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DEL.ICIO.USDays of No. 1 dominance? Done.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To Stephenson coach Ron Gartrell, the No. 1 ranking in Class AAAAA is a point of pride for a program that attained it for the first time this week.
To Roswell coach Tim McFarlin, whose team has fumbled the No. 1 ranking twice in two years, it’s a distraction.
What’s more certain is that the top spot never has been harder to maintain.
For only the fourth time since the AJC began ranking high school football teams in 1952, there have been three No. 1 teams in three weeks in the highest class — Roswell, Norcross, and now, Stephenson.
It also happened in 2006, when there were four No. 1 teams in a four-week stretch.
The only other times that the No. 1 team in the highest class has lost in consecutive weeks were 1954 and 1976.
“It’s parity,” McFarlin said. “Years in the past, there were one or two dominant teams you could count on. That’s not the case anymore, certainly not this year. You’ll see no fewer than 10 to 12 teams that have a legitimate shot of winning this thing, and the polls will reflect that.”
The polls already are reflecting it.
In the 1980s, the No. 1 ranking was shared among only eight schools: Clarke Central, Griffin, LaGrange, Lowndes, Morrow, Tift County, Valdosta and Warner Robins.
In just the past year and a half, there have been seven schools to achieve No. 1.
Peachtree Ridge, Norcross, North Gwinnett and Stephenson have become No. 1 for the first time in their schools’ histories, and Roswell ended a 35-year drought last year.
The other No. 1 teams were old standards Camden County and Lowndes, but not for long. Camden lasted for three weeks, Lowndes for one, in 2006.
Roswell has served three terms at No. 1, and Norcross has been there twice.
Unmoved by history, Stephenson’s Gartrell is eager to try his luck.
“It’s a good thing around here,” said Gartrell, whose team is 4-0. “We’re excited about being No. 1. Your goal is always to get the program to the top.”
North Cobb coach Shane Queen has mixed feelings. His team — which has not been No. 1 since 1959 — is No. 2 this week after the school’s first 5-0 start in 10 years.
“Thanks for not putting that pressure on us,” Queen said jokingly of this week’s AJC rankings. “You can move us down a slot each week if you would like. That would keep [the players] motivated. I think [being No. 2] is great for the kids and the community. I just hope we can keep it up and not fall into that trap.”
McFarlin understands. His team stayed No. 1 for only one week last season, but came back and shared the state title with Peachtree Ridge.
His advice for Stephenson is to call a team meeting.
“Coaches spend a lot of time trying to minimize distractions, and the No. 1 ranking, although it’s something you strive for, is a distraction,” he said. “You can’t pretend it didn’t happen; it’s something that needs to be addressed.”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Football Report
Comments
By devil lover
October 5, 2007 10:15 PM | Link to this
The only rankings that really matter are how you are ranked at the end of the regular season and at the end of the playoffs.
I perdict that North Gwinnett will beat Peachtree Ridge next week and remain as no. 1 and Norcross will beat North Gwinnett the last game of the season to regain the no. 1 ranking.
Go Devils!!!
By Nett
October 7, 2007 5:52 PM | Link to this
I have read all of the comments and the postings; however, rankings are a personal opinion. There are other teams in 2AAAAA that most seem to forget exist. They have a variety of talent and play to win. Good, bad or indifferent, Stephenson has its hands full with MLK and Douglas coming up. These young men deserve some respect which they are not getting on this forum. So, don’t be shocked when one or both of them TAKE it! The season is not over yet!
By Nett
October 7, 2007 6:11 PM | Link to this
GaSports.com Regional Rankings for 2AAAAA. And…..the winner is…..
2007 Football Region Standings: 2-AAAAA
Class: AAAAA AAAA AAA AA A IAAA IAA IA
AAAAA Regions: 1 2 3 4 5 6A 6B 7 8
School Region Overall Reg Pct Overall Pct
M.L. King 3-0 6-0 1.000 1.000 Stephenson 2-0 5-0 1.000 1.000 Redan 2-1 4-2 0.667 0.667 Douglass 1-1 3-2 0.500 0.600 Luella 1-1 2-3 0.500 0.400 Union Grove 0-2 1-4 0.000 0.200 Lithonia 0-2 0-5 0.000 0.000 Newton 0-2 0-5 0.000 0.000