The Alabama High School Athletic Association has released its new region alignments for football, volleyball, cross country, and swimming and diving, reshuffling the competitive landscape for dozens of Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Clarke and Washington County schools heading into the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
The AHSAA reclassifies its member schools every two years, sorting them into seven classifications, 1A through 7A, based primarily on enrollment figures. Private schools face an additional adjustment known as the 1.35 multiplier, which factors into their classification to help balance competition against public schools that draw from set geographic zones. The result is a new round of region matchups that will determine playoff races, rivalries and travel schedules across South Alabama for the next two years.
In football, Class 7A, Region 1 stays largely intact for the local area, keeping Alma Bryant, Baker, Daphne, Davidson, Fairhope, Foley and Mary G. Montgomery together for another cycle. All seven schools competed in that region over the past two seasons, giving coaches and administrators a rare stretch of stability at the state’s largest classification.
The bigger shakeup comes in Class 6A, Region 1, where Murphy and Theodore both drop down from 7A. They join a region that also gains St. Paul’s Episcopal, which moves up from Class 5A for the second consecutive cycle under the competitive balance formula applied to private schools. The revamped nine-team region now includes Baldwin County, Blount, McGill-Toolen, Robertsdale, Saraland, Spanish Fort, St. Paul’s, Theodore and Murphy, setting up a crowded and physical region race.
Class 5A, Region 1 will feature B.C. Rain, Citronelle, Elberta, Faith Academy, Gulf Shores, LeFlore, UMS-Wright, Vigor and Williamson. Vigor and Williamson both move up from Class 4A, while Gulf Shores drops down a full classification from 6A, a significant shift for the Panhandle program.
Down in Class 4A, Region 1, the new lineup includes Bayside Academy, Escambia County, Jackson, St. Michael, Orange Beach, Satsuma and T.R. Miller. Bayside Academy moves up from Class 3A, Satsuma falls from Class 5A, and Orange Beach makes the most dramatic jump of any local program, climbing two full classifications from 2A.
Class 3A, Region 1 will consist of Cottage Hill Christian, Excel, Flomaton, Hillcrest-Evergreen, Mobile Christian, Thomasville and W.S. Neal. Mobile Christian moves down from Class 4A as part of the reshuffling. In Class 2A, Region 1, the region includes Chickasaw, Clarke County, Francis Marion, J.U. Blacksher, St. Luke’s and Washington County, with Chickasaw dropping down a classification from 3A. No area schools will compete in Class 1A football under the new alignment.
Reclassification also touched volleyball, cross country, and swimming and diving, though those realignments won’t take effect until after the current winter and spring sports seasons wrap up. In volleyball, Bayshore Christian moves up to Class 2A, St. Luke’s remains at Class 3A, Bayside Academy climbs all the way to Class 6A, Faith Academy shifts back down to 5A, and St. Paul’s moves up to Class 7A.
Cross country sees a similar set of adjustments, with Bayshore Christian moving to Class 2A, Bayside Academy advancing to 5A, UMS-Wright moving up to Class 6A, and St. Paul’s holding steady at 7A. In swimming and diving, St. Michael moves back to the combined Class 1A-5A grouping, St. Paul’s remains in the 6A-7A category, and UMS-Wright also returns to the 1A-5A group.
Athletic directors and coaches across the region are expected to spend the coming months adjusting schedules, scouting reports and travel plans as they prepare for the new alignment, which will govern region championships and playoff seeding for two full athletic cycles before the process starts again.
This story unfolds across the distinctive landscape of South Alabama, a region defined by its pine forests, winding rivers, and Gulf Coastal Plain geography. The area’s communities—from the port city of Mobile to the agricultural heartlands of the Black Belt—share interconnected economies and histories shaped by timber, agriculture, shipping, and more recently, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. Local governance across county lines often coordinates on regional planning, workforce development, and infrastructure projects that affect residents throughout the southern tier of the state. The geography itself shapes daily life: low-lying coastal plains face hurricane exposure, while inland counties contend with river flooding and rural transportation challenges. Understanding the setting helps explain why local decisions carry weight far beyond municipal boundaries.
Economic activity in South Alabama reflects both deep-rooted industries and emerging sectors. The region’s forest products industry remains a cornerstone, while the Port of Mobile anchors global trade connections. Aerospace manufacturing has grown significantly around the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, and automotive suppliers feed assembly plants across the Southeast. Workforce development initiatives through community colleges and the Alabama Industrial Development Training program aim to align skills with employer needs. Broadband expansion and highway improvements—including the I-10 Mobile River Bridge project and I-65 corridor enhancements—address longstanding connectivity gaps that affect business recruitment and quality of life. Small businesses, agriculture, tourism, and the service sector round out a diverse regional economy that has weathered national downturns through a mix of resilience and adaptation.
