For the second year in a row, the No. 2 Hapeville Charter Hornets No. 9 dismantled the Heard County Braves, winning 61-7 and likely knocking the Braves (0-2) out of the rankings in the process. The Hornets improved to 2-0.

Last season, the Braves fell to the Hornets 33-3 before facing Rockmart the following week, which beat them 33-0 to drop them to 1-2 on the year. The Braves wouldn’t lose again, claiming the AA title in a rematch over Rockmart. But the Braves are staring down an 0-3 start to this season, having to again face Rockmart next week, which is now ranked No. 1 and will be coming off a bye. The Braves are in a rebuilding year, so closing the season on a win streak seems unlikely.

The Hornets, however, look very much like the team that won it all in 2017. They rebounded from a 26-16 defeat to AAA defending state champions Cedar Grove, and will roll into Region 6 play after a bye week. They’re a clearcut favorite in Region 6 and likely won’t lose again this regular season.

Here’s how the rest of the top 10 faired:

  • The No. 3 Callaway Cavaliers moved their record to 1-1 after blowing out AAAA's LaGrange, 56-10. Kevin Eckleberry has a game story for The LaGrange Daily News.
  • The No. 4 Dublin Fighting Irish hosted and defeated the No. 8 Swainsboro Tigers, 35-13. The Fighting Irish are 2-0; the Tigers are 1-1.
  • The No. 7 Brooks County Trojans hosted A-public's No. 1 Clinch County and lost handily to them, 38-14. It was the first time Clinch County won at Brooks County since 1987. The Trojans are 1-1.
  • The No. 10 Dodge County Indians' stay in the rankings was brief. They hosted AAAA's unranked West Laurens and lost 42-28 to drop to 1-1, just a week after moving into the top 10 following their bye and a Fitzgerald loss.
  • On bye: No. 1 Rockmart; No. 5 Rabun County; No. 6 Washington County

Follow the AJC’s Class AA coverage on Twitter.

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Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

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