Three No. 1-ranked teams lost to higher-classification teams last week. Two maintained their top spots in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll. One didn't.
Greater Atlanta Christian (2-0) is the new No. 1 team in Class AAA, replacing Peach County, which lost 38-35 to No. 5 Warner Robins of Class AAAAA. GAC was the state runner-up last season and has blowout wins over teams that were ranked at the time (Westminster, Lovett).
Tucker of Class AAAAAA lost 35-21 to Colquitt County, the No. 2 team in the highest classification. Clinch County of the Class A private division lost 17-14 to Brooks County, the No. 8 team in AA.
In the cases of Tucker and Clinch, there wasn’t a team with a resume quite strong enough to take their places.
In AAAAAA, five of the Top 10 have lost to lower-classification teams – No. 4 Harrison to Rome, No. 5 Mays and No. 8 Lovejoy to Stockbridge, No. 7 Northside-Warner Robins to Warner Robins and No. 10 Northgate to Starr’s Mill. None constitutes a bad loss, but it demonstrates the uncertainty in the classification.
Also note that defending champion Valdosta was ousted from the rankings this week for losing to a lower-classification team, Wayne County. Taking advantage of the opportunity was Winder-Barrow (3-0), which entered the rankings for the first time since 1994.
Ranked No. 2 and No. 3 are Lee County and Coffee, both members of strong Region 1. Each is 3-0. Harrison is still No. 4 despite a 1-2 record.
Clinch County remained No. 1 because its loss to Brooks County is not unusual or unexpected. Brooks has beaten Clinch five of the past six seasons. Defending Class A public champion Macon County, ranked No. 2, would’ve taken the top spot but lost to fellow-Class A member Irwin County. Manchester, which lost only to Macon County last year, was not overly impressive in a 20-16 victory over Southwest, a team that Manchester handled 35-6 a year ago.
Class AAAAAAA
1. (1) Grayson (2-0)
2. (2) Colquitt County (3-0)
3. (3) Lowndes (3-0)
4. (4) Mill Creek (3-0)
5. (6) North Cobb (3-0)
6. (7) Archer (2-0)
7. (8) Norcross (1-1)
8. (10) Walton (3-0)
9. (NR) South Forsyth (3-0)
10. (9) McEachern (0-2)
Out: No. 5 Parkview
Class AAAAAA
1. (1) Tucker (2-1)
2. (2) Lee County (3-0)
4. (4) Coffee (3-0)
4. (3) Harrison (1-2)
5. (5) Mays (1-1)
6. (9) Hughes (2-0)
7. (10) Northside-Warner Robins (2-1)
8. (7) Lovejoy (2-1)
9. (NR) Winder-Barrow (3-0)
10. (6) Northgate (1-1)
Out: No. 8 Valdosta
Class AAAAA
1. (1) Rome (2-0)
2. (2) Buford (2-0)
3. (3) Stockbridge (2-0)
4. (4) Carrollton (2-0)
5. (6) Warner Robins (3-0)
6. (7) Griffin (2-0)
7. (8) Jones County (2-0)
8. (9) Starr's Mill (2-0)
9. (5) Kell (0-2)
10. (NR) Wayne County (2-0)
Out: No. 10 Carver (Atlanta)
Class AAAA
1. (1) Cartersville (3-0)
2. (3) Thomson (3-0)
3. (4) Sandy Creek (2-0)
4. (2) Blessed Trinity (2-1)
5. (7) Marist (2-0)
6. (5) Woodward Academy (2-0)
7. (6) Jefferson (2-1)
8. (9) Ridgeland (3-0)
9. (10) Burke County (3-0)
10. (8) Mary Persons (2-1)
Class AAA
1. (2) Greater Atlanta Christian (2-0)
2. (3) Cedar Grove (2-0)
3. (1) Peach County (1-1)
4. (5) Crisp County (3-0)
5. (6) Dawson County (2-0)
6. (4) Calhoun (2-1)
7. (8) Jenkins (2-0)
8. (10) Bremen (2-0)
9. (9) Sonoraville (2-0)
10. (NR) Lovett (1-2)
Out: No. 7 Pace Academy
Class AA
1. (1) Benedictine (2-0)
2. (2) Hapeville Charter (2-1)
3. (4) Screven County (2-0)
4. (3) Fitzgerald (1-2)
5. (5) Rabun County (2-0)
6. (6) Callaway (2-0)
7. (7) Thomasville (3-0)
8. (8) Brooks County (2-0)
9. (9) Jefferson County (2-0)
10. (10) Dodge County (2-0)
Class A (private)
1. (1) Eagle's Landing Christian (3-0)
2. (2) Prince Avenue Christian (3-0)
3. (3) Wesleyan (3-0)
4. (4) Mount Paran Christian (2-1)
5. (6) Tattnall Square (1-0)
6. (7) Calvary Day (2-0)
7. (8) Fellowship Christian (1-1)
8. (5) Darlington (1-1)
9. (9) Athens Academy (2-0)
10. (10) Stratford Academy (2-0)
Class A (public)
1. (1) Clinch County (2-1)
2. (3) Manchester (3-0)
3. (4) Taylor County (2-0)
4. (5) Commerce (2-0)
5. (8) Irwin County (2-1)
6. (2) Macon County (1-1)
7. (9) Mount Zion (2-0)
8. (6) Turner County (2-1)
9. (7) Lincoln County (1-1)
10. (10) Emanuel County Institute (2-1)
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