The GHSA Softball season begins in earnest Saturday with a full schedule of games and with a new-look for each of the state’s eight classes, there are plenty of things to unpack.

With programs entering or leaving classes via reclassification, it is difficult to rank completely and accurately each of the eight classes and time will tell where the programs will fall.

This season, Classes A Public and A Private have been reshuffled into Class A Division 1 and Class A Division 2 and alongside the reclassification of the six other leagues, new levels of competition and freshly minted rivalries are on the horizon.

In Class AAAAAAA, North Gwinnett tops the class ahead of East Coweta, Mill Creek, Lambert and Cherokee in the top 5. Lassiter tops Class 6A with River Ridge, Pope, Creekview and Sequoyah chasing. Starr’s Mill tops Class 5A and leads Northside-Columbus, Loganville, Cambridge and Jones County. In Class 4A, Central-Carroll takes the top spot ahead of North Oconee, Heritage-Catoosa, Madison County and Cedartown.

Harlem tops Class 3A with Pike County, Columbus, Oconee County and Wesleyan chasing. Appling County tops Class 2A with ACE Charter, Vidalia, Berrien and Dodge County in the top 5.

Heard County leads Class A Div. 1 entering the season with Social Circle, Prince Avenue Christian, Dade County and Mount Vernon topping the class. Emanuel County Institute leads Class A Div. 2 ahead of Schley County, Georgia Military, Portal and Lanier County.

See the full rankings below.

Class AAAAAAA

1. North Gwinnett

2. East Coweta

3. Mill Creek

4. Lambert

5. Cherokee

6. Milton

7. Colquitt County

8. Hillgrove

9. Buford

10. Dacula

Class AAAAAA

1. Lassiter

2. River Ridge

3. Pope

4. Creekview

5. Sequoyah

6. Blessed Trinity

7. Houston County

8. Lee County

9. Grovetown

10. Evans

Class AAAAA

1. Starr’s Mill

2. Northside-Columbus

3. Loganville

4. Cambridge

5. Jones County

6. Calhoun

7. Chamblee

8. Woodland-Cartersville

9. Jefferson

10. Ware County

Class AAAA

1. Central-Carroll

2. North Oconee

3. Heritage-Catoosa

4. Madison County

5. Cedartown

6. Sonoraville

7. West Laurens

8. Northwest Whitfield

9. Walnut Grove

10. Cairo

Class AAA

1. Harlem

2. Pike County

3. Columbus

4. Oconee County

5. Wesleyan

6. Gordon Lee

7. Dawson County

8. Savannah Christian

9. Hebron Christian

10. Jackson

Class AA

1. Appling County

2. ACE Charter

3. Vidalia

4. Berrien

5. Dodge County

6. Jeff Davis

7. Union County

8. ELCA

9. Pierce County

10. Banks County

Class A Div. 1

1. Heard County

2. Social Circle

3. Prince Avenue Christian

4. Dade County

5. Mount Vernon

6. Crawford County

7. Prince Avenue Christian

8. Screven County

9. Bryan County

10. Commerce

Class A Div. 2

1. Emanuel County Institute

2. Schley County

3. Georgia Military

4. Portal

5. Lanier County

6. Telfair County

7. Charlton County

8. Johnson County

9. Wilcox County

10. Baconton Charter

About the Author

Featured

8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres