Rich Fendley has his Bowdon team exactly where he wants it -- top-ranked and coming off back-to-back state championships.

But the team’s 0-1 record did not sit well with Fendley after losing a close game to Fellowship Christian (36-35) in Week 1. So Bowdon responded last week with a 56-7 victory against Macon County to get things back on track.

Bowdon quarterback Charles Maxwell III was 9-of-15 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed seven times for 105 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Red Devils.

Josh McFather is still looking for the first victory for his No. 3 Brooks County team, but another tough test awaits. Brooks County travels to Class 2A No. 5 Cook next week in a playoff-caliber contest between top-5 teams. In the opener, the Trojans lost to Thomasville 35-12. Brooks was off in Week 2.

Otherwise, the top-10 didn’t shift much this week. Bryan County lost to Aquinas 42-20 and dropped from No. 6 to unranked after opening with a lackluster 20-12 victory against Class 3A Johnson-Savannah two weeks ago.

Replacing Bryan County in the poll is No. 10 Emanuel County Institute, which defeated Class A Division I No. 9 Swainsboro 24-21 last week. The Bulldogs opened with a 13-7 overtime road victory against Wilcox County and are 2-0 for the first time since the 2016 season, when ECI finished 11-1 before losing to Macon County in the semifinals.

Class A Division II top-10

1. (1) Bowdon (1-1)

2. (2) Irwin County (2-0)

3. (3) Brooks County (0-1)

4. (4) Manchester (1-1)

5. (5) Clinch County (2-0)

6. (7) Greene County (2-0)

7. (8) Seminole County (2-0)

8. (9) Trion (2-0)

9. (10) Metter (1-0)

10. (NR) Emanuel County Institute (2-0)

Out: No. 6 Bryan County

Keep Reading

ajc.com

Featured

A native of Columbus and a fine arts graduate of Clark Atlanta, Amy Sherald was chosen as the official portrait artist of former first lady Michelle Obama. On the same week that the portrait was unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, it was also announced that Sherald was awarded the High Museum's 2018 David C. Driskell Prize. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Credit: Andrew Harnik