The following is an excerpt from the August 31 edition of the Georgia High School Football Daily, an e-mail newsletter compiled by longtime Georgia high school football writers Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye:
Defending champ Tucker returns to No. 1 in AAAA
OK, let’s go with Tucker.
Five ranked teams in Class AAAA lost last weekend, including No. 1 Southwest DeKalb, which prompted a major shuffling in today’s GHSF Daily/AJC rankings.
The new No. 1 in AAAA is defending champion Tucker, which needed overtime to beat Brunswick on the road.
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens suggested another team for the No. 1 spot, but GHSF Daily decided to play it safe.
“You’ve got Griffin you can throw at No. 1,” Stephens said. “We’re not close to being No. 1 now or No. 2. Other teams are better, but it doesn’t matter right now. I’m more concerned with how we finish.”
Griffin, which lost to Tucker 34-0 in the semifinals last year, jumped from No. 6 to No. 2 after beating Dunwoody 27-0.
The demise of the five ranked teams was not shocking under close inspection.
No. 1 Southwest DeKalb (beaten by M.L. King), No. 3 Rome (East Paulding) and No. 5 Sandy Creek (East Coweta) each lost to Class AAAAA teams.
No. 2 Marist lost to St. Pius, a AAA school, but St. Pius also beat Marist in 2008. No. 10 Loganville lost at Clarke Central in a toss-up game between the top two teams from Region 8. Loganville had beaten Clarke in overtime at home last season.
Here are other highlights of the new rankings:
North Gwinnett moved up two places to No. 4 in AAAAA after its 14-11 victory over nationally ranked Prattville, the defending Class 6A champion in Alabama.
St. Pius entered the AAA rankings at No. 6 after its 28-3 victory over Marist. Jackson dropped out of the AAA rankings despite winning its opener.
Banneker, North Clayton and Hillgrove entered the AAAA rankings, replacing Sandy Creek, Marist and Loganville.
Teams that lost but stayed in the rankings were Southwest DeKalb and Rome in AAAA, LaGrange in AAA and Callaway in AA.
Johnson County, Miller County and Bowdon are new teams in the A rankings, replacing Bremen, Clinch County and Turner County.
CLASS AAAAA
1. Lowndes (1-0)
Last week: Beat Woodland of Cartersville 75-14 as the Vikings had 560 yards in total offense and set a school record for points in a game. Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Peachtree Ridge
2. Grayson (1-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Warner Robins
3. Peachtree Ridge (1-0)
Last week: Beat Harrison 35-13 as Chris Sawdey rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at No. 1 Lowndes
4. North Gwinnett (1-0)
Last week: Beat nationally ranked Prattville (Ala.) 14-11 as C.J. Ozomah threw two touchdown passes to Cody Gower and North Gwinnett’s defense had six sacks. Next: Friday vs. Brookwood
5. Camden County (0-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. First Coast (Fla.)
6. Stephenson (1-0)
Last week: Beat McNair 42-0 as Raymond Sanders rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on six carries and Jordan Tarver threw touchdown passes to Cey-Ron Willingham and Jeremiah Mahoney. Next: vs. Friday vs. Columbia (Hallford Stadium)
7. Northside, Warner Robins (1-0)
Last week: Beat Perry 42-10 as Northside blocked two punts, survived five lost fumbles and got 134 yards rushing from Shaquille O’Neill. Next: Sept. 11 vs. Carver, Columbus
8. M.L. King (1-0)
Last week: Beat Southwest DeKalb 13-9 as Cameron Myers threw two touchdown passes and Mack Brown rushed for 75 yards on 19 carries. Next: Thursday vs. North Cobb (Hallford Stadium)
9. Newnan (1-0)
Last week: Beat LaGrange 26-15 as backup quarterback Lindell Arnold ran and threw for touchdowns and Jamal Ransby returned a punt 48 yards for a score. Next: Friday vs. Chapel Hill
10. Etowah (1-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at McEachern
CLASS AAAA
1. Tucker (1-0)
Beat Brunswick 26-20 in overtime as Tyrell Poole scored on a 3-yard run in the extra period and Tucker’s defense held on a fourth-and-6 from the 11. Tucker also stopped a two-point try after Brunswick tied the game 20-20 in regulation, then missed a 19-yard field goal that would have won the game. Next: Friday vs. Lakeside, Atlanta (Adams Stadium)
2. Griffin (1-0)
Last week: Beat Dunwoody 27-0 as Marcus Waller passed for 240 yards and backup Tyler Hamm threw for another 109. Next: Friday at Spalding
3. Southwest DeKalb (0-1)
Last week: Lost to M.L. King 13-9 as starting quarterback Steve Coates was lost to an ankle injury on the first play from scrimmage. Ken Malcome rushed for 75 yards on 17 carries. Next: Friday vs. Miller Grove (Panthersville Stadium)
4. Westside, Macon (1-0)
Last week: Beat Central, Macon 34-0 in coach Sheddrick Risper’s debut. Robert Brown rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Thursday vs. Forest Park
