The No. 1-ranked teams in AAAAAAA (Grayson) and AAAAAA (Valdosta) lost last week. That represents only the eighth time in the history of the AJC or Atlanta Journal poll, dating to 1952, that the No. 1 teams from the two highest classifications have lost in the same week. No. 1 Buford of AAAAA won in overtime, or else the No. 1 team in the highest three classes would've gone down. The trifecta has happened just once, in 1959, and never in the regular season. Here are the eight times that the No. 1 team in the two highest classes have lost in the same week using the polls of the Atlanta Journal (1952-81) and the AJC (1982-present). In 1966, it occurred in consecutive weeks.
*1959: Richmond Academy lost to Albany (AAA) and Gainesville lost to Rossville (AA) in the semifinals. Albany went on to win the title, while Rossville lost to Wayne County in the finals. The No. 1 team in A, Stephens County, also lost to Summerville, a school in Chattooga County about five miles southwest of Trion. Summerville then lost to Dublin 13-0 for the championship, played one more season, finished 8-1-1, and closed.
*1966 (twice): Lanier of Macon lost to Moultrie (AAA) and Wayne County lost to Jenkins (AA) in the third week of the season. The next week, it happened again as new No. 1 Moultrie lost to Tift County and Thomasville lost to Groves (AA). Both of the AA spoilers, Jenkins and Groves, were Savannah schools.
*1970: Richmond Academy lost to Lakeside of Atlanta (AAA) and Dykes lost to Woodward Academy (AA). Lakeside and Woodward went on to win state championships, the first for either school.
*1986: LaGrange lost to Valdosta (AAAA) and Thomas County Central lost to Dougherty (AAAA) in the opening week of the season. LaGrange was coming off a state title, but Valdosta, ranked No. 2, won 16-6 and went on to claim state and national championships that year. Thomas Central's quarterback was Charlie Ward, the future Heisman Trophy winner. Dougherty would finish 3-7, but Thomas Central would bounce back to reach the semifinals, where it would lose to Worth County.
*2008: Lowndes lost to Grayson (AAAAA) and Westside of Macon lost to Tucker (AAAA) in the quarterfinals. Both No. 1 teams entered 12-0. Tucker would go on to win its first state title. Camden County won AAAAA that year.
*2013: North Gwinnett lost to Norcross (AAAAAA) and Tucker lost to Creekside in the championship games. North Gwinnett had beaten Norcross in the regular season. Tucker and Creekside both were 14-0, though Creekside was ranked only No. 4 and had never won a state title.
*2019: Grayson lost to Lowndes while Valdosta lost to Colquitt County (AAAAAA). Buford, the No. 1 team in AAAAA, beat Archer 29-28 in overtime.
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