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Sunday, July 27, 2008
Which city is Georgia’s 21st Century high school football Titletown?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The city of Valdosta has won ESPN’s Titletown USA contest. The promotion made me wonder if Valdosta still deserves that title as a football town, even in Georgia, at least this decade.
Since this is a high school football blog, and since we concede that Valdosta is the all-time football Titletown in Georgia, let’s limit this to Georgia high school football in the 21st Century and call it High School Football Titletown XXI.
Which Georgia city should claim this title? I came up with a points system that goes something like this:
Region title: 2 points
Making the Georgia Dome semifinals: 1 point
Making a state final: 1 point
Winning a GHSA state title: 2 points
Winning a GISA state title: 2 points
To make things fair, I’m limiting the great big Atlanta to its city limits. No Marist or St. Pius to inflate the stats. That’s another county. I’m also including GISA schools, albeit with just one point for a region title and two for a state title.
Which city came out on top?
TODD’S TITLETOWN XXI TOP 10
1. Buford, 39
2. Columbus, 38
3. Valdosta, 36
4. Warner Robins, 36
5. Homerville, 31
6. LaGrange, 31
7. Folkston, 30
8. Macon, 29 (thanks to GISA)
9. Lincolnton, 29
10. Statesboro, 28
But I’m not ready to crown Buford because one-school towns probably should have their own category.
Below are my rankings. I left the point totals in parentheses for comparison.
1: Valdosta (36) — Still No. 1. Lowndes has won three state titles, and Lowndes and Valdosta have won seven of the eight region titles in 1-AAAAA, the state’s toughest league. Plus, even Valwood won a GISA region in 2006.
2: Warner Robins (36) — Warner Robins and Columbus are the only cities that can claim GHSA state titles from two schools this decade. Northside has won back-to-back titles in Class AAAA. Warner Robins won in 2004. If HoCo could just pick it up a little. Jeesh.
3: Buford (39) — Just one school, but the Wolves’ four state titles, six trips to the Georgia Dome and seven region titles are better totals than any other city in the state combined. Simply put, Buford is home to Georgia’s most decorated football team this century.
4 A-B-C-D: Homerville (31), Folkston (30), Lincolnton (29) and Kingsland (23) — Sorry to lump these together, but these are one-school towns that are really runners-up to Buford in that category. Throw in LaGrange (31) and Statesboro (28), cities that have two schools (but one that does all the title work). All these really should be in a separate category. Add Lilburn (26) to the list, as well.
5: Columbus (38) — Yes, Columbus. It’s the third-most populous city in the state, which helps, but Columbus is the only city besides Atlanta with four schools that have won region titles this decade (Shaw, Carver, Brookstone, Pacelli). All four were ranked in the final AJC Top 10 in 2007. And Carver (2007) and Shaw (2000) have won state titles.
6: Thomasville (24) — It’s hard to justify Georgia’s Rose City without a GHSA state title, but Thomasville is the only city that won three region titles in 2007 — Thomas Central (1-AAAA), Thomasville (1-AA) and Brookwood School (GISA’s 3-AA). And Brookwood did just win GISA’s AA state championship. The city has won eight region titles this decade.
7: Sandersville (27) — Washington County has won four region titles and made the Georgia Dome in 2006, but it’s the GISA school, Brentwood, that gives Sandersville a little extra push this decade. Brentwood won state titles in 2002 and 2003.
8: Roswell (15) — There isn’t a high volume in titles, but I like the variety. Centennial, Roswell, Blessed Trinity and Fellowship Christian have won region titles, and Roswell got the state trophy in 2006. All are Top 10 candidates in 2008.
9: Gainesville(14) — It’s a stretch, but this is the only Georgia city besides Atlanta with three schools that have multiple region titles this decade: Gainesville, North Hall, Riverside Military.
10: Atlanta (27) — I know what you’re going to say. There are no state titles here, but five of the nine city schools — Carver, Douglass, Grady, Mays and Washington — have won region titles. So have private schools Lovett and Westminster.
Kick off the debate: You’ve seen Todd’s Titletowns. Now send us YOURS. Tell us which Georgia city deserves the Titletown XXI designation and why.
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