5. Statesboro (1-0)
Last week: Beat Josey 34-6 as Lamar Stimage scored three touchdowns and Statesboro took a 31-0 lead at halftime. Next: Friday at Groves (Garden City Stadium)
6. Sequoyah (1-0)
Last week: Beat Cherokee 33-7 in James Teter’s debut as head coach. Dalton Trevino rushed for 146 yards and scored three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Creekview
7. Rome (0-1)
Last week: Lost to East Paulding 25-22 as Rome scored in the final two minutes but failed to recover an on-side kick. Rome’s preseason all-state running back, Reggie Whatley, injured an ankle late in the game and didn’t return. Next: Friday vs. No. 10 Hillgrove
8. North Clayton (1-0)
Last week: Beat Riverdale 26-7 as Clarence Jackson, an Ole Miss pledge, rushed for 122 yards. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime. Next: Saturday vs. Banneker (Tara Stadium)
9. Banneker (1-0)
Last week: Beat Westlake 15-8 as Banneker intercepted six passes, including one that Toby Johnson returned 3 yards for a 15-2 lead in the second quarter. Next: Saturday at North Clayton (Tara Stadium)
10. Hillgrove (1-0)
Last week: Beat Haralson County 48-14 as sophomore Kenyon Drake returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and also scored on a 75-yard pass from Synjyn Days. Hillgrove led 42-0 at halftime. Next: Friday at No. 7 Rome
CLASS AAA
1. Carver, Columbus (1-0)
Last week: Beat Spencer 34-6 as Isaiah Crowell scored two touchdowns in the first half. Next: vs. Tri-Cities (Thursday)
2. Gainesville (1-0)
Last week: Beat Chestatee 34-0 as quarterback Blake Sims (233 passing, 57 rushing) and Teryan Rucker (137 rushing) accounted for most of Gainesville’s 524 yards of total offense. Next: Friday vs. Franklin County
3. Flowery Branch (1-0)
Last week: Beat Stephens County 38-8 as Imani Cross rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Lumpkin County
4. Baldwin (1-0)
Last week: Beat Glenn Hills 26-12 as sophomore Roshaun Milline ran for one touchdown and passed for another after a slow start in which Glenn Hills led 12-6. Next: Friday vs. Troup
5. Peach County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Macon County 41-20 as Peach County scored on its first five possessions and had 330 yards in total offense in the first half. Next: Friday vs. Rutland
6. St. Pius (1-0)
Last week: Beat Marist 28-3, winning for the first time at Marist in 35 years, as Trey White threw two touchdown passes and had 215 yards of total offense. Next: Friday vs. Greater Atlanta Christian
7. Carrollton (1-0)
Last week: Beat Westminster 9-7 as Carrollton allowed only four first downs and 121 yards of total offense, 80 on Westminster’s touchdown run from Ralph David Abernathy IV. Next: Friday vs. Douglas County
8. LaGrange (0-1)
Last week: Lost to Newnan 26-15, managing only two first downs but getting three field goals by Joe Mansour, one from 57 yards. Next: Friday vs. Heard County
9. Cairo (0-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Thomas County Central
10. Washington County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Cross Creek 47-15 as backup tailback Savon Washington rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Next: vs. Friday Greene County
CLASS AA
1. Buford (1-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at North Hall
2. Calhoun (1-0)
Last week: Beat Dalton 31-28 as Da’Rick Rogers had 204 yards of total offense and scored on a 97-yard kick return. Calhoun never trailed after a second-quarter field goal made it 17-14. Next: Friday at Ridgeland
3. Thomasville (1-0)
Last week: Beat Thomas County Central 13-9 as Thomasville won for the first time in the series since 2000. Thomasville quarterback Charles Hayes was injured and taken to a hospital in the fourth quarter but is expected to return to practice this week. Next: Friday vs. Colquitt County
4. Fitzgerald (1-0)
Last week: Beat Irwin County 48-0 as Trenton Pruitt scored four touchdowns. Fitzgerald had 460 yards of total offense and held Irwin to 51 yards and two first downs. Next: Friday at Hawkinsville
5. Jefferson County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Laney 28-20 as B.J. Bostic rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown and threw two touchdown passes. Next: Friday at Dodge County
6. Pepperell (1-0)
Last week: Beat Paulding County 27-7 as Pepperell had 390 yards rushing, including 188 from Marcus Jackson and 119 from Laderemy Fielder. Next: Friday vs. Cedartown
7. Lovett (1-0)
Last week: Beat Woodward Academy 23-13 as Jonathan Carkhuff threw for 155 yards (17-for-25) and a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. No. 9 Callaway
8. Brooks County (0-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Tift County
9. Callaway (0-1)
Last week: Lost to Troup 13-10 as Callaway had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, then missed a 32-yard field in the final seconds. Next: Friday at No. 7 Lovett
