Top-ranked Cedar Grove stood toe-to-toe with Class 7A No. 7 Lowndes before losing 45-38; Oconee County defeated then-No. 9 Hart County 35-13 in a Region 8-3A game, and following its 27-14 loss to Crisp County, Peach County is unranked for the first time since 2015.

It was an interesting week.

The bad: Peach County, 3-3, is looking for answers after losses to Phenix City (Ala.), 42-23, Northside-Warner Robins, 28-14, and Crisp at home in a crucial Region 2-3A game. In 2015, Peach dropped from the top-10 following a 3-2 loss at Jackson.

You read that correctly.

The only offense the Trojans managed that fateful day was a safety. Peach went on to lose to Calhoun 20-14 in the second round of the playoffs that season, which helped spawn a rivalry that boiled over in the 2017 state title game when the Yellow Jackets won 10-6.

The good: Cedar Grove tried for a state-shaking upset against Lowndes on the road and enjoyed a lead late in the game, but a fumble and Lowndes score kept the lower-classed team in check. Cedar Grove returns to region 5-3A play Friday at Salem.

-- No. 2 Oconee County running back C.J. Jones rushed for four touchdowns, and Jacob Wright’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Jake Johnson lifted the Warriors over Hart. Oconee County hosts No. 7 Monroe Area on Oct. 22.

-- Ringgold is 7-0 and ranked No. 10 after Peach’s departure from the poll. The Tigers have victories against Gilmer (35-15), Ridgeland (44-0), North Murray (31-28), Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (56-0), Murray County (78-0), Adairsville (24-19) and LaFayette (24-17).

-- The rest of the top-10 performed as it should – No. 4 Appling County defeated Long County (41-8); No. 5 Pierce County beat Brantley County (35-6); No. 6 Thomson defeated Cross Creek (55-0); No. 8 Monroe Area beat East Jackson (40-10), and No. 10 Rockmart defeated Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (56-0).

New Top 10 results from Week 8

1. (1) Cedar Grove (4-2) lost to Class 7A No. 7 Lowndes 45-38

2. (2) Oconee County (7-0) beat No. 8 Hart County 35-13.

3. (3) Sandy Creek (6-0) was off.

4. (4) Appling County (7-0) beat Long County 41-8.

5. (5) Pierce County (5-2) beat Brantley County 35-6.

6. (7) Thomson (6-0) beat Cross Creek 55-0.

7. (8) Monroe Area (7-0) beat East Jackson 40-10.

8. (9) Hart County (6-1) lost to No. 2 Oconee County 35-13.

9. (10) Rockmart (5-1) beat Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 56-0.

10. (NR) Ringgold (7-0) beat LaFayette 24-17.

Region Standings After Week 8

Region  1              RGN       REG        TOT

Appling County 1-0          7-0          7-0

Pierce County    1-0          5-2          5-2

Tattnall County 0-0          5-1          5-1

Long County       0-1          3-4          3-4

Brantley County               0-1          2-4          2-4

Region  2              RGN       REG        TOT

Crisp County      4-0          4-3          4-3

Jackson                 3-1          4-3          4-3

Peach County    3-1          3-3          3-3

Mary Persons    2-2          4-3          4-3

Upson-Lee          2-2          4-3          4-3

Pike County        1-3          1-5          1-5

Central Macon  0-3          0-6          0-6

Sumter County  0-3          0-5          0-5

Region  3              RGN       REG        TOT

Windsor Forest 2-0          3-2          3-2

Liberty County  2-1          2-3          2-3

SE Bulloch            1-1          5-1          5-1

Beach                    1-1          1-4          1-4

Savannah            1-2          3-4          3-4

Johnson-Sav      0-1          1-4          1-4

Groves                 0-1          0-5          0-5

Region  4              RGN       REG        TOT

Thomson             3-0          6-0          6-0

Burke County     2-0          4-1          4-1

Hephzibah          2-0          4-2          4-2

Harlem                 2-1          4-3          4-3

Morgan County 0-2          1-5          1-5

Cross Creek        0-3          1-6          1-6

Richmnd. Aca.   0-3          1-6          1-6

Region  5              RGN       REG        TOT

Sandy Creek       3-0          6-0          6-0

Cedar Grove       3-0          4-2          4-2

Salem                    2-1          4-2          4-2

Carver-Atl           2-1          3-2          3-2

GAC                       2-1          2-4          2-4

Redan                   0-3          2-4          2-4

Westminster      0-3          2-4          2-4

Douglass              0-3          0-6          0-6

Region  6              RGN       REG        TOT

Ringgold               5-0          7-0          7-0

Rockmart             4-0          5-1          5-1

Adairsville           3-1          5-1          5-1

North Murray    2-2          4-2          4-2

Sonoraville          2-2          4-2          4-2

LaFayette            2-2          3-3          3-3

Coahulla Creek  2-3          4-3          4-3

Murray County 0-5          1-6          1-6

LFO                        0-5          0-6          0-6

Region  7              RGN       REG        TOT

North Hall            3-0          5-2          5-2

Cherokee Bluff  2-0          6-0          6-0

Dawson County 2-0          3-3          3-3

Lumpkin Co.       1-1          2-4          2-4

White County    1-2          2-5          2-5

Gilmer                  0-3          2-4          2-4

West Hall             0-3          2-4          2-4

East Forsyth       0-0          2-5          2-5

Region  8              RGN       REG        TOT

Monroe Area     2-0          7-0          7-0

Oconee County 2-0          7-0          7-0

Hart County       1-1          6-1          6-1

Stephens Co.     1-1          6-1          6-1

Franklin County 0-2          3-3          3-3

East Jackson       0-2          2-5          2-5

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A rendering of the columbarium memorial that is estimated to be completed by next summer or fall in the southeast part of Oakland Cemetery, officials said. (Courtesy of Historic Oakland Foundation)

Credit: Historic Oakland Foundation