After a 2016 season that saw several first-time champions emerge, one team defend its title for the third year in a row and several championship series that went to the second game, we are ready to kick off the 2017 season.
North Gwinnett debuts at the top of the state’s highest classification after defeating No. 2 Mill Creek in the championship game last season. The win marked the first state title in North Gwinnett history. Lassiter, which fell to North Gwinnett in the quarterfinals, holds the third spot.
In Class AAAAAA, Cambridge holds the No. 1 spot after claiming its first-ever state championship over No. 2 Creekview last season. Speaking of Creekview, it is returning five All-State players and only lost one senior to graduation. It’s safe to say the Lady Grizzlies will be a fixture at the top of the rankings if their previous success continues. Alexander, which fell to Cambridge and Creekview in the championship bracket last season, is in the No. 3 spot.
Buford still reigns supreme in the AAAAA classification after successfully defending its title three years in a row. The Lady Wolves went undefeated through the championship bracket and defeated No. 2 Walnut Grove to claim the title. Starr’s Mill, which lost to Buford in the first round of the championship bracket and then fell to No. 2 Walnut Grove, holds the third spot.
Central-Carroll is on top of the AAAA classification after defeating Northside-Columbus in the championship game last season. The win marked the first state title for Central. Northside is in the No. 2 spot and Marist, which fell to Northside in the final game of the lower bracket, is in third.
East Jackson went undefeated through the AAA championship bracket last season, earning the school its first state championship. Calhoun fell just short and holds the No. 2 position entering this season. Calhoun lost out to Cook in the first round, falling to the bottom bracket, but then made it through to the championship game. Pike County, which fell to East Jackson and Calhoun in the championship bracket, is third.
In AA, after losing the first game and being forced to an extra game in the championship series, top-ranked Harlem walked away with a 3-1 win over Vidalia to claim the first state championship in school history. Vidalia holds the No. 2 spot and Dodge County, which fell to Harlem and Vidalia in the finals, is third.
Top-ranked Gordon Lee won its sixth state title last season, but it wasn’t without drama. After falling to Georgia Military in the semifinals of the top half of the Class A-Public championship bracket, Gordon Lee then went on a run. After defeating Wilcox County in the loser’s bracket, it faced a rematch with GMC and was forced to win two in a row. Gordon Lee squeaked by in the first game 6-5 and then took home the crown with a 7-2 win in the championship game.
In Class A-Private, First Presbyterian lost one game in the championship series but won the second to take home the first state title in school history. After moving undefeated through the bracket, First Presbyterian fell to Wesleyan 3-2 before coming back with a 5-3 win in the final game.
Class AAAAAAA
1. North Gwinnett
2. Mill Creek
3. Lassiter
4. South Forsyth
5. East Coweta
6. Lowndes
7. Lambert
8. Parkview
9. Etowah
10. Grayson
Class AAAAAA
1. Cambridge
2. Creekview
3. Alexander
4. Heritage-Conyers
5. Dalton
6. Pope
7. River Ridge
8. Harrison
9. Northgate
10. Houston County
Class AAAAA
1. Buford
2. Walnut Grove
3. Starr’s Mill
4. Harris County
5. Union Grove
6. Whitewater
7. Ware County
8. Thomas County Central
9. Carrollton
10. Villa Rica
Class AAAA
1. Central-Carroll
2. Northside-Columbus
3. Marist
4. Oconee County
5. Chapel Hill
6. Ridgeland
7. Stephens County
8. Jefferson
9. West Laurens
10. Mary Persons
Class AAA
1. East Jackson
2. Calhoun
3. Pike County
4. Morgan County
5. Cook
6. Southeast Bulloch
7. Worth County
8. Crisp County
9. Ringgold
10. Union County
Class AA
1. Harlem
2. Vidalia
3. Dodge County
4. Rockmart
5. Bacon County
6. Jeff Davis
7. Dade County
8. Heard County
9. Berrien County
10. Bleckley County
Class A Public
1. Gordon Lee
2. Georgia Military
3. Wilcox County
4. Telfair County
5. Glascock County
6. Trion
7. Bowdon
8. Mt. Zion
9. Seminole County
10. Emmanuel County Institute
Class A Private
1. First Presbyterian
2. Wesleyan
3. Stratford Academy
4. Christian Heritage
5. Tattnall Square
6. Athens Christian
7. Mt. Pisgah
8. Eagle’s Landing Christian
9. Holy Innocents’
10. Darlington
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