The AJC’s Class 3A preseason rankings were released Sunday, which finally allows speculation about the best teams leading into the first week of the season.
All but one program in the top 10 will begin their seasons this weekend. Cedar Grove will wait until October for its first game after DeKalb schools backed up the season. The Saints travel to Milton on Oct. 2.
Of the top 10 teams, three programs – No. 4 Sandy Creek, No. 5 Oconee County and No. 9 Burke County – dropped down from Class 4A during reclassification where each had success. Oconee County lost to Blessed Trinity in the 2019 state title game; Sandy Creek was a semifinalist, and Burke County made the playoffs.
It is not shocking that the usual 3A suspects are near the top of the poll, and for now, it remains Cedar Grove’s class. The Saints have won the past two state championship games and enter the year at No. 1. Crisp County was the runner-up last season in its first state championship appearance, and the Cougars return as much talent as it took into the final game of the 2019 season.
Third-ranked Peach County lost back-to-back state titles in 2017 and 2018 and lost to Cedar Grove in the quarterfinals last season. Peach lost talent to graduation, but if history holds, the Trojans always will factor. Peach has advanced to the playoffs every season since 1990.
Sandy Creek finished 12-2 last season and opens 3A play at No. 4. The Patriots won state titles in 2009, 2010 (15-0) and 2012 (15-0). Oconee County is another 4A program that should factor. The Warriors, under head coach Travis Noland, enter the season ranked No. 5.
Greater Atlanta Christian, ranked sixth, shifted into 5-3A from 7-3A this season and is now aligned with top-ranked Cedar Grove and an unranked Westminster program that likely will climb the rankings throughout the season and carve a nice little playoff run. GAC traded a manageable 7-3A schedule, where it has won every region title since 2014, for a very difficult 5-3A.
Hart County, ranked seventh, is a program that has more than enough talent to carry over from its 10-3 finish and quarterfinal run last season. The Bulldogs advanced to the first round in 2017 and 2018 before beating Haralson and Pierce County in the first two rounds of the playoffs last season. Hart was left with a sour taste after losing to GAC 17-16 to end the run.
Pierce County enters the season at No. 8 after an 11-1 season and second-round exit last year. The Bears, in Ryan Herring’s second season, shifted from 2-3A to 1-3A, but still will play Appling, Long, Brantley and Tattnall Counties.
Former 4A program Burke County debuts at No. 9 and enters 8-3A with Cross Creek, Harlem, Thomson, Hephzibah, Morgan County and Richmond Academy. The Bears advanced to the first round of the playoffs last season.
Dawson County rounds out the top 10, and after a region shift, the Tigers could be the top program in the new-look 7-3A following GAC’s departure to 5-3A.
Class 3A Schedule: Week 1
1. Cedar Grove: Oct. 2 at Milton
2. Crisp County: Friday vs. Tift County
3. Peach County: Friday at Phenix City, Ala.
4. Sandy Creek: Thursday at Northgate
5. Oconee County: Friday vs. Class 4A No. 10 North Oconee
6. Greater Atlanta Christian: Saturday vs. Denmark (Corky Kell Classic)
7. Hart County: Friday at Elbert County
8. Pierce County: Friday vs. Brunswick
9. Burke County: Friday vs. Benedictine
10. Dawson County: Friday at Cass
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