For the first time in the 104-year history of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, all member schools won’t compete for championships together — due to a decision to split public and private schools. Previously, public and private schools played for the same championship. But private schools had rules that could bump teams to higher classifications. Now, private schools will play for their own championships. A separation of public and private schools in the state of Alabama has been a topic of discussion for years, but was brought into the spotlight following the introduction of the CHOOSE Act. With both public and private school classification assignments now determined by enrollment, classifications will be the same for all sports. There will be six public and two private school classifications. The division as part of the AHSAA reclassification lasts for two years. After the two-year period, the AHSAA will evaluate and move forward ahead of the 2028-29 cycle. Reporting...