The usual Class 3A suspects played well during the first week of the high school football season, but two top 10 teams – then No. 5 Oconee County and then No. 10 Monroe Area – lost games in Week 1.
Oconee entered the season ranked fifth but lost to North Oconee, the No. 2-ranked program from Class 4A, 16-13. The Warriors fell to No. 8 in the new 3A poll. Monroe Area was ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll but lost to unranked Class 5A Loganville, 45-39, and dropped out of the top 10.
Now for the good news.
Wesleyan, which joined Class 3A from the former Class A Private after reclassification, was not ranked in the preseason poll but beat Mount Vernon 31-7 and entered the top 10 at No. 10. Ben Brown was 14-of-19 passing for 162 yards and two touchdowns and scored a touchdown to lead with Wildcats.
Top-ranked Cedar Grove defeated Class 4A then-No. 7 Bainbridge, 30-14, sending the Bearcats sliding to No. 9 in the 4A poll. Cedar Grove trailed 7-0 early but scored 30 unanswered points to take control of the game. E.J. Colson was 11-of-18 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Saints.
No. 2-ranked Crisp County beat Dooly County 17-6; No. 3 Carver-Columbus defeated Hardaway 41-10; No. 4 Carver-Atlanta defeated South Cobb, and No. 5 Calvary Day climbed up one spot in the rankings after a 49-6 victory against Islands.
Sandy Creek is ranked No. 6 after a 38-27 victory against Newnan. The Patriots climbed from No. 7 in the new poll. Peach County moved up one spot to No. 7 after defeating Baldwin 50-20. Dougherty, ranked ninth, beat Westover 28-21.
Class 3A Top 10 with results from Week 1
1. (1) Cedar Grove (1-0); defeated Bainbridge 30-14
2. (2) Crisp County (1-0); defeated Dooly County 17-6
3. (3) Carver-Columbus (1-0); defeated Hardaway 41-10
4. (4) Carver-Atlanta (1-0); defeated South Cobb 22-6
5. (6) Calvary Day (1-0); defeated Islands 49-6
6. (7) Sandy Creek (1-0); defeated Newnan 38-27
7. (8) Peach County (1-0); defeated Baldwin 50-20
8. (5) Oconee County (0-1); lost to Class 4A No. 2 North Oconee 16-13
9. (9) Dougherty (1-0); defeated Westover 28-21
10. (NR) Wesleyan (1-0); defeated Mount Vernon 31-7
Out: No. 10 Monroe Area; lost to Loganville 45-39
About the Author
