Pierce County, Callaway and Prince Avenue Christian, the three Georgia football teams that just won their first state titles, are No. 1 in year-ending rankings for the first time.
Pierce County beat Oconee County 13-7 in overtime to claim the Class 3A championship. A southeast Georgia school, Pierce opened in 1981 with a merger of Blackshear and Patterson high schools, and football had been played in the county without a championship since 1919, when Blackshear High played its first recorded game.
Callaway, which opened in Troup County in 1996, defeated No. 1-ranked Fitzgerald 22-17 in Class 2A. Callaway had reached the semifinals five times during the past eight years but finally broke through. Callaway won its fourth consecutive game over a top-four opponent in the playoffs – No. 4 Lovett, No. 3 Thomasville, No. 2 Rabun County and No. 1 Fitzgerald.
Prince Avenue Christian beat Trinity Christian 41-21 in the Class 1A Private final. The title came after the Bogart school’s seventh trip to the semifinals or further. The school started varsity football 16 years ago.
Buford in Class 6A and Irwin County in 1A Public were the only teams to win consecutive titles. Buford won its 13th in history, Irwin County its third.
Grayson won the Class 7A championship, the Rams’ third title in 10 seasons, with a 38-14 victory over Collins Hill. Assured of at least three top-five national rankings, Grayson is the first unbeaten team in the highest classification since Colquitt County in 2015.
Warner Robins tied a state finals scoring record in its 62-28 victory over Cartersville in 5A. Warner Robins had lost in the previous three 5A championship games.
Marist won its first state title since 2003 and third overall, each under 399-game winning coach Alan Chadwick. Marist beat Jefferson 30-14 in Class 4A.
Class 7A
1. (1) Grayson (14-0)
2. (3) Norcross (13-1)
3. (2) Colquitt County (9-1)
4. (6) Collins Hill (12-3)
5. (4) Lowndes (10-2)
6. (10) Milton (11-1)
7. (9) North Cobb (10-2)
8. (8) Archer (7-5)
9. (NR) Parkview (8-4)
10. (5) East Coweta (9-2)
Out: No. 7 Newnan
Class 6A
1. (2) Buford (13-1)
2. (1) Lee County (12-2)
3. (3) Westlake (11-2)
4. (6) Valdosta (7-5)
5. (4) Allatoona (11-1)
6. (5) River Ridge (11-1)
7. (7) Hughes (11-2)
8. (NR) Lovejoy (8-3)
9. (8) Dacula (7-4)
10. (10) Carrollton (8-3)
Out: No. 9 Richmond Hill
Class 5A
1. (2) Warner Robins (13-1)
2. (4) Cartersville (12-2)
3. (1) Blessed Trinity (8-1)
4. (3) Ware County (10-2)
5. (5) Coffee (10-3)
6. (7) Calhoun (9-4)
7. (10) Jones County (10-4)
8. (6) Starr’s Mill (9-2)
9. (8) St. Pius (9-2)
10. (NR) Creekside (7-3)
Out: No. 9 Clarke Central
Class 4A
1. (1) Marist (13-0)
2. (2) Jefferson (12-1)
3. (6) Bainbridge (10-4)
4. (4) Benedictine (9-3)
5. (3) Carver-Columbus (10-1)
6. (5) Flowery Branch (9-3)
7. (7) Cedartown (8-3)
8. (8) Perry (8-5)
9. (NR) Riverdale (8-3)
10. (NR) Baldwin (5-2)
Out: No. 9 Hapeville Charter, No. 10 Stephenson
Class 3A
1. (6) Pierce County (13-1)
2. (2) Oconee County (12-1)
3. (5) Greater Atlanta Christian (12-1)
4. (3) Peach County (9-2)
5. (4) Crisp County (11-2)
6. (1) Cedar Grove (3-5)
7. (7) Rockmart (9-2)
8. (8) Appling County (9-2)
9. (NR) Carver-Atlanta (6-5)
10. (9) Richmond Academy (10-2)
Out: No. 10 Thomson
Class 2A
1. (8) Callaway (12-1)
2. (1) Fitzgerald (13-1)
3. (2) Rabun County (12-2)
4. (3) Thomasville (8-5)
5. (5) Jefferson County (10-3)
6. (7) Fannin County (10-1)
7. (NR) Bleckley County (8-4)
8. (4) Lovett (7-3)
9. (NR) Bremen (8-5)
10. (NR) Haralson County (7-3)
Out: No. 6 Early County, No. 9 Dodge County, No. 10 Vidalia
Class 1A Private
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (13-1)
2. (2) Eagle’s Landing Christian (9-4)
3. (7) Trinity Christian (Sharpsburg) (12-3)
4. (3) Fellowship Christian (10-1)
5. (4) Athens Academy (9-2)
6. (5) Wesleyan (11-3)
7. (8) Savannah Christian (10-2)
8. (10) George Walton Academy (9-3)
9. (6) Christian Heritage (8-2)
10. (9) North Cobb Christian (8-3)
Class 1A Public
1. (5) Irwin County (12-3)
2. (3) Brooks County (13-2)
3. (4) Commerce (11-2)
4. (1) Metter (13-1)
5. (2) Dublin (10-2)
6. (9) Clinch County (9-4)
7. (8) Washington-Wilkes (9-2)
8. (NR) Wilcox County (9-3)
9. (NR) Turner County (6-5)
10. (7) Pelham (6-2)
Out: No. 6 Macon County, No. 10 Chattahoochee County
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