It’s been over 10 years since Wheeler, Mitchell County and Schley County have been ranked in football. Christian Heritage has never been in a top 10. Those four schools made history for themselves in the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll.

Wheeler, an East Cobb school best known for its six state championships in boys basketball, defeated previous No. 5 Roswell 37-36 in a Class AAAAAAA game last week and entered the rankings at No. 8. It’s been since 1993 since the Wildcats were ranked. That’s also the last time that Wheeler was 5-0.

The other newly ranked teams are in Class A.

Schley County defeated previous No. 10 Dooly County 23-6 and moved to No. 8 in the public-school rankings. Schley has appeared in only one other poll, that for one week in 2006. Schley County opened in 2000.

Mitchell County also joined the Class A public-school rankings at No. 9. The Eagles were ranked in the final GSWA poll of 2017 after a 10-2 finish but have not been ranked by the AJC since 1999, when the school was known as Mitchell-Baker. Mitchell County is 4-1, having won three games by blowout after losing its opener to Class AA opponent Brooks County.

In the Class A private-school rankings, Christian Heritage is ranked for the first time at No. 10. The Lions, off last week after beating No. 7 Mount Zion of public division on Sept. 14, is 4-0 for the first time since starting varsity football in 2010.

Class AAAAAAA 

1. (1) Colquitt County (6-0)

2. (2) Walton (5-0)

3. (4) Parkview (4-0)

4. (3) Grayson (3-2)

5. (8) Archer (4-1)

6. (7) North Gwinnett (3-2)

7. (9) McEachern (4-1)

8. (NR) Wheeler (5-0)

9. (NR) Hillgrove (5-0)

10. (NR) Lowndes (5-1)

Out: No. 5 Roswell, No. 6 Milton, No. 10 Marietta

Class AAAAAA 

1. (1) Lee County (5-0)

2. (2) Coffee (6-0)

3. (3) Harrison (6-0)

4. (4) Sequoyah (4-0)

5. (5) Creekview (5-0)

6. (6) Valdosta (2-3)

7. (7) Alpharetta (3-1)

8. (8) Northside (Warner Robins) (3-3)

9. (9) Tucker (3-2)

10. (NR) Mays (2-2)

Out: No. 10 Douglas County

Class AAAAA 

1. (1) Rome (5-0)

2. (2) Buford (3-2)

3. (3) Stockbridge (5-0)

4. (5) Jones County (5-0)

5. (4) Carrollton (4-1)

6. (6) Warner Robins (4-1)

7. (7) Wayne County (5-0)

8. (8) Ware County (4-1)

9. (9) Dutchtown (5-0)

10. (10) Southwest DeKalb (5-0)

Class AAAA

1. (1) Blessed Trinity (5-0)

2. (4) Mary Persons (5-0)

3. (5) St. Pius X (5-1)

4. (3) Cartersville (5-0)

5. (6) Troup (5-0)

6. (2) Marist (4-1)

7. (7) Burke County (3-2)

8. (8) Flowery Branch (4-0)

9. (9) Woodward Academy (2-2)

10. (10) Eastside (4-0)

Class AAA 

1. (1) Calhoun (5-0)

2. (2) Cedar Grove (4-1)

3. (4) Monroe Area (5-0)

4. (3) Peach County (3-2)

5. (5) Westminster (3-2)

6. (6) Greater Atlanta Christian (3-2)

7. (7) Benedictine (3-1)

8. (8) Jefferson (4-1)

9. (9) Pace Academy (3-2)

10. (10) Dawson County (5-0)

Class AA

1. (1) Hapeville Charter (4-0)

2. (2) Callaway (4-1)

3. (3) Thomasville (4-1)

4. (4) Bremen (4-0)

5. (5) Rockmart (5-0)

6. (6) Dodge County (5-0)

7. (7) Rabun County (4-1)

8. (8) Washington County (4-0)

9. (9) Vidalia (5-0)

10. (10) Brooks County (3-2)

Class A (Pulbic) 

1. (1) Irwin County (5-0)

2. (2) Clinch County (4-1)

3. (3) Commerce (5-0)

4. (4) Pelham (5-0)

5. (5) Charlton County (4-1)

6. (6) Marion County (5-0)

7. (9) Mount Zion (Carroll) (4-1)

8. (NR) Schley County (4-1)

9. (NR) Mitchell County (4-1)

10. (NR) Macon County (2-2)

Out: No. 7 Manchester, No. 8 Turner County, No. 10 Dooly County

Class A (Private) 

1. (1) Eagle's Landing Christian (4-1)

2. (2) Prince Avenue Christian (5-0)

3. (3) Athens Academy (4-0)

4. (5) Calvary Day (4-0)

5. (10) Fellowship Christian (5-0)

6. (7) Aquinas (4-0)

7. (6) Savannah Country Day (4-0)

8. (9) George Walton Academy (5-0)

9. (8) Mount Paran Christian (2-2)

10. (NR) Christian Heritage (4-0)

Out: No. 4 Darlington

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A rendering of the columbarium memorial that is estimated to be completed by next summer or fall in the southeast part of Oakland Cemetery, officials said. (Courtesy of Historic Oakland Foundation)

Credit: Historic Oakland Foundation