It’s a switch: Reclassification moves TRM, WSN to new division

Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, December 20, 2023

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Two Escambia County (Ala.) high school football teams changed classifications after the 2024-26 reclassification realignments released Dec. 18 by the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

The reclassification realignment, which is released every two years, is based on school enrollment. These reclassification/realignments are in effect for the next two seasons.

W.S. Neal moved up to Class 4A from Class 3A after reporting an enrollment of 284.9 students.

T.R. Miller dropped from Class 4A to Class 3A with an enrollment of 273.95.

Escambia County (307.5) and Flomaton (270.55) remain in Class 4A and 3A, respectively.

According to the realignment, WSN will be in Region 1 with ECHS, Jackson, Mobile Christian (up from Class 3A), Orange Beach, Satsuma and St. Michael.

“Neal always fluctuates between 3A and 4A,” WSN head football coach Hugh Fountain said. “We knew it was a possibility that we were going to 4A.”
Fountain said as far as the region, the Blue Eagles have played all of the teams before. “In the last 20 years, we’ve been 3A more than a 4A,” he said. “It’s not something we haven’t been, but we’ve got to get familiar with again.”

TRM will play in Region 1 with Bayside Academy, Cottage Hill, Excel, FHS, Hillcrest-Evergreen and Monroe County.

“It’s really no surprise to us,” Hubbert said. “We have gone back and forth from 3A to 4A for years. You never know where the cutoff will be and our enrollment number stays really close to the same each time they do reclassification. The 3A and 4A Region 1 have been really tough the last two changes so we are very familiar with the teams and expect this time around in 3A to be no different. The region has good coaches, players and physical play.”

In volleyball, ECHS will play in Class 4A, Area 2 with Jackson and WSN.

TRM and Flomaton will play in Class 3A, Area 2 with Excel, Hillcrest-Evergreen and Monroe County.