A year after its worst season in 39 years, Clinch County is ranked No. 1 again.
The South Georgia small-school power with six state titles this century is 3-0 after a 50-14 victory over Miller County on Friday.
Clinch, which finished 3-7 last season, moved into the top spot in Class A Division II after previous No. 1 Schley County lost to then-No. 10 Early County 19-17 on Friday. Early is now No. 2.
Other No. 1 teams, including Buford, Fitzgerald and Cartersville, needed second-half comebacks to stay on top, while Hughes, Benedictine, Cedar Grove and Prince Avenue Christian won easily.
Nine teams entered the rankings.
One was North Cobb Christian in Class 2A. The Lions defeated Wesleyan 19-15, scoring on a last-play, 65-yard touchdown pass with five laterals.
Montgomery County, a Class A Division II school, is ranked for the first time since 1989.
Two teams from northeast Georgia, Elbert County and Stephens County, are ranked for the first time since 2016.
Kennesaw Mountain is ranked in the highest class for the first time after a 37-36 victory over North Paulding. Ty Roland kicked a 25-yard field goal in the final seconds.
Class 7A
1. (1) Buford (3-0)
2. (2) Grayson (3-0)
3. (5) Mill Creek (3-0)
4. (3) Colquitt County (3-0)
5. (6) Collins Hill (2-0)
6. (4) North Cobb (1-1)
7. (8) Carrollton (3-0)
8. (7) Walton (1-1)
9. (NR) Parkview (2-0)
10. (NR) Kennesaw Mountain (3-0)
Out: No. 9 Westlake, No. 10 North Gwinnett
Class 6A
1. (1) Hughes (3-0)
2. (2) Lee County (3-0)
3. (4) Roswell (3-0)
4. (5) Blessed Trinity (2-0)
5. (6) Woodward Academy (1-1)
6. (7) Gainesville (3-0)
7. (3) Rome (2-1)
8. (8) Marist (2-1)
9. (NR) Thomas County Central (3-0)
10. (9) South Paulding (1-1)
Out: No. 10 Douglas County
Class 5A
1. (1) Cartersville (3-0)
2. (2) Warner Robins (1-1)
3. (5) Ware County (2-0)
4. (6) Calhoun (2-1)
5. (4) Creekside (0-2)
6. (8) Dutchtown (3-0)
7. (10) Kell (3-0)
8. (9) Coffee (1-1)
9. (NR) Jefferson (2-1)
10. (3) Jones County (2-1)
Out: No. 7 Flowery Branch
Class 4A
1. (1) Benedictine (2-1)
2. (2) North Oconee (2-0)
3. (3) Cedartown (3-0)
4. (4) Whitewater (3-0)
5. (6) Perry (1-1)
6. (7) Troup (3-0)
7. (8) Starr’s Mill (3-0)
8. (9) Pace Academy (3-0)
9. (10) Burke County (2-0)
10. (5) Bainbridge (1-2)
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (2-0)
2. (2) Carver-Columbus (2-0)
3. (3) Carver-Atlanta (2-0)
4. (4) Calvary Day (2-0)
5. (5) Sandy Creek (3-0)
6. (6) Crisp County (2-1)
7. (7) Oconee County (2-1)
8. (8) Peach County (1-1)
9. (9) Dougherty (3-0)
10. (NR) Stephens County (2-1)
Out: No. 10 Adairsville
Class 2A
1. (1) Fitzgerald (3-0)
2. (4) Pierce County (2-0)
3. (7) South Atlanta (2-0)
4. (2) Eagle’s Landing Christian (1-2)
5. (8) Columbia (3-0)
6. (NR) Cook (2-1)
7. (6) Rockmart (1-1)
8. (NR) Thomson (2-1)
9. (5) Putnam County (1-1)
10. (NR) North Cobb Christian (3-0)
Out: No. 3 Appling County, No. 9 Callaway, No. 10 Northeast
Class A Division I
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (2-0)
2. (3) Swainsboro (3-0)
3. (4) Rabun County (3-0)
4. (6) Bleckley County (2-0)
5. (5) Irwin County (1-1)
6. (2) Brooks County (2-1)
7. (7) Whitefield Academy (3-0)
8. (8) Lamar County (3-0)
9. (10) Darlington (3-0)
10. (NR) Elbert County (3-0)
Out: No. 9 Metter
Class A Division II
1. (2) Clinch County (3-0)
2. (10) Early County (3-0)
3. (4) Charlton County (3-0)
4. (1) Schley County (1-1)
5. (6) Bowdon (2-1)
6. (8) Johnson County (2-0)
7. (5) Wilcox County (0-2)
8. (9) Washington-Wilkes (2-0)
9. (NR) Aquinas (3-0)
10. (NR) Montgomery County (2-0)
Out: No. 3 Macon County, No. 7 Lincoln County
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