THOMASTON, Ga. — With many schools set to either join or re-join the GISA for the 2022-23 school year, the competition is about to get a whole lot tougher -- and perhaps just as competitive as the GHSA once and for all.
Stratford Academy, First Presbyterian Day School, and Mount de Sales Academy are just three examples of former GISA member schools who will be returning to their old conference next year.
But what about those schools in Central Georgia that never actually left?
Brentwood High School and John Milledge Academy are the two best examples.
"I'm just as tickled as can be, that friends, guys that we used to play a lot, are coming back," Brentwood head coach Bert Brown said.
Both the War Eagles and Trojans have been proud members of the GISA for years, seeing great success along the way.
While the War Eagles won their second state title this year, the Trojans were busy winning their third straight.
"It just gives us more legitimacy as a league," Brown said. "It's going to give our neighbors over in Milledgeville some more competition. And if J.T. Wall sees this, he'll know what I'm talking about."
As for the Trojans' 36-game winning streak being in danger, the John Milledge Academy head coach can't wait.
"We know it's going to be harder Friday nights for us but we're accepting the challenge and ready for what the future holds," Wall said. "It's good for our kids to get that publicity and start getting some recognition they deserve."
It's recognition which, in some ways, has been missing since schools like Stratford, FPD, and Mount de Sales left for the GHSA.
"We could see a trend once they left a few years ago, you know, with the publicity diminishing a little bit," Wall said.
But beginning next year, that all changes for the better in the GISA, which will coincidentally rebrand as the GIAA in 2022.
"I feel like it makes other teams coming in respect us," Brentwood senior Will Wright said. "You know I feel like they want a piece of us now that we won the state title. Everybody's going to just want a piece of what we got."
Call it the GISA, the GIAA, or whatever else you choose -- the playing field is being leveled.
"I feel like it's good for us, to show that we can play football just as good as those GHSA teams can," Wright said.
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