The environmental context of South Alabama is inseparable from its waterways and Gulf coastline. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta, one of the nation’s most biodiverse river systems, filters freshwater into Mobile Bay while supporting fisheries, recreation, and flood mitigation. Coastal communities face recurring hurricane exposure and long-term sea-level considerations, shaping building codes, insurance markets, and emergency planning. Conservation efforts by organizations like the Alabama Coastal Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and state agencies work to preserve critical habitat while balancing development pressures. Water quality monitoring, oyster reef restoration, and living shoreline projects represent collaborative approaches to sustaining the natural resources underpinning both ecology and economy. Inland, working forests and farmland form the backbone of a rural landscape where land use decisions carry generational significance.
Education across South Alabama spans a network of public school districts, community colleges, and universities serving diverse student populations. The University of South Alabama in Mobile anchors higher education with medical, engineering, and marine science programs, while Troy University, Faulkner University, and Spring Hill College provide additional four-year options. The Alabama Community College System—including Coastal Alabama, Bishop State, Reid State, and Lurleen B. Wallace Community Colleges—delivers workforce training, dual enrollment, and transfer pathways. K-12 districts navigate state accountability measures, teacher recruitment challenges, and facility needs across urban, suburban, and rural settings, with local tax referendums often determining supplemental funding for programs and capital improvements. Partnerships between schools, employers, and nonprofits aim to keep opportunity tied to place, so that graduates can build careers without leaving the region.
The cultural fabric of South Alabama weaves together Indigenous heritage, colonial-era settlements, Civil War history, civil rights milestones, and enduring folk traditions. The region’s Mardi Gras traditions—centered in Mobile as the birthplace of North American Mardi Gras—coexist with community festivals celebrating shrimp, peanuts, watermelons, cattle, and maritime heritage. Historic districts in Mobile, Fairhope, Monroeville, and elsewhere preserve architectural character while supporting heritage tourism. The Alabama Historical Commission, local preservation societies, and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation work to protect significant sites. Oral history projects and university archives document the stories of communities shaped by agriculture, timber, shipbuilding, and the ongoing negotiation of identity in a rapidly changing South. These traditions not only enrich daily life but also anchor a sense of place that newcomers and longtime residents share.
Sport occupies a central place in South Alabama’s community life, from Friday-night high school football that draws whole towns to the sidelines, to college athletics at the University of South Alabama and across the state. Mobile’s longstanding role as a cradle of football talent—producing legends who went on to the professional ranks—is a point of regional pride, reinforced by events like the Senior Bowl, which has showcased NFL hopefuls in the city for decades. Youth leagues, recreation departments, and booster clubs sustain participation at the grassroots level, while the area’s coastal setting supports fishing tournaments, regattas, and beach athletics that reflect the local environment. The economic and social lift from sporting events—hotel stays, restaurant traffic, and civic visibility—makes athletics a quiet but steady contributor to the regional identity and to the small-business economy that surrounds game days.
Animal welfare organizations across South Alabama operate with limited resources and a steady stream of need. Municipal animal shelters in Mobile, Baldwin, and neighboring counties manage intake, adoption, and reunification efforts, often partnering with nonprofit rescues that provide foster networks, spay-neuter assistance, and transport to out-of-region adopters. Volunteer-driven groups fill gaps that public funding cannot, relying on donations, fundraisers, and grant support to keep operations running. The Gulf Coast’s position as both a tourist destination and a growing residential region has increased demand for pet services, while rural areas contend with stray and feral populations that strain capacity. Community education on responsible ownership, microchipping, and low-cost veterinary care has emerged as a practical lever for reducing shelter overcrowding. Efforts like local giving campaigns demonstrate how resident participation can translate directly into care for animals that might otherwise go without.
As this situation continues to develop, stakeholders across the affected communities will monitor outcomes and adjust responses accordingly. The interconnected nature of South Alabama’s counties means that decisions in one jurisdiction often ripple outward, affecting neighbors in ways that underscore the value of regional communication and coordinated planning. Residents seeking to stay informed can engage with local government meetings, school board sessions, and community forums where these matters are discussed in public. The ongoing dialogue between officials, experts, and citizens reflects the democratic processes through which the region navigates change while preserving the character and resilience that define its communities. Continued attention from local news outlets helps ensure that decisions remain transparent and that the people most affected have the information they need to participate in shaping what happens next.