Tylertown is back in Class 3A after a two-year stint in 4A, the school learned Friday after the Mississippi High School Activities Association released the new classifications for 2013-’15.
The Chiefs will join Region 8-3A with West Marion, Seminary, Perry Central, Sumrall, St. Patrick and Our Lady Academy.
For football, Tylertown will renew a longstanding rivalry with West Marion and face several new schools after spending the past two years playing the likes of North Pike, South Pike, Columbia, Purvis and Lawrence County.
With Tyletown’s departure back to 3A, McComb, which also dropped from 5A to 4A, will fill the void in Region 7-4A.
“I’m not going to say I’m glad (to be back in 3A),” Tylertown football coach Jason Johnson said. “We enjoyed our time in 4A and in two years from now, we could very possibly be back up in 4A again. I don’t think it’s that much of a difference until you get to the playoffs, with the final eight teams.”
Johnson said once in the playoffs, the larger 4A schools tend to have fewer players that play both ways and bigger bodies in the trenches, something Tylertown lacks. In 3A, the playing field tends to level off.
“In that aspect, I think we are on a more level playing field in 3A,” Johnson said. “Not that it would be easier for sure because there are some really good football games.”
Tylertown will keep South Pike for its non-league schedule and add McComb as well. Johnson said the Chiefs also will play East Marion next season and Franklinton, La., a 4A team that went 14-1 in 2010 en route to a Louisiana state championship.
Besides McComb and Tylertown, there wasn’t much movement in the area. Officials at North Pike had thought the Jaguars might move up to 5A, but that will have to wait until 2015.
McComb will now play annual district games with North Pike and South Pike and will likely try to grab a powerhouse school from the Gulf Coast like Biloxi or Gulfport to round out its schedule.
Meanwhile, Franklin County welcomes Wesson into Region 7-3A after Wesson jumped from 2A to 3A. Crystal Springs, Jefferson County, Wilkinson County and Hazlehurst join the two schools in the region.
In 2A, Amite County has to deal with Bassfield for the next two years. The Yellowjackets are fresh off a state championship win Friday night over Eupora. Bassfield formerly played in Region 8-2A with North Forrest, East Marion, Richton and Lumberton and now joins Amite County, East Marion, Enterprise-Lincoln, Loyd Star and West Lincoln in Region 7-2A.
Lumberton dropped to 1A and replaces Hartfield Academy in Region 4-1A. Bogue Chitto, Dexter and Salem remain in Region 4-1A for only football where the Bobcats claimed the district title and made a run to the 1A South State championship before losing 21-7 to Stringer.
For all other sports, Bogue Chitto, Cathedral, Hinds AHS, Pelahatchie, Piney Woods and St. Aloysius make up Region 7-1A.
Dexter, Lumberton, Mount Olive, Resurrection Catholic, Sacred Heart, Salem and Stringer make up Region 8-1A. Stringer is the defending State 1A football champion.
