Both Bryan County High School and Richmond Hill High School will have some new faces - and mascots - to get used to when the 2012-2013 school year begins next fall.
Unless something changes at the last minute, the athletic programs at both schools will find themselves in new regions next academic year, with BCHS going from Region 3A-A to region 2B-AA and Richmond Hill from 2A-AAAA to Region 3A-AAAAA.
While that can sound confusing to those unfamiliar with the way the Georgia High School Association does business, it's a good deal for the Wildcats, school athletic director Rick Bond said.
"I believe that the new region will be more competitive than ever," he said. "The travel problems should be much fewer, resulting in more participation for our student athletes."
After two years in Class AAAA, the Wildcats moved up with the advent of a sixth classification in 2011. The new 3-AAAAA is broken down into two subregions, with Richmond Hill now competing with Effingham County, Groves and Jenkins in 3A-AAAAA.
Bradwell Institute, Glynn Academy, Ware County and Windsor Forest make up the other side of the region, or 3B-AAAAA.
Bryan County also moved up in classification, from A to AA, after the latest count by the GHSA. The Redskins will compete in Region 2B-AA along with Benedictine, Long County, McIntosh County Academy and St. Vnincent's.
The other subregion will include Bacon County, Jeff Davis, Metter, Toombs Count and Vidalia. Bryan County athletic director Mark Wilson couldn't be reached for comment, but shools are grouped in classification by student enrollment, and the Pembroke school's projected enrollment was 377 in grades 9-11.
Richmond Hill's projected enrollment will be 1,306 in grades 9-12, according to the GHSA.
For a complete list of new region assignments, see bryancountynews.net.