By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Writer

MONTGOMERY – Several Shelby County schools will face new football opponents as the Alabama High School Association announced a new seven-classification system for all sports for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.

According to the release, Thompson, Oak Mountain and Spain Park will move into the new Class 7A, Region 3 with Hoover, Hewitt-Trussville, Mountain Brook, Tuscaloosa County and Vestavia Hills.

Pelham remains in 6A and will be joined in Region 5 by Briarwood Christian, which moves up from 5A. The schools will face Homewood, Hueytown, Jackson-Olin, John Carroll, Minor and Walker. Chelsea will also stay in 6A, and will participate in Region 3 Benjamin Russell, Opelika, Oxford, Pell City, Valley and Chilton County.

Calera moves to 5A, Region 4A with Central-Tuscaloosa, Dallas County, Demopolis, Jemison, Sumter-Central and Wilcox-Central.

The new Helena High School will take part in Class 5A, Region 4. Shelby County will play in Class 5A, Region 3 with Talladega, Tallassee, Clay County-Central, Marbury and Beauregard.

Montevallo moves to Class 4A, Region 4. The Bulldogs will face Bibb County, Holt, Northside, Oak Grove, Sipsey Valley and West Blocton.

Vincent remains in Class 2A, and will play Fayetteville, Francis Marion, Holy Spirit, Thorsby, R.C. Hatch and Pickens County.

Indian Springs and Westminster-Oak Mountain, who do not participate in football, will remain in Class 3A and 1A, respectively.

The realignment happened during the AHSAA Central Board’s winter meeting in Montgomery. The addition of the seventh class marks the first time a new class has been added since 1984.

“The seven-classification system will allow more student-athletes to participate in championship events and more will experience first-hand what it means to play in some of the best venues in our state,” Central Board President Lamar Brooks wrote in the release. “With the addition of an extra championship game, revenues should increase which will mean much-needed additional money for all schools through the AHSAA revenue sharing program.”

According to the release, the new seven-classification football alignment places the 32 largest high schools in the new Class 7A. The remaining six classes were divided as equally as possible with 60 schools in 6A, 61 in 5A, 60 in 4A, 60 in 3A, 58 in 2A and 58 making up Class 1A. A total of 23 schools currently do not participate in football championship play and will placed in the re-classification system based on their reported enrollment numbers.

The Central Board also voted to allow football teams 11 weeks to schedule 10 games.

Check back with Shelbycountyreporter.com for more details.