Etowah County football opens Aug. 20, and two local schools land in a brand new division

GADSDEN – High school football returns to Etowah County on Thursday, Aug. 20, and the biggest change this season is not on any local field. It is in how Alabama sorts its teams.

The Alabama High School Athletic Association split public and private schools for the 2026-28 cycle. Public schools now play in six classifications. Private schools play in two divisions, AA for the largest 17 and A for everyone else.

For Etowah County that reshapes the map for two programs and leaves the other eight where they were.

What changed for Westbrook and Coosa Christian?

Both landed in Private School Division A, Region 4. So did Decatur Heritage, Lindsay Lane, Mars Hill Bible, Shoals Christian and Whitesburg Christian.

Two things follow from that.

The first is local. Westbrook Christian in Rainbow City and Coosa Christian in Gadsden are now in the same region, which means when they meet it counts in the standings rather than being a nonregion game between neighbors.

The second is mileage. Region 4 runs from Gadsden to the Huntsville, Decatur and Florence area. Region road trips got considerably longer for both schools.

How did those two get here?

From different directions, which is what makes the region interesting.

Westbrook went 10-2 in Class 3A last season. Coosa Christian won the Class 2A state championship with an enrollment listed around 73 students, which the Alabama Football Coaches Association called the outlier of the entire division.

Waiting in the same region is Mars Hill Bible, which went 15-0 and won the 3A title in 2025.

So a seven-team region contains last year’s 3A champion, last year’s 2A champion and a 10-win program, all playing for the same postseason spots.

When does the season start?

AHSAA’s regular season opens the week of Aug. 20.

Etowah opens at home against Cleburne County on Thursday, Aug. 20. Most of the county plays the following night. Gadsden City hosts Oxford, Southside hosts Chelsea, Sardis hosts Haralson County from Georgia, West End hosts Cedar Bluff, and Glencoe travels to Hayden.

Week 1 brings the first all-local game. Hokes Bluff hosts Southside on Thursday, Aug. 27.

Which local matchups are on the schedule?

Several games this season put two Etowah County teams on the same field.

Sept. 4 has Etowah hosting Hokes Bluff and Gaston hosting West End.

Sept. 11 has Etowah hosting Glencoe.

Sept. 25 has Southside hosting Etowah and West End hosting Sardis.

Oct. 23 has Hokes Bluff hosting Glencoe.

That same Sept. 4 weekend also sends Westbrook against Mars Hill Bible at home and Coosa Christian to Whitesburg Christian, both region games under the new alignment.

What changed about the postseason?

Quite a lot.

There are now eight state championship games rather than seven, so the name Super 7 no longer fits and the event has been rebranded.

The games also move. After years at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, the 2026 championships will be played at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, from Dec. 1 through Dec. 5.

Playoff games run on Friday nights through November.

Can I watch games on television?

Alabama Public Television is carrying AHSAA Games of the Week on Thursday nights from Aug. 20 through Oct. 29, then a playoff Game of the Week each Friday night in November, leading into the championships.

Those broadcasts are available over the air, on cable and satellite, through the PBS app and on most major live TV streaming services.

Which teams are we covering?

Ten programs across Etowah County: Gadsden City, Etowah, Southside, Glencoe, Hokes Bluff, Sardis, West End, Gaston, Westbrook Christian and Coosa Christian.

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2026 season start? The week of Aug. 20. Etowah plays Thursday, Aug. 20, and most local teams play Friday, Aug. 21.

What is the private school split? Beginning in 2026, AHSAA private schools play in two divisions, A and AA, separate from the six public classifications.

Are Westbrook and Coosa Christian in the same region? Yes. Both are in Private School Division A, Region 4.

When is the first game between two Etowah County teams? Hokes Bluff hosts Southside on Thursday, Aug. 27.

Where are the state championships? Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Dec. 1 through 5.

How many state title games are there now? Eight.

Schedules and kickoff times are set by the schools and can change. GadsdenThrive is compiling the full 2026 schedule for all ten programs and will publish it as a season calendar.

Read more Gadsden and Etowah County news from GadsdenThrive.