Which are the most unexpectedly good teams of 2016 at the midpoint of the regular season? Here are the Maxwell Ratings' top 10 in each classification based on the difference between their preseason and current power ratings. In parentheses are the teams' original and current rankings within their classifications. For example, Lassiter is ranked No. 8 in the highest class after a preseason projection of No. 30 and is 18.73 points better than expected, according to Maxwell. In some cases, the improvement might be more surprising to Maxwell than to you, as Maxwell's preseason rankings are based on historical scores and not changes in personnel. The most unexpectedly good team in all classifications might be Hardaway. Under first-year coach Michael Woolridge, the Hawks are 3-1. That matches the win total of their three previous seasons combined.
Class AAAAAAA
- Lassiter +18.73 (30/8)
- Roswell +17.04 (7/1)
- North Forsyth +16.5 (42/37)
- Lakeside, Atlanta +14.24 (48/41)
- South Gwinnett +12.04 (27/14)
- North Paulding +11.17 (31/17)
- Mountain View +10.5 (37/28)
- Norcross +10.2 (10/5)
- Brookwood +8.17 (22/13)
- West Forsyth +8.14 (28/20)
Class AAAAAA
- Johns Creek +22.16 (43/17)
- Harrison +19.31 (23/5)
- Mt. Zion, Jonesboro +14.75 (56/50)
- Douglas Co. +13.74 (38/23)
- Habersham Central +12.98 (48/39)
- Heritage, Conyers +12.62 (47/36)
- Greenbrier +12.6 (55/51)
- Alcovy +11.93 (53/49)
- Richmond Hill +11.54 (41/28)
- Centennial +11.08 (34/22)
Class AAAAA
- Riverdale +19.07 (46/22)
- Hampton +19.04 (56/52)
- Banneker +16.48 (51/38)
- Grady +14.9 (24/10)
- Arabia Mountain +14.86 (35/12)
- Woodland, Stockbridge +14.81 (18/8)
- Griffin +14.51 (13/5)
- New Hampstead +13.67 (55/53)
- North Springs +11.15 (52/45)
- Carrollton +10.43 (9/6)
Class AAAA
- Hardaway +30.75 (49/22)
- Madison Co. +27.58 (47/23)
- Chestatee +23.78 (51/42)
- Ridgeland +22.07 (37/13)
- Thomson +17.72 (11/3)
- Cedartown +14.43 (42/25)
- Spalding +13.08 (14/7)
- West Hall +12.21 (40/26)
- Troup +9.76 (28/18)
- Oconee Co. +9.21 (22/15)
Class AAA
- Pike Co. +17.78 (44/26)
- Murray Co. +17.02 (51/40)
- Windsor Forest +15.25 (54/47)
- Sonoraville +11.63 (27/16)
- Crisp Co. +11 (18/9)
- Savannah +10.03 (48/42)
- Islands +9.72 (55/54)
- Pace Academy +9.59 (10/4)
- Bremen +8.99 (35/27)
- North Murray +8.34 (42/35)
Class AA
- KIPP Atlanta +21.75 (51/28)
- Southwest +17.18 (36/18)
- Toombs Co. +16.6 (43/22)
- Model +15.26 (16/7)
- Glenn Hills +15.25 (56/51)
- Callaway +12.9 (5/3)
- Rabun Co. +11.81 (9/5)
- Rockmart +10.18 (39/24)
- Benedictine +9.41 (1/1)
- Temple +9.3 (52/45)
Class A
- Tattnall Square +30.81 (30/14)
- Twiggs Co. +24.5 (33/9)
- Warren Co. +23.96 (42/20)
- Manchester +20.05 (15/3)
- Mount Vernon +19.42 (35/24)
- Fellowship Christian +18.4 (21/12)
- Schley Co. +17.98 (48/37)
- McIntosh Co. +13.84 (21/7)
- Mount de Sales +13.22 (29/23)
- Crawford Co. +12.5 (40/29)
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