Conyers (196), Westover (196), Chapel Hill (95), Spalding (95), Chattahoochee County (95) and Pace Academy (95).

Coaches on the record trail: Sid Maxwell of Sequoyah and Roger Holmes of Dublin have a chance to join the 200-win club this fall. Both men have 193 career wins. Only 67 coaches have won 200 games.

Many coaches have a chance to reach the century mark in wins this season, starting with Chad Frazier of Whitewater, Charles Truitt of Randolph-Clay and Ben Hall of Oconee County. Each is sitting on 99 wins.

Others on the watchlist are Derek Cook of Osborne (98 wins), Justin Rogers of Thomas County Central (98), Bryan Lamar of South Gwinnett (98), James Leonard of Aquinas (96), Tommy Jones of Cherokee Bluff (96) and Eric Williams of Maynard Jackson (94).

Marist’s Alan Chadwick is the active wins leader. His teams are 431-80 and he trails only Lincoln County’s Larry Campbell (477-85-3) in career victories.