Cairo reclassified to 3-A

Published 10:44 am Monday, November 6, 2023

THOMASVILLE – The Cairo Syrupmakers will have a new athletic home for the 2024-26 school years.

The Syrupmakers were reclassified last week to Class 3-A, according to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) reclassification numbers for 2024-26.

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Cairo High’s 2023 FTE (full time equivalent) number is 1,298, but with a multiplier, it increases to 1,322. LaGrange is the top school in the classification with a 2023 FTE number of 1,301 and total number of 1,389.

Cairo is one of 57 schools reclassified into 3-A. The other South Georgia teams in the classification include Westover, Dougherty, Monroe and Bainbridge. Shaw and Hardaway, two Columbus-based schools that are currently in Region 1-4A with Cairo, have also been reclassified to Class 3-A.

“I was very pleased that we caught 3-A. It’s pretty much what we guess will be the same region we’ve been in; the two Columbus schools, the three Albany schools and Bainbridge,” Cairo athletic director Sam Holland said. “We were pleased where we landed.

“They could take the Columbus schools and take them north towards LaGrange and Upson-Lee and even towards the Macon area. Just because that’s what we think doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”

One revelation from the numbers was how many more students that Cairo has than Bainbridge. Bainbridge’s FTE number is 1,218, but with a multiplier, it increases to 1,238.

Schools that wish to appeal their enrollment figure or request to play in a higher classification must do so before noon on Wednesday, Nov. 8.