AA in brief: Berrien ‘disrespected’ by Atkinson County, responds with record performance in win

The new Class AA rankings are out and there is a new addition — the Dodge County Indians make their season debut at No. 10. They won their season opener over AAAAAA’s unranked Bradwell Institute back on Aug. 23 and enjoyed a bye last weekend. Leaving the rankings were the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane, who were blown out 35-8 by Irwin County, the No. 2 team in A-Public. The Purple Hurricane may earn their way back into the rankings at the Indians’ expense, as the two play each other at Fitzgerald on Sept. 20.

For a look at last week's results for ranked teams, check out the Friday night recap.

Below is a look at the new top 10, where the top three remained in place, and every team ahead of Fitzgerald moved up a spot. The number in parenthesis represents the previous week's ranking.

(1) Rockmart (2-0)
(2) Hapeville Charter (0-1)
(3) Callaway (0-1)
(5) Dublin (1-0)
(6) Rabun County (2-0)
(7) Washington County (2-0)
(8) Brooks County (1-0)
(10) Swainsboro (1-0)
(9) Heard County (0-1)
(NR) Dodge County (1-0)

In brief

In Dodge County's win over Bradwell on Aug. 23, Jamal Mahan recorded 15 tackles — including 3.5 for loss — and a forced fumble to earn the team's Defensive Player of the Game honors. Daylon Gordon (13 carries for 322 yards and four touchdowns) was the team's Offensive Player of the Game.
The Temple Tigers called for a black out on Friday at Rogers Stadium. It must've worked, because they beat Putnam County 55-21 in their opener.
Here's some highlights from Hapeville Charter's game against Cedar Grove. Here are even more from ExclusProductions.
WTOC and WSAV have highlights of Jeff Davis' 22-14 win over AAA's Windsor Forest. Here are audio highlights.
Jonathan Blaylock of the Rome News-Tribune takes a look into the challenges Armuchee and Pepperell face after losing their quarterbacks to injury. In addition, the injury bug continues to plague Armuchee.
After having to forego their season opener thanks to weather, the Hephzibah Rebels defeated AAA's Savannah 33-12. The Rebels, led by fifth-year coach William Harrell, are looking to build off of last season's 8-3 finish, which was the most wins for a program that dates back to 1954. Hephzibah's Marshall Chambers took AugBball's Top Play honors for Week 2.
Listen to Screven County Gamecocks coach Ron Duncan discuss his team on the PoJo's Coaches Show. The Gamecocks would edge Southeast Bulloch 26-23 to move to 2-0. Some trash talk later came from a Gamecocks twitter account.
Here's highlights of Douglass beating Booker T. Washington 24-15 in the Westside Classic.
Todd Forrest of NGN sports has a game story of Union County's season-opening 49-8 win over East Hall. Here's a photo gallery.
Toombs Now has its usual extensive coverage of the Toombs County Bulldogs, this time from a 24-0 win over Hancock Central. It was the second shutout in a row for the Bulldogs (2-0), who last week beat Twiggs County 14-0. It's the first time since 2012 they've opened the season with consecutive shutouts. In that season, they finished 7-3, missing out on the playoffs after losing twice in a tie-breaker region mini-game.
Bremen dropped to 0-2 after a 20-7 loss to Bowdon. Mason Wittner of the Times-Georgian has the game story.
The Bleckley County Royals dropped to 1-1 after losing 28-10 to Veterans. Dave Whitaker has the details for The Bleckley Progress.
WJBF has a football roundup for AA teams Harlem, Washington County, Jefferson County and Hephzibah.
The Thomasville Bulldogs have started 0-2 for the first time since 2016, losing to Thomas County Central, 31-17. WTXL has video excerpts.
The Social Circle Redskins dropped their opener to Stone Mountain, 39-3. Andrew Kenneson of The Walton Tribune has the game story.
The Vidalia Indians took the field with a heavy heart after longtime girls basketball coach Chunk Reid passed away earlier in the week. He was 75. They would lose at home to AAA's No. 3 Appling County, 24-0. Southeast Georgia Today has the details.
The Callaway Cavaliers have to be holding their heads high even though they dropped their opener on the road to Opelika, 10-7, especially after Opelika just defeated the No. 6 school in the state's highest classification (AAAAAAA), Auburn 21-13. And of course, the Cavs still have Tank Bigsby.
Here's a touching story from WJBF on former Glenn Hills standout and current Savannah State football player Kyle Frazier overcoming cancer.
Former Rabun County and current Tennessee Tech quarterback Bailey Fisher led his team to a comeback double-OT win and earned Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors in the process. Here's the game-winning play.
Former Heard County and current Marshall lineman Levi Brown can dance.
Former Bleckley County/current Washington State linebacker Willie Taylor laid a hit this weekend against New Mexico State.
Former Vidalia/current Ole Miss linebacker Lakia Henry came through in his collegiate debut.
Coosa dropped to 0-2 with a 49-0 loss to Darlington. Jeremy Stewart has the game story for the Rome News-Tribune.
Former Hapeville Charter quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has earned the starting quarterback job at Campbell University.
Host Berrien felt disrespected by Atkinson County walking onto the "B" at midfield. So they beat them 61-43 behind the effort of Gerrick Johnson, who finished with 205 yards and six touchdowns on 22 rushing attempts and returned a kickoff for a touchdown, totaling 339 all-purpose yards. The seven total touchdowns are a program record.
The AJC's top performers for Week 2 from AA include Berrien running back Gerrick Johnson (see above); Temple running back Philip Johnson (378 yards, five touchdowns on 22 carries and two kickoffs for 80 yards); Rockmart quarterback Javin Whatley (8-for-12 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown, and 172 rushing yards and two touchdowns); Union County receiver Jonah Daniel (180 rushing yards, three touchdowns and two receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown).