Developments last week have shaken up Class 3A and will make for a vastly different playoff picture after No. 1 Cedar Grove (1-4, 1-3) was forced to forfeit four of its five victories because of the inadvertent use of an ineligible player.
Cedar Grove, the former Region 5-3A front-runner, likely will be the No. 3 or 4 seed entering the playoffs, and Greater Atlanta Christian, a newcomer from 7-3A, will win its seventh consecutive region title after joining Region 5 this season. No. 6 Greater Atlanta Christian beat Carver-Atlanta 35-20 Friday in a game which, due to circumstances involving Cedar Grove, became the region title game.
Cedar Grove beat GAC 33-6 on Oct. 23.
Otherwise, Class 3A’s top-ranked programs – those that were not sidelined from a COVID-19 related cancellation -- played to form:
-- Cherokee Bluff, a two-year-old program, beat North hall 41-24 to capture its first region title in 7-3A. The Bears are undefeated and 5-0 through 7-3A play with White County on deck.
-- No. 3 Peach County defeated Upson-Lee 36-7 and leads the 2-3A standings at 6-0, ahead of Crisp County and Central-Macon, both 5-1. Crisp spent its Friday beating Central 24-7.
-- No. 8 Pierce County defeated Tattnall County 50-6 and will play No. 5 Appling County (7-0, 2-0) next week for what should be the region title game. Appling’s game this week against Brantley County was cancelled due to the pandemic.
-- No. 10 Richmond Academy’s 51-6 victory against Cross Creek kept the Musketeers atop the 4-3A standings and gave them the region title. It marks the first region title for Richmond Academy since 1976.
3A Top 10 Results from Week 11
1. Cedar Grove (1-4, 1-3) was scheduled to play Douglass, but the game was canceled due to the pandemic.
2. Oconee County (8-0, 3-0) was scheduled to play Stephens County in an 8-3A game, but it was canceled due to the pandemic.
3. Peach County (7-1, 6-0) beat Upson-Lee 36-7 in a 2-3A game.
4. Crisp County (8-1, 5-1) beat Central-Macon 24-7 in a 2-3A game.
5. Appling County (7-0, 2-0) was scheduled to play Brantley County, but the game was canceled due to the pandemic.
6. Greater Atlanta Christian (6-1, 3-1) beat Carver-Atlanta 35-20 in a 5-3A game that turned out to be the region title game after Cedar Grove’s announcement.
7. Rockmart (7-1, 6-0) was scheduled to play LaFayette, but the game was canceled due to the pandemic.
8. Pierce County (7-1, 3-0) beat Tattnall County 50-6 in a 1-3A game.
9. Cherokee Bluff (9-0, 5-0) beat North Hall 41-24 in a 7-3A game for its first region title.
10. Richmond Academy (7-1, 4-0) beat Cross Creek 51-6 in a 4-3A game on Friday.
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