Carver-Atlanta’s football team was considered pretty good but quite unlucky to be in Region 5-AAAAA, which included four top 10 teams entering last week. But a 32-29 victory against defending state champion and second-ranked Creekside has put the Panthers into the driver’s seat in Class AAAAA’s toughest league.
It also ranks among Carver’s best victory in decades. Carver was ranked after 9-0 starts in 2007 and 2012, but those records were compiled in weaker regions and Carver didn’t last long in the playoffs either year. The Panthers were unranked in every other season since 1971, checking in at No. 7.
‘’That ranks up there at the top, the biggest win for Carver since I’ve been there for sure,’’ said coach Darren Myles, in his 10th season at Carver. “In 2007, every win was big because we weren’t used to winning, but we never beat anybody of this magnitude, a No. 2-ranked opponent. With that, this is the biggest.’’
Creekside dropped to No. 8. A third region team, Stephenson, is No. 9. Mays, which didn’t play last week, dropped out of the rankings to make room for Carver.
Carver (6-1, 2-0) is off next weekend but could clinch the subregion title with a victory against Mays at Lakewood Stadium on Oct. 24.
Also new to the rankings this week are North Gwinnett, replacing Camden County in AAAAAA, St. Pius for Whitewater in AAAA and Tattnall Square for Dooly County in A.
St. Pius (4-2) enters at No. 9 after a 10-9 upset of Marist (6-1) on a 30-yard field goal by Michael Matthews with 20 seconds left.
There are six games between ranked teams this week.
No. 1 Colquitt County is at No. 3 Valdosta in AAAAAA; No. 5 Thomas County Central is at No. 8 Cairo in AAAA; No. 6 Westminster is at No. 3 Blessed Trinity in AAA; No. 2 Vidalia is at No. 4 Benedictine in AA; No. 7 Fitzgerald is at No. 5 Brooks County in AA; and No. 5 Hawkinsville is at No. 2 Marion County in A.
Class AAAAAA
1. (1) Colquitt County (7-0)
2. (2) Grayson (7-0)
3. (3) Valdosta (7-0)
4. (6) Lowndes (6-1)
5. (5) Dacula (6-0)
6. (4) Hughes (5-1)
7. (8) Milton (5-1)
8. (9) Norcross (6-1)
9. (10) McEachern (4-2)
10. (NR) North Gwinnett (5-2)
Class AAAAA
1. (1) Ware County (6-0)
2. (3) Coffee (6-1)
3. (4) Kell (6-0)
4. (7) Allatoona (7-0)
5. (6) Carver-Columbus (5-1)
6. (9) Lanier (5-0)
7. (NR) Carver-Atlanta (6-1)
8. (2) Creekside (5-2)
9. (5) Stephenson (4-2)
10. (10) Northside-Warner Robins (5-1)
Class AAAA
1. (1) Buford (6-0)
2. (2) Sandy Creek (6-0)
3. (3) Griffin (6-0)
4. (5) Cartersville (5-1)
5. (6) Thomas County Central (5-1)
6. (7) Woodward Academy (5-1)
7. (4) Marist (6-1)
8. (8) Cairo (5-1)
9. (NR) St. Pius (4-2)
10. (10) Mary Persons (5-1)
Class AAA
1. (1) Washington County (6-0)
2. (2) Calhoun (7-0)
3. (3) Blessed Trinity (6-0)
4. (4) Jefferson (7-0)
5. (5) Peach County (7-0)
6. (6) Westminster (6-0)
7. (7) Westside-Macon (7-0)
8. (8) Central-Carrollton (6-0)
9. (9) Hart County (6-0)
10. (10) Dodge County (6-0)
Class AA
1. (1) Greater Atlanta Christian (7-0)
2. (2) Vidalia (6-0)
3. (3) Lovett (5-2)
4. (4) Benedictine (5-1)
5. (5) Brooks County (5-2)
6. (7) Thomasville (4-3)
7. (8) Fitzgerald (5-1)
8. (6) Lamar County (4-1-1)
9. (9) Darlington (6-1)
10. (10) Screven County (6-0)
Class A
1. (1) Aquinas (7-0)
2. (2) Marion County (6-0)
3. (3) Mount Paran Christian (6-0)
4. (4) Calvary Day (6-0)
5. (5) Hawkinsville (7-0)
6. (6) Irwin County (4-1-1)
7. (8) Landmark Christian (5-1)
8. (NR) Tattnall Square (6-0)
9. (10) Charlton County (5-1)
10. (7) Savannah Christian (5-1)
