GHSA proposes new classifications for 2026-2028, Houston County schools move up

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Zion Paul (10) tackles Veterans’ Deric Ingram Jr (5) on a kickoff return early in HoCo’s 49-10 win over the Warhawks. (Clay Brown/HHJ)

The Georgia High School Association has released their proposed classifications for the 2026-2028 school period, and schools will have until Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. to appeal those decisions before the Nov. 10 meeting.

All five Houston County schools are moving up after occupying 4A and 5A since 2024.

Houston County, Northside, and Veterans all moved from 5A to 6A in the proposed classifications. HoCo is said to have gone from 2,101 to 2,177 students, Northside from 1,997 to 1,999 and Veterans from 1,998 to 2,058.

HoCo would be the 9th biggest school in 6A in terms of enrollment while Veterans rolls in at 21st and Northside 27th.

Perry is the only school “moving up,” considering they were in 4A before the recent consolidation of classifications. Now they’re slated to be in the middle, though still towards the top half, of 5A as the 21st biggest school with 1,659 students up from 1,629.

Warner Robins would be the second-biggest school in 5A with 1,785 students up from 1,771. Lee County, a frequent region opponent for HoCo and the other 6A schools, has 1,824 students which is only 39 more than Warner Robins.

The Demons have the best case to move up and it would (likely) put four Houston County teams in the same region for the first time.

If the proposed classifications stand Warner Robins and Perry would most likely stay in the same region. They could keep region opponents Wayne County and Ware County who are at the bottom end of 5A, though Benedictine is set to stay in 4A.

There has been some speculation that Jones County and Mary Persons could be added to a Perry-Warner Robins region considering their proximity, but you could also see some McDonough teams like Eagle’s Landing, Dutchtown, Ola.

The 6A region may stay the same besides adding Tift County back. A Houston County, Northside, Veterans, Tift County, Thomas County Central, Lee County and Coffee region looks likely. Some are speculating that Northside-Columbus could be added to the mix. That would be the first time the Patriots would be in a region with Houston County teams since 2011.