Where Dacula will rank last week’s 27-17 victory against No. 2 Grayson might depend on how the rest of the season unfolds. Region 8-AAAAAA won’t be secure unless Dacula beats Archer on Friday.
But Dacula’s new position in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution football rankings — No. 2 in Class AAAAAA — is the school’s best showing since 1990, when the Gwinnett County school competed in Class A, the state’s lowest division. The victory against Grayson puts Dacula within one victory of its first region title since 2005.
Dacula and No. 1 Colquitt County, both 8-0, are the only unbeaten teams remaining in Georgia’s highest classification.
With so many other imperfect records, Grayson was afforded a soft place to land at No. 3.
Out of the AAAAAA top 10 are defending champion Norcross, which lost 35-2 to Region 7 rival Peachtree Ridge, and Hughes, which was upset 14-6 by Westlake on Saturday. Newly ranked schools are Peachtree Ridge and Tucker.
In AAAAA, Harris County beat No. 5 Carver-Columbus 24-14 and moved into the rankings. Carver is out. No. 6 Carver-Atlanta trails Mays 24-14 in a game that was suspended Friday with 9:46 left because of a shooting outside of Lakewood Stadium. The game will be resumed Monday at 6 p.m. at Grady Stadium.
Woodward Academy moved up three places to No. 3 after its 28-7 upset of previous No. 2 Sandy Creek. Woodward hasn’t been as high as No. 3 since spending eight weeks at No. 1 during a 12-1 finish in 1985. Sandy Creek fell to No. 6.
Also new to the rankings this week are Adairsville in AA and Clinch County in A. Out are Dodge County in AA and Landmark Christian in A.
The top games this week are No. 7 Westside-Macon at No. 5 Peach County in AAA and No. 1 Greater Atlanta Christian at defending champion No. 3 Lovett in AA.
Class AAAAAA
1. (1) Colquitt County (8-0)
2. (3) Dacula (8-0)
3. (2) Grayson (8-1)
4. (6) Lee County (6-1)
5. (7) Valdosta (7-1)
6. (8) Milton (7-1)
7. (10) North Gwinnett (6-2)
8. (9) McEachern (6-2)
9. (NR) Peachtree Ridge (6-2)
10. (NR) Tucker (6-2)
Class AAAAA
Class AAAAA
1. (1) Ware County (8-0)
2. (2) Coffee (7-1)
3. (3) Kell (8-0)
4. (4) Allatoona (9-0)
5. (6) Lanier (8-0)
6. (7) Carver-Atlanta (6-1)
7. (8) Creekside (7-2)
8. (9) Stephenson (6-2)
9. (10) Northside-Warner Robins (7-1)
10. (NR) Harris County (6-2)
Class AAAA
1. (1) Buford (8-0)
2. (3) Griffin (8-0)
3. (6) Woodward Academy (7-1)
4. (4) Cartersville (7-1)
5. (7) Marist (8-1)
6. (2) Sandy Creek (7-1)
7. (8) St. Pius (6-2)
8. (9) Mary Persons (7-1)
9. (10) Thomas County Central (6-2)
10. (5) Cairo (6-2)
Class AAA
1. (1) Washington County (8-0)
2. (2) Calhoun (8-0)
3. (3) Blessed Trinity (8-0)
4. (4) Jefferson (8-0)
5. (5) Peach County (9-0)
7. (7) Westside-Macon (8-0)
6. (6) Westminster (7-1)
8. (8) Central-Carrollton (8-0)
9. (9) Hart County (8-0)
10. (NR) Adairsville (7-1)
Class AA
1. (1) Greater Atlanta Christian (8-0)
2. (2) Vidalia (8-0)
3. (3) Lovett (7-2)
4. (4) Benedictine (6-2)
5. (5) Thomasville (5-3)
6. (6) Fitzgerald (7-1)
7. (7) Lamar County (6-1-1)
8. (8) Darlington (7-1)
9. (9) Screven County (8-0)
10. (10) Macon County (6-2)
Class A
1. (1) Aquinas (8-0)
2. (2) Marion County (8-0)
3. (3) Mount Paran Christian (8-0)
4. (4) Calvary Day (8-0)
5. (5) Hawkinsville (8-1)
6. (6) Irwin County (6-1-1)
7. (8) Tattnall Square (8-0)
8. (9) Charlton County (7-1)
9. (10) Savannah Christian (7-1)
10. (NR) Clinch County (5-3)
