By By Adam Robinson – Sports editor
As you all probably know, reclassification numbers for the 2008-2010 seasons have been announced.
While both area teams were affected in T.R. Miller dropping to 3A and W.S. Neal staying in 4A but drawing a very tough region, I thought that this would be a good time to look at the new regions and opponents for both teams.
Travel wise, as mentioned earlier, T.R. Miller probably will have the furthest to go out of both teams.
Miller's opponents are scattered about in Choctaw County near the Mississippi line and Cottage Hill and Bayside both south in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Central, Calhoun, Luverne and Straughn are more east of Brewton as Central and Calhoun are more north as much as east.
W.S. Neal's regional map is also scattered, but three of the teams were in the region with W.S. Neal this past season and Neal played Andalusia in a pre-season game. Clarke County is in-between Thomasville and Jackson as UMS-Wright and B.C. Rain are both in Mobile.
Taking a look at the current 4A region one teams that T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal faced this past season Atmore and Monroe County moved up to 5A as Thomasville, Jackson, and Hillcrest stayed in the region. Southside of Selma stayed 4A but is now in a different region. Only T.R. Miller dropped from the present teams.
As far as the non-region opponents for T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal, Clarke County is now in the new region one in 4A as Straughn stayed in 3A and
Trinity fell from 4A to 3A. Daleville is now is 3A region three as Opp stayed in 4A and Calhoun stayed 3A.
The new opponents for W.S. Neal in class 4A region one is currently 45-32 in overall records with four teams still alive in the playoffs this week.
If you take away B.C Rain's 0-10 record, opponents are 45-22. Only three teams have a losing record, as UMS is currently 6-6. Andalusia is 11-1, Clarke County is 12-0, Hillcrest was 4-6 with Jackson 3-7. Thomasville is 10-2 right now.
As far as T.R. Miller's opponents, the teams in the new class 3A region one went 27-45 on the season. Only Luverne in 2A and Cottage Hill went to the playoffs. Luverne lost to Pickens County in round one 21-20 while Cottage Hill lost to eventual state champion Bessemer 55-21 in round one in the AISA.
Not counting Bayside's record of 5-5, Cottage Hill was the only winning team as they went 8-3 on the season.
Calhoun was 2-8 along with Central of Hayneville. Choctaw County was 1-9 and Luverne finished 5-6 and Straughn finished 4-6.
On a different note, even though Alabama stunk it up and shocked everyone except Louisiana-Monroe last Saturday in being upset 21-14, I am still going to go out on a limb, may I say a very long limb here, and still stick with my original prediction of 28-24 Alabama in this Saturday's Iron Bowl game.
I want to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving and until Sunday when we meet again, God bless.