The top-10 programs in the two divisions of Class A played to preseason-ranking form during the first week of the football season, but there were some early season upsets.
In Class A Division I, two programs lost opening games. Former-No. 4 Irwin County lost to Class 2A No. 2 Fitzgerald 28-20 and didn’t really suffer from it, falling one spot to No. 5. The other loss was then-No. 5 Metter losing to then-No. 6 Swainsboro, 21-7. Swainsboro climbed to No. 4; Metter fell to No. 9.
Other than those games, the top 10 in Division I rolled. Top-ranked Prince Avenue beat South Carolina’s Hammond 39-3; No. 2 Brooks County beat Thomasville 42-7, and No. 3 Rabun County beat Haralson County 49-3.
Bleckley County was ranked No. 7 last week and climbed one spot in the poll after beating Dodge County 33-6. Whitefield Academy climbed one spot to No. 7 after defeating Class A Division II No. 2 Macon County 35-30. Lamar County climbed to No. 8 from No. 10 after a 48-28 victory against Wilcox County, and No. 10 Darlington fell one spot after beating Schuylkill (Pa.) 28-16.
In Division II, the biggest move of Week 1 was former No. 4-ranked Turner County falling to unranked after a 28-6 loss to Worth County.
Top-ranked Schley County defeated Tattnall Square 28-21, and the poll shuffling began. Bowdon is the new No. 2, up from No. 5, after defeating Manchester 29-14. Macon County fell from No. 2 to No. 3 after losing to Whitefield Academy, and No. 4 Wilcox County fell one spot after losing to Lamar County.
Charlton climbed two spots to No. 5 after beating Jeff Davis 20-14 in overtime. Clinch County stayed put at No. 6 after beating Berrien 19-18. Lincoln County climbed to No. 7 after a 23-20 victory against Bryan County.
Entering the poll is No. 8 Wheeler County, which beat then-No. 9 Georgia Military 42-14. Johnson County climbed one spot to No. 9 in an off week. Formerly unranked Washington-Wilkes entered the top 10 after beating East Laurens 28-7.
Class A Division I
New top 10 with Week 1 results
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (1-0); defeated Hammond (S.C.) 39-3
2. (2) Brooks County (1-0; defeated Thomasville 42-7
3. (3) Rabun County (1-0); defeated Haralson County 49-3
4. (6) Swainsboro (1-0); dfeated Metter 21-7
5. (4) Irwin County (0-1); lost to Fitzgerald 28-20
6. (7) Bleckley County (1-0); defeted Dodge County 33-6
7. (8) Whitefield Academy (1-0); defeated Macon County 35-30
8. (10) Lamar County (1-0); defeated Wilcox County 48-28
9. (5) Metter (0-1); lost to Swainsboro 21-7
10. (9) Darlington (1-0); defeated Schuylkill, (Pa.) 28-16
Class A Division II
New top 10 with Week 1 results
1. (1) Schley County (1-0); defeated Tattnall Square 28-21
2. (5) Bowdon (1-0); defeated Manchester 29-14
3. (2) Macon County (0-1); lost to Whitefield Academy 35-30
4. (3) Wilcox County (0-1); lost to Lamar County 48-28
5. (7) Charlton County (1-0); defeated Jeff Davis 20-14
6. (6) Clinch County (1-0); defeated Berrien 19-18
7. (8) Lincoln County (1-0); defeated Bryan County 23-20
8. (NR) Wheeler County (1-0); defeated Beat GMC Prep 42-14
9. (10) Johnson County (0-0); did not play
10. (NR) Washington-Wilkes (1-0); defeated East Laurens 28-7
Out: No. 4 Turner County after 28-6 loss to Worth County; No. 9 GMC Prep after 42-14 loss to Wheeler County.
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