With all top 10 teams winning by double digits last week, except for Vidalia which lost to No. 2 Benedictine, there wasn't much of an expectation for the rankings to change much, if at all. The only question was if Vidalia would remain in the top 10 despite losing by double digits. Well, the new rankings are the same as the previous week's, with the Indians holding on to their No. 9 spot.
It's probably the right call keeping the Indians where they are even though they're the only school in the rankings with two losses. Their other loss was to a solid West Laurens team from AAAA.
An argument could be made that the Toombs County Bulldogs should have taken their spot. They're off to a 4-1 start and averaging 35.2 points a game, with their lone loss coming to a ranked team, Twiggs County (No. 10, A-public). They're in the same region as Vidalia and Benedictine and play the Cadets in two weeks, then Vidalia two weeks after that so we'll know what kind of team the have soon. Temple was looking like a team that could be in the rankings, but not anymore. Heading into last week the Tigers (4-1) were the only undefeated team not ranked but they were blown out by Pepperell (3-1) on Friday - another team scratching to get inside the top 10.
There's not much to argue about when it comes to the top three and, really, there's not much to argue about at all with this week's rankings.
Here’s a glimpse at the updated rankings, with the previous week’s rankings in parenthesis:
1. (1) Fitzgerald (4-0)
2. (2) Benedictine (5-0)
3. (3) Brooks County (4-0)
4. (4) Jefferson County (5-0)
5. (5) Callaway (5-0)
6. (6) Rabun County (3-0)
7. (7) Model (5-0)
8. (8) Dublin (5-0)
9. (9) Vidalia (3-2)
10. (10) Screven County (3-1)
In brief:
- Benedictine running back John Wesley Kennedy earned top five performance honors from GHSF Daily with 168 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries and 78 return yards. Callway running back D.J. Atkins, Fitzgerald quarterback James Graham, Heard County receiver Jaden Moreland, Model defensive back Kwalic Dublin and Screven County athlete Kim Hunter earned "best of the rest" honors.
- Pepperell Dragons kicker Ramiro Alanis executed the perfect trick play, just as the Dragons coaching staff drew it up. Alanis, a sophomore kicker who stands at just 5-foot-8, scored with his arm instead of his foot. Maybe it wasn't how the Dragons drew it up, but it worked.
- The K.I.P.P. Atlanta Collegiate Warriors were feeling it all last week. Those feelings seeped onto the field Friday, as they went on to shut out Therrell 15-0 to improve to 4-1. The Warriors are in just their fourth season of existence, and had never won more than one game in a season until now.
- No. 6 Rabun County beat West Hall 34-10 in the first meeting between the two schools. The win earned the Wildcats the WSB-TV Sport Zone's Golden Trophy, which was presented to the team following the win by former UGA quarterback D.J. Shockley. WDUN has highlights from the game.
- Other games with highlights include Fitzgerald's win over Smiths Station and Toombs County's win over Bacon County.
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