The regular season has given way to the playoffs and a split first-round highlights this week’s action when Classes 7A, 5A, 3A and 1A take to the fields Wednesday and Classes 6A, 4A and 2A play the first-round matches Friday.
There are four meetings between ranked teams in the opening rounds from Classes 7A, 5A, 3A and A-Division I and II. In 7A, No. 5 Milton (12-2-1) travels to No. 8 Peachtree Ridge (11-3), marking the only match between ranked programs in the state’s highest class.
In Class 5A, No. 7 Kell (12-3-1) will play at No. 3 Dalton (13-4-1) and No. 8 Calhoun (10-5-3) treks to No. 5 Centennial (10-2-2). In Class A Division I, No. 3 Whitefield Academy (13-4-1) travels to No. 2 Dalton Academy (14-2-1).
Milton, Kell, Calhoun, Decatur, Whitefield Academy, Mount Vernon, and Rabun County are ranked teams which will travel for the opening matches. There are eight teams enjoying byes in the first round – all in Class A Division II.
Let’s look at each of the classes playing Wednesday and on Thursday, we will glance around the classes scheduled to play the first round Friday. To see the GHSA past champions, updated scoreboard and the brackets, follow the links.
Class 7A
No. 1 team: Hillgrove
At a glance: Top-ranked Hillgrove wants the program’s first title and a stacked field of talent awaits the Hawks. Lambert – ranked No. 3 this season – captured the program’s fourth title last year and wants a fifth. South Forsyth – ranked No. 4 – won the 2021 championship and will threaten a deep run.
Defending champion: Lambert, 4 titles (2012, 2018, 2019 and last season)
Top 10 first round matches
-- Carrollton (11-6-1) at No. 1 Hillgrove (18-1)
-- Denmark (7-8) at No. 2 Discovery (15-2-1)
-- Duluth (8-8) at No. 3 Lambert (13-2-1)
-- North Gwinnett (7-7-1) at No. 4 South Forsyth (12-2-2)
-- No. 5 Milton (12-2-1) at No. 8 Peachtree Ridge (11-3)
-- Lowndes (7-10-2) at No. 6 Grayson (14-3)
-- Camden County (10-6-1) at No. 7 Archer (13-3-1)
-- North Cobb (5-10-1) at No. 9 Collins Hill (14-4)
-- Marietta at No. 10 Pebblebrook (10-6-1)
Class 5A
No. 1 team: McIntosh
At a glance: Can the No. 1-ranked Chiefs win the program’s ninth title? McIntosh won its first in 1992 and won titles in 2000, 2007, 2013-14, 2017, 2019 and 2021. No. 2 Clarke Central has one title, in 1999, and has not lost a match this season but tied two. Dalton, ranked No. 3, has won three of the past four titles and has seven overall. The Catamounts are perennial semifinalists, it seems, but will host No. 7 Kell in the first round.
Defending champion: Dalton (7 titles, 2003 (shared), 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 and last season)
Top 10 first round matches
-- Dutchtown (8-8) at No. 1 McIntosh
-- Lithia Springs (9-6) at No. 2 Clarke Central (14-0-2)
-- No. 7 Kell (12-3-1) at No. 3 Dalton (13-4-1)
-- Cambridge (4-10-2) at No. 4 Cass (12-3-1)
-- No. 8 Calhoun (10-5-3) at No. 5 Centennial (10-2-2)
-- Woodland-Cartersville (10-5) at No. 9 Chattahoochee (10-2-2)
-- No. 10 Decatur (11-5-3) at Greenbrier (12-3-1)
Class 3A
No. 1 team: Savannah Country Day
At a glance: Coahulla Creek is ranked No. 7 this season and after winning the program’s second title last season, the Colts have experience. However, No. 2 Oconee County, which won the 2019 4A championship, is also a contender for a deep run.
Defending champion: Coahulla Creek (2 titles, 2021 and last season)
Top 10 first round matches
-- Upson-Lee (11-6) at No. 1 Savannah Country Day (13-0-1)
-- Douglass (2-6) at No. 2 Oconee County (10-3-3)
-- Carver-Atlanta (0-8) at No. 3 Hebron Christian (9-7-1)
-- Ridgeland (7-10) at No. 4 Wesleyan (10-5-2)
-- Hephzibah (3-8-1) No. 5 Columbus (12-3-2)
-- West Hall (7-10) at No. 6 Bremen (11-4-2)
-- Lumpkin County (5-6-1) at No. 7 Coahulla Creek (11-4-1)
-- Savannah Christian (11-4) at No. 8 Pike County (16-3)
-- Crisp County (7-8-3) at No. 9 Richmond Academy (11-4)
-- Harlem (10-5) at No. 10 Thomasville (10-6-1)
Class A Division I
No. 1 team: Atlanta International
At a glance: Top-ranked Atlanta International won titles in 2015 and 2022 and No. 2 Dalton Academy, which won its lone title in 2022, are heavy favorites. However, Dalton Academy will have to weather a visit from No. 3 Whitefield Academy in the first round.
Defending champion: Paideia (5 titles, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and last season)
Top 10 first round matches
-- Armuchee (5-4) at No. 1 Atlanta International (14-1-1)
-- No. 3 Whitefield Academy (13-4-1) at No. 2 Dalton Academy (14-2-1)
-- Prince Avenue Christian (2-11) at No. 4 Tallulah Falls (14-1)
-- Trion (0-3-1) at No. 5 Paideia (8-3-2)
-- Bryan County (1-14) at No. 6 East Laurens (11-4-1)
-- Dublin (4-9-1) at No. 7 Woodville-Tompkins (9-4-1)
-- No. 8 Mount Vernon (7-4-4) at Darlington (10-2-2)
-- Bleckley County (7-10-1) at No. 9 Metter (9-2)
-- No. 10 Rabun County (8-5) at Oglethorpe County (7-6)
Class A Division II
No. 1 team: Georgia Military
At a glance: There are eight byes. Let’s catch up in the second round. However, Lanier County will travel to No. 9 Atlanta Classical, marking the only active ranked team in the first round.
Defending champion: Christian Heritage (1 title, last season)
Top 10 first round matches
-- No. 1 Georgia Military (13-2) has a bye
-- No. 2 Lake Oconee Academy (12-2-1) has a bye
-- No. 3 Aquinas (8-5-1) has a bye
-- No. 4 Christian Heritage (7-4) has a bye
-- No. 5 Atkinson County (10-3-2) has a bye
-- No. 6 Dooly County did not make the postseason
-- No. 7 Fugees Academy (5-1) has a bye
-- No. 8 Towns County (10-6) has a bye
-- Lanier County at No. 9 Atlanta Classical (5-5-1)
-- No. 10 Wheeler County (8-1) has a bye
See the latest rankings below.
Class 7A
1. Hillgrove
2. Discovery
3. Lambert
4. South Forsyth
5. Milton
6. Grayson
7. Archer
8. Peachtree Ridge
9. Collins Hill
10. Pebblebrook
Class 6A
1. River Ridge
2. Johns Creek
3. Sprayberry
4. North Forsyth
5. Sequoyah
6. North Atlanta
7. Lassiter
8. Veterans
9. Blessed Trinity
10. Marist
Class 5A
1. McIntosh
2. Clarke Central
3. Dalton
4. Cass
5. Centennial
6. Greenbrier
7. Kell
8. Calhoun
9. Chattahoochee
10. Decatur
Class 4A
1. Johnson-Gainesville
2. Westminster
3. Starr’s Mill
4. Cedar Shoals
5. Whitewater
6. Druid Hills
7. Southeast Whitfield
8. East Forsyth
9. Cherokee Bluff
10. Pace Academy
Class 3A
1. Savannah Country Day
2. Oconee County
3. Hebron Christian
4. Wesleyan
5. Columbus
6. Bremen
7. Coahulla Creek
8. Pike County
9. Richmond Academy
10. Thomasville
Class 2A
1. Model
2. Toombs County
3. Union County
4. Walker
5. Jeff Davis
6. East Jackson
7. Callaway
8. Tattnall County
9. Pierce County
10. Landmark Christian
Class A Division I
1. Atlanta International
2. Dalton Academy
3. Whitefield Academy
4. Tallulah Falls
5. Paideia
6. East Laurens
7. Woodville-Tompkins
8. Mount Vernon
9. Metter
10. Rabun County
Class A Division II
1. Georgia Military
2. Lake Oconee Academy
3. Aquinas
4. Christian Heritage
5. Atkinson County
6. Dooly County
7. Fugees
8. Towns County
9. Atlanta Classical
10. Wheeler County
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