The No. 2-ranked team in Class AAAAAA is the No. 3 seed from its own region for the state playoffs, the victim of a cruel coin toss. Grayson is heading on the road in the first round this week despite its 9-1 overall and 7-1 region record out of 7-AAAAAA.
Region 8 wound up in a three-way tie for first place among Grayson, fourth-ranked Dacula (9-1, 7-1) and unranked Archer (7-3, 7-1). They waged a coin toss at a local Waffle House just before midnight on Friday to rank them.
Archer, the team with the worst overall record, got the No. 1 seed. Dacula is the No. 2. Not that Archer is weak. The Tigers won their last seven games and beat Dacula 24-10 on Halloween night.
Region 8 chose in preseason to ignore non-region games in any tiebreakers for the fear that teams would be discouraged from playing tough non-region opponents. Archer lost to Sandy Creek and Peachtree Ridge, but those games didn’t matter, nor did Dacula’s impressive victory over eighth-ranked Mill Creek.
The coin-operated seeding process is not unprecedented. A year ago, North Gwinnett was No. 1 in AAAAAA, but lost a similar coin toss (that one at a Cracker Barrel) and was seeded No. 3 out of Region 7 despite a 9-1 overall and 7-1 region record. Norcross got the No. 1 seed and played North Gwinnett in the state-title game. Norcross won 31-14. North had to win four straight road games to get there.
The good news for Grayson is that it won’t have to travel far in the first round to face Gwinnett County rival Mill Creek. The bad news is that Mill Creek is white hot, having won five straight. The Hawks replaced Peachtree Ridge in the rankings this week after beating the Lions 34-7.
There weren’t many other changes in the rankings entering the playoffs. Westlake replaced McEachern in AAAAAA, and Whitewater replaced Pickens in AAAA.
Westlake, which won Region 3, is ranked in an AJC poll for the first time since 2005. McEachern was dropped after losing to Hillgrove 42-37 in a game that decided the Region 4 title.
Saturday was the final day for regular-season games, and it went out with some noise. Central of Carroll County beat Callaway 40-34 to win its first state title since 1987. Kaleel Abdusalaan blocked a field goal with 2 seconds left and Dajour Riddle returned it 85 yards for a touchdown.
The state playoff draws aren’t compete yet, though. On Monday, mini-games will be played to determine playoff berths among teams that are tied. In 7-AAAA, Heritage of Ringgold, Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield will play at Coahulla Creek to decide their region’s No. 4 seed. In 5-AAA, Pepperell, Cedartown and Rockmart will play for their final two playoff berths.
Class AAAAAA
1. (1) Colquitt County (10-0)
2. (2) Grayson (9-1)
3. (5) Valdosta (9-1)
4. (4) Dacula (9-1)
5. (6) North Gwinnett (8-2)
6. (3) Lee County (7-2)
7. (8) Milton (9-1)
8. (NR) Mill Creek (7-3)
9. (10) Tucker (8-2)
10. (NR) Westlake (9-1)
Class AAAAA
1. (1) Ware County (10-0)
2. (2) Coffee (9-1)
3. (3) Kell (10-0)
4. (4) Allatoona (10-0)
5. (5) Lanier (10-0)
6. (6) Creekside (8-2)
7. (7) Mays (8-2)
8. (9) Northside-Warner Robins (9-1)
9. (10) Harris County (8-2)
10. (8) Stephenson (7-3)
Class AAAA
1. (1) Buford (10-0)
2. (2) Griffin (10-0)
3. (3) Cartersville (9-1)
4. (4) Marist (9-1)
5. (5) Sandy Creek (9-1)
6. (8) Woodward Academy (8-2)
7. (6) St. Pius (8-2)
8. (9) Cairo (8-2)
9. (7) Mary Persons (8-2)
10. (NR) Whitewater (7-3)
Class AAA
1. (1) Washington County (10-0)
2. (2) Calhoun (10-0)
3. (3) Blessed Trinity (10-0)
4. (4) Peach County (10-0)
5. (5) Jefferson (10-0)
6. (6) Westminster (9-1)
7. (7) Central-Carrollton (10-0)
8. (8) Hart County (9-1)
9. (9) Adairsville (9-1)
10. (10) Westside-Macon (9-1)
Class AA
1. (1) Greater Atlanta Christian (10-0)
2. (2) Vidalia (10-0)
3. (3) Lovett (7-3)
4. (4) Benedictine (8-2)
5. (5) Fitzgerald (9-1)
6. (8) Macon County (8-2)
7. (7) Darlington (9-1)
8. (9) Brooks County (7-3)
9. (10) Thomasville (6-4)
10. (6) Lamar County (7-2-1)
Class A
1. (1) Aquinas (10-0)
2. (2) Marion County (10-0)
3. (3) Mount Paran Christian (10-0)
4. (4) Calvary Day (10-0)
5. (5) Hawkinsville (9-1)
6. (6) Irwin County (8-1-1)
7. (8) Charlton County (9-1)
8. (9) Savannah Christian (9-1)
9. (7) Tattnall Square (9-1)
10. (10) Dooly County (7-3)
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