Lowndes’ victory over arch-rival Valdosta keeps getting sweeter for the Vikings. The 24-0 win not only propelled Lowndes to No. 1 in the Class AAAAAAA rankings but moved crosstown foe Valdosta out of the top spot in AAAAAA.
Taking Valdosta’s place is Dacula, which is No. 1 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution rankings for the first time in history. Dacula (5-0) has spent 29 polling weeks at No. 2, including six weeks this season. Dacula defeated Valdosta 56-21 in the 2018 quarterfinals.
Valdosta fell to No. 2 ahead of Harrison (6-0) and Coffee (5-0), two other teams that have spent several weeks at No. 2 over the years but never been No. 1. Valdosta’s resume is fortified by a victory earlier this month over Colquitt County, the No. 3 team in AAAAAAA.
Colquitt helped out Lowndes on Friday with a 31-7 victory over previous AAAAAAA No. 1 Grayson, which fell to No. 4.
Losses by Grayson and Valdosta represent just the fourth time since 1982, first since 2013, that the No. 1 teams from the two highest classifications have been beaten in the same week.
No. 1 Buford of AAAAA narrowly escaped joining them when the Wolves converted a two-point conversion and defeated No. 10 Archer of AAAAAAA 29-28.
Class AAAAAAA
- (2) Lowndes (6-0)
- (3) McEachern (4-0)
- (5) Colquitt County (4-1)
- (1) Grayson (4-1)
- (4) Marietta (3-1)
- (6) Hillgrove (5-0)
- (8) Parkview (3-1)
- (9) North Gwinnett (4-1)
- (NR) Mill Creek (4-1)
- (10) Archer (3-2)
Out: No. 7 Milton
Class AAAAAA
- (2) Dacula (5-0)
- (1) Valdosta (5-1)
- (4) Harrison (6-0)
- (3) Coffee (5-0)
- (5) Lee County (4-1)
- (6) Allatoona (3-1)
- (8) Lanier (5-0)
- (7) Dalton (4-1)
- (10) Houston County (4-1)
- (NR) M.L. King (4-0)
Out: No. 9 Glynn Academy
Class AAAAA
- (1) Buford (5-0)
- (2) Carrollton (5-0)
- (3) Bainbridge (5-0)
- (4) Jones County (5-0)
- (5) Dutchtown (5-0)
- (6) Warner Robins (4-1)
- (7) Stockbridge (5-0)
- (8) Rome (3-2)
- (9) Griffin (5-0)
- (10) Kell (3-1)
Class AAAA
- (1) Cartersville (5-0)
- (2) Marist (5-0)
- (3) Woodward Academy (4-0)
- (4) Blessed Trinity (4-1)
- (5) Sandy Creek (4-0)
- (6) Cairo (4-1)
- (7) Flowery Branch (4-0)
- (8) Burke County (4-1)
- (9) Troup (4-1)
- (10) North Oconee (6-0)
Class AAA
- (1) Peach County (4-1)
- (2) Cedar Grove (3-2)
- (3) Pierce County (5-0)
- (4) Greater Atlanta Christian (4-1)
- (5) Hart County (5-0)
- (9) Liberty County (3-0)
- (6) Appling County (4-1)
- (7) Crisp County (3-3)
- (8) Lovett (3-2)
- (10) Jefferson (3-1)
Class AA
- (1) Rockmart (5-0)
- (2) Hapeville Charter (3-1)
- (3) Callaway (4-1)
- (4) Dublin (4-0)
- (5) Rabun County (5-0)
- (6) Swainsboro (3-1)
- (7) Fitzgerald (4-1)
- (8) Brooks County (2-3)
- (9) Washington County (3-1)
- (10) Douglass (5-0)
Class A (Public)
- (1) Irwin County (4-0)
- (2) Clinch County (4-1)
- (3) Pelham (5-0)
- (7) Bowdon (4-0)
- (4) Mitchell County (4-1)
- (6) Commerce (4-1)
- (8) Wilcox County (4-1)
- (NR) Manchester (3-1)
- (10) Lincoln County (3-2)
- (NR) Turner County (4-1)
Out: No. 5 Marion County, No. 9 Trion
Class A (Private)
- (1) Athens Academy (4-0)
- (2) Holy Innocents' (5-0)
- (3) Eagle's Landing Christian (4-1)
- (4) Darlington (5-0)
- (8) Fellowship Christian (5-0)
- (5) Wesleyan (4-1)
- (6) Prince Avenue Christian (4-1)
- (7) Aquinas (4-0)
- (NR) Christian Heritage (4-0)
- (9) North Cobb Christian (4-1)
Out: No. 10 Calvary Day
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