North Gwinnett is the new No. 1, Sandy Creek remains on top

- North Gwinnett is the new No. 1 team in Class AAAAAA, jumping Colquitt County (24-10 loser to Hoover) and Lovejoy (blowout winner over Munday’s Mill).

- This is North Gwinnett’s first No. 1 ranking by the AJC since the 9-0 start in 2006. North Gwinnett was upended that season in Game 10 by Norcross, which is North’s next opponent on Sept. 13.

- Don’t like to let a  No. 3 jump a No. 2 (Lovejoy), but it’s hard to ignore North’s impressive wins – blowouts of Camden County and Grayson.

- No. 2 Lovejoy plays at No. 4 Colquitt County on Friday. Was Colquitt’s ‘punished’ enough for losing to Hoover?

- Speaking of little punishment, Sandy Creek remained No. 1 in AAAA despite the 27-27 tie to Plant of Tampa. Two reasons – SC was a dominant state champ last  year, with solid wins over No. 2 Carrollton and No. 3 Burke County, and is thoroughly loaded again. Plant is the No. 3 team in Florida’s preseason Class 8A rankings. (Plant’s loss to Godby was a preseason game, btw.) Plant would be a AAAAAA school in Georgia with enrollment of 2,500.

- This week’s schedule is headlined by a game between No. 1-ranked teams as Buford (AAA) travels to Gainesville (AAAAA). Gainesville won 19-15 last season, and both teams went on to win state titles.

- Six other games match ranked teams: Lovejoy at Colquitt County, Marist at Thomas County Central, Washington-Wilkes at Lincoln County, Prince Avenue Christian at Savannah Christian and George Walton Academy at Aquinas. Pretty good week to be a Class A fan. (Wilkinson also plays Landmark Christian.)

- Ten teams entered the rankings this week. They were Peachtree Ridge (AAAAAA), Allatoona, Warner Robins and Bainbridge (AAAAA), Wayne County, Mary Persons and Westside-Macon (AAAA), Jefferson County (AAA), Benedictine (AA) and Seminole County (A).

- Moving out were Lassiter (AAAAAA), Ware County, Flowery Branch and East Paulding (AAAA), Cairo, Ridgeland and Monroe (AAAA), Blessed Trinity (AAA), Early County (AA) and Dooly County (A).

This week’s rankings (with last week’s in parentheses):

Class AAAAAA

1. (3) North Gwinnett (2-0)

2. (2) Lovejoy (1-0)

3. (4) McEachern (2-0)

4. (1) Colquitt County (1-1)

5. (5) North Cobb (1-0)

6. (6) Norcross (0-1)

7. (7) Lowndes (1-0)

8. (9) Mill Creek (1-0)

9. (10) Camden County (1-1)

10. (NR) Peachtree Ridge (2-0)

Class AAAAA

1. (1) Gainesville (1-0)

2. (2) Tucker (1-0)

3. (3) Stephenson (1-0)

4. (4) Northside (Warner Robins) (1-0)

5. (5) M.L. King (1-0)

6. (7) Kell (1-0)

7. (8) Thomas County Central (1-1)

8. (NR) Allatoona (1-0)

9. (NR) Warner Robins (1-0)

10. (NR) Bainbridge (1-0)

Class AAAA

