Old rivalries, new faces highlight 2016 Albany-area prep football schedules

ALBANY — Despite football season still months away, schedules for the Georgia High School Association and Georgia Independent Schools Assocation were recently released.

Due to region alignment in both the GHSA and GISA, multiple area teams will be in new regions and playing against some new faces.

Of the four Dougherty County schools, only Westover will still play in Region 1-AAAA. The Patriots will have a schedule similar to last season’s with the exception of a couple of schools who have changed classification.

The Patriots kick the season off on Aug. 27 against Monroe at Hugh Mills Stadium.

Dougherty and Monroe will now play in Region 1-AAA, which is a classification below what the teams played in previously.

The Trojans open the season on Aug. 18 with a home game against Turner County at Hugh Mills Stadium.

Joining Dougherty and Monroe in Region 1-AAA is Worth County. The Rams, who lost in the second round of the state playoffs last season, are also dropping a classification.

The team that has the biggest change is Albany. The Indians are in the Region 1-AA for the upcoming season, which is two classifications lower than what they previously played in.

The Indians have the benefit of only playing away from Hugh Mills one time. The only true away game comes on Oct. 28 when Albany heads to Berrien for a region game.

Despite the changes, all four Dougherty schools will face each other next season.

Lee County will remain in Region 1-AAAAAA but will be joined by Houston County, Coffee and Northside-Warner Robins. The Trojans competed in Region 1-AAAAAA last year, then the state’s largest classification. However, the GHSA added a seventh classification starting next fall.

The Trojans will face Jones County in the Corky Kell Classic on Aug. 18 at Mercer University’s Five Star Stadium to open the season.

“This is something I have watched every year,” Fabrizio said. “To be a part of this, especially for them to come get a team out of South Georgia to be a part of this, we feel like it is a really big honor for us.”

One area team that is making a move is Pelham. The Hornets will play the next two years in Region 1-A and start the season with an away game on Aug. 19 against Albany.

In the GISA, Terrell Academy and Westwood have dropped down to Region 3-AA. Both teams open the season on Friday, Aug. 12 with Terrell hosting Flint River and Westwood playing a home game against First Presbyterian Christian Academy.

Deerfield-Windsor remains in Region 3-AAA for the upcoming season. The Knights are scheduled to kick off the season Aug. 12 with a home game against Trinity-Christian Sharpsburg.

Despite the full schedules being posted on the GISA website, there is the possibility multiple games could get changed.

“The last week they said they might be redoing some things,” Deerfield-Windsor coach Allen Lowe said. “I called everyone on my schedule and they said they still want to play me.”

REGION 1-AAAAAA

Lee County

Aug. 18 — at Jones County (at Mercer)

Aug. 26 — at Bainbridge

Sept. 2 — Hardaway

Sept. 9 — at Americus-Sumter

Sept. 16 — Luella

Sept. 23 — Thomas Co. Central

Oct. 7 — Houston Co.

Oct. 14 — at Northside-WR

Oct. 21 — Valdosta

Nov. 4 — at Coffee

REGION 1-AAAA

Westover

Aug. 27 — at Monroe

Sept. 2 — Albany

Sept. 10 — at Dougherty

Sept. 16 — at Americus-Sumter

Sept. 22 — Carver-Columbus (M)

Sept. 29 — at Hardaway (K)

Oct. 14 — Columbus

Oct. 21 — Cairo

Oct. 28 — at Northside-Columbus (K)

Nov. 3 — Shaw

M — Memorial Stadium, Columbus

K — Kinnett Stadium, Columbus

REGION 1-AAA

Dougherty

Aug. 18 — Turner Co.

Sept. 2 — at Berrien

Sept. 10 — Westover

Sept. 16 — at Spencer (K)

Sept. 24 — Albany

Sept. 30 — at Perry

Oct. 8 — Monroe

Oct. 14 — at Cook

Oct. 21 — at Worth Co.

Oct. 27 — Crisp Co.

K — Kinnett Stadium

Monroe

Aug. 27 — Westover

Sept. 1 — Thomasville

Sept. 9 — at Thomas Co. Central

Sept. 16 — at Albany

Sept. 23 — Brooks Co.

Oct. 8 — at Dougherty

Oct. 14 — at Crisp Co.

Oct. 28 — Worth Co.

Nov. 4 — Cook

Worth County

Aug. 19 — at Thomas Co. Central

Aug. 26 — at Turner Co.

Sept. 2 — Veterans

Sept. 9 — Early Co.

Sept. 16 — at Thomasville

Sept. 30 — Harris Co.

Oct. 7 — at Cook

Oct. 21 — Dougherty

Oct. 28 — at Monroe

Nov. 4 — Crisp Co.

REGION 1-AA

Albany

Aug. 19 — Pelham

Aug 26 — Mitchell Co.

Sept. 2 — at Westover

Sept. 16 — Monroe

Sept. 24 — at Dougherty

Oct. 7 — Fitzgerald

Oct. 14 — Brooks Co.

Oct. 21 — Thomasville

Oct. 28 — at Berrien

Nov. 4 — Early Co.

REGION 1-A

Baconton Charter

Aug. 19 — at Pataula Charter

Aug. 26 — Pelham

Sept. 1 — Chattahoochee Co.

Sept. 16 — at Miller Co.

Sept. 30 — at Terrell Co.

Oct. 6 — Randolph-Clay

Oct. 14 — at Stewart Co.

Oct. 21 — Seminole Co.

Oct. 28 — at Mitchell Co.

Nov. 4 — Calhoun Co.

Calhoun Co.

Aug. 26 — Schley Co.

Sept. 2 — Randolph-Clay

Sept. 16 — at Pelham

Sept. 23 — at Stewart Co.

Sept. 30 — Miller Co.

Oct. 7 — at Seminole Co.

Oct. 14 — Chattahoochee Co.

Oct. 21 — Mitchell Co.

Oct. 28 — at Terrell Co.

Nov. 4 — at Baconton

Mitchell County

Aug. 26 — at Albany

Sept. 2 — Stewart Co.

Sept. 9 — at Miller Co.

Sept. 17 — Chattahoochee Co.

Sept. 23 — at Terrell Co.

Oct. 1 — Randolph-Clay

Oct. 14 — Seminole Co.

Oct. 21 — at Calhoun Co.

Oct. 28 — Baconton

Nov. 4 — at Pelham

Pataula Charter

Aug. 19 — Baconton

Aug. 26 — at Webster Co.

Sept. 23 — Glascock Co.

Sept. 30 — at Cross Keys

Oct. 21 — Webster Co.

Oct. 28 — Cross Keys

Nov. 4 — at Glascock Co.

Pelham

Aug. 19 — at Albany

Aug. 26 — at Baconton

Sept. 2 — Terrell Co.

Sept. 16 — Calhoun Co.

Sept. 23 — Miller Co.

Sept. 30 — at Chattahoochee Co.

Oct. 14 — at Randolph-Clay

Oct. 21 — Stewart Co.

Oct. 28 — at Seminole Co.

Nov. 4 — Mitchell Co.

Terrell Co.

Aug. 19 — at Taylor Co.

Aug. 26 — Miller Co.

Sept. 2 — at Pelham

Sept. 16 — at Seminole Co.

Sept. 23 — Mitchell Co.

Sept. 30 — Baconton

Oct. 7 — at Stewart Co.

Oct. 21 — at Chattahoochee Co.

Oct. 28 — Calhoun Co.

Nov. 4 — Randolph-Clay