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New region, new district, new year
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With school more than a week in session, that also means fall sports have arrived.

Area high school teams were the first to take the field as Alcovy, Newton and Eastside not only began the 2012 season, but also were the first teams at their respective schools to play in a new region and district after realignment by the Georgia High School Association last spring.

Alcovy makes the biggest jump in districts this season, going from Region 3-AAAA to Region 2-AAAAAAA, the state's newest, biggest classification.

The Tigers softball team defeated Shiloh 6-1 in its opener Friday night. The Tigers played South Forsyth, Eagles Landing Christian Academy and Brookwood in the Brookwood Tournament Saturday.
Alcovy finished 12-15 in 2011 but graduated only one senior, Samantha Cronan off that team.

Newton also goes to the state's biggest classification this year, jumping from the previous largest classification AAAAA to Region 2-AAAAAA with its neighbors Alcovy.

Rockdale and Druid Hills fill out subregion A with Newton and Alcovy, and Lovejoy, Luella and Morrow, all in subregion B, round out the region.

Newton also began play on the softball diamond Friday, falling to Fayette County 5-2. The Rams, who finished 13-9 in 2011, next step on the diamond at Heritage on Wednesday.

Eastside also jumps up in classification, going from Region 4-AAA to Region 8-AAAA.

The Eagles played an exhibition softball game against Union Grove on Thursday, before defeating Jackson and Luella in the Diamond Classic in Griffin on Friday. The tournament continued with Eastside playing three rain-delayed games on Saturday.

Eastside will look to build on a season that saw it advance to the second round of the state playoffs, falling to Harlem in 2011. However, it will have to put together a successful 2012 without graduated players Bianca Reed, Amanda Hawkins, Emily Almond and Taylor Causey.

Eastside will play at Madison County Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and will return home, to Georgia Perimeter College, on Saturday playing Morgan at 10 a.m. and Lovett at 2:30 p.m.