10. Jefferson (1-0)
Last week: Beat Commerce 30-13 as Class AA Super 11 quarterback Darius Minor was 5-of-6 passing for 111 yards and scored on a 51-yard run. Next: Friday vs. Dawson County
CLASS A
1. Wesleyan (1-0)
Last week: Beat Clarkston 48-0 as Wesleyan held Clarkston to minus-28 yards. Kyle Karempelis rushed for 80 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Darlington
2. Wilcox County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Seminole County 33-20 as Barren Rambo rushed for 88 yards, scored a touchdown and made five tackles on defense. Next: Friday vs. Perry
3. Lincoln County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Greene County 14-7 as A.G. Middlebrooks scored on a 53-yard screen pass with 2:32 left. Next: Friday vs. McCormick, S.C.
4. Wilkinson County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Twiggs County 13-6 on two long touchdowns – Calvin Harris’ 71-yard pass to Bernardis Hughs and Immanual Shinholster’s 69-yard run. Next: Friday at Bacon County
5. Emanuel County Institute (1-0)
Last week: Beat Savannah Country Day 14-10 after trailing 10-0 at halftime. Quarterback Michael Robertson scored the winning touchdown by recovering his own fumble in the end zone. Next: Friday at No. 7 Savannah Christian
6. Brookstone (1-0)
Last week: Beat Landmark Christian 31-17 after trailing 17-10 late in the third quarter. Drew McCluskey scored the tying and go-ahead touchdowns. Next: Friday at Chattahoochee County
7. Savannah Christian (1-0)
Last week: Beat Montgomery County 34-0 as Chris Barnwell rushed for 128 yards and three touchdown and the Raiders’ defense held Montgomery County to 109 total yards. Next: Friday vs. No. 5 Emanuel County Institute
8. Miller County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Albany 35-7 as Shawndre Sheffield rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns and the Pirates held Albany to 6 yards of total offense. Next: Friday at Early County
9. Johnson County (1-0)
Last week: Beat Howard 30-15 after trailing 15-12 late in the first half as D.J. Rozier threw for 196 yards and rushed for 65. Howard had 221 yards in the first half, 38 in the second. Next: Friday at Calvary Day
10. Bowdon (1-0)
Last week: Beat Woodland, Ala., 35-12 as quarterback Avery Cheeks had 228 yards in total offense and Bowdon forced six turnovers and sacked Woodland five times. Next: Friday at Haralson County.
Region Standings: Class AAAAA
Region 1-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week* |
| Colquitt County |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Randolph Clay 39-7 | at Thomasville |
| Houston County |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Groves 34-14 | vs. Fayette Co. |
| Lowndes |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Woodland, Hen. 75-14 | vs. Peachtree Ridge |
| Northside (W.Robins) |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Perry 42-10 | Off |
| Valdosta |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Jenkins 47-0 | vs. Windsor Forest |
| Warner Robins |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Wheeler 44-6 | at Grayson |
| Coffee |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Ware Co. 17-13 | vs. Pierce Co. |
| Tift County |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Roswell 42-7 | vs. Brooks Co. |
Region 2-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Luella |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Meadowcreek 47-0 | at Ola |
| M.L. King |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. SW DeKalb 13-9 | vs. N. Cobb (Thur., HS) |
| Stephenson |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. McNair 42-0 | vs. Columbia (HS) |
| Union Grove |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Ola 35-6 | at Stockbridge |
| Douglass |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Chamblee 12-0 | vs. Mays (L) |
| Greenbrier |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Evans 28-7 | at Harlem |
| Newton |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Alcovy 17-8 | at McIntosh |
| Redan |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Miller Grove 28-12 | vs. McNair (Sat., HS) |
Region 3-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Bradwell Institute |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Meadowcreek 47-0 | at Wayne Co. |
| Johnson (Savannah) |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Long Co. 39-14 | vs. Richmond Hill |
| Beach |
0-0 |
0-0 |
Off | vs. Liberty Co. (SCD) |
| Savannah |
0-0 |
0-0 |
Off | vs. Benedictine (SM) |
| Camden County |
0-0 |
0-1 |
Off | vs. First Coast, Fla. |
| Groves |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Houston Co. 34-14 | at Statesboro |
| Jenkins |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Valdosta 47-0 | at South Effingham |
| Windsor Forest |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Benedictine 7-6 | at Valdosta |
Region 4-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Chapel Hill |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Lithia Springs 46-0 | at Newnan |
| Creekside |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Tri-Cities 18-6 | at Pebblebrook |
| East Coweta |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Sandy Creek 28-27 | at Mundy’s Mill (TO) |
| Newnan |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. LaGrange 26-15 | vs. Chapel Hill |
| Pebblebrook |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Osborne 27-21 | vs. Creekside |
| Lovejoy |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Mt. Zion, Jones. 15-0 | at Riverdale (SC) |
| Morrow |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Jonesboro 28-13 | vs. Westlake (T) |
| Mundy’s Mill |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Forest Park 8-0 | vs. East Coweta (TO) |
| Riverdale |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to North Clayton 26-7 | vs. Lovejoy (SC) |
| Westlake |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Banneker 15-8 | at Morrow (T) |
Region 5-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| North Cobb |
1-0 |
1-0 |
d. Marietta 20-7 | at M.L. King (Thu., HS) |
| East Paulding |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Rome 25-22 | Off |
| Etowah |
0-0 |
1-0 |
Off | at McEachern |
| McEachern |
0-0 |
1-0 |
Off | vs. Etowah |
| Woodstock |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Kell 17-0 | Off |
| Cherokee |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Sequoyah 33-7 | vs. Harrison |
| Harrison |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Peach. Ridge 35-13 | at Cherokee |
| Kennesaw Mountain |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Pope 35-7 | at South Cobb |
| South Cobb |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Campbell 14-6 | vs. Kennesaw Mountain |
| Marietta |
0-1 |
0-1 |
l. to North Cobb 20-7 | vs. Northview |
Region 6-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Alpharetta |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. South Forsyth 14-0 | vs. Wheeler |
| Campbell |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. South Cobb 14-6 | at Milton |
| Centennial |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Northview 38-0 | at Roswell |
| Lassiter |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Sprayberry 14-7 | vs. Pope |
| Pope |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Kennesaw Mtn. 35-7 | at Lassiter |
| Roswell |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Tift County 42-7 | vs. Centennial |
| Walton |
0-0 |
1-0 |
Off | at Kell |
| Kell |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Woodstock 17-0 | vs. Walton |
| Milton |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Chattahoochee 19-16 | vs. Campbell |
| Wheeler |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Warner Robins 44-6 | at Alpharetta |
Region 7-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Chattahoochee |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Milton 19-16 | vs. Parkview |
| Collins Hill |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Parkview 10-7 | vs. Dacula |
| North Forsyth |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. West Forsyth 37-0 | vs. Johnson, Gainesville |
| North Gwinnett |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Prattville, Ala. 14-11 | vs. Brookwood |
| Peachtree Ridge |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Harrison 35-13 | at Lowndes |
| Duluth |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Shiloh 28-21 | vs. Meadowcreek |
| Mill Creek |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Dacula 27-23 | vs. Central Gwinnett |
| Northview |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Centennial 38-0 | at Marietta |
| South Forsyth |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Alpharetta 14-0 | at South Gwinnett |
| Norcross |
0-0 |
0-2 |
l. to S. Gwinnett 49-28 | Off |
Region 8-AAAAA
| Team |
Reg. |
All |
Last week | This week |
| Dacula |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Mill Creek 27-23 | at Collins Hill |
| Grayson |
0-0 |
1-0 |
Off | vs. Warner Robins |
| Shiloh |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Duluth 28-21 | at Mt. Zion, Jon. (Sat., T) |
| South Gwinnett |
0-0 |
1-0 |
d. Norcross 49-28 | vs. South Forsyth |
| Brookwood |
0-0 |
0-1 |
Off | at North Gwinnett |
| Central Gwinnett |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Byrnes, S.C. 43-7 | at Mill Creek |
| Meadowcreek |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Luella 47-0 | at Duluth |
| Parkview |
0-0 |
0-1 |
l. to Collins Hill 10-7 | at Chattahoochee |
| Berkmar |
0-0 |
0-2 |
l. to Upson-Lee 39-7 | Off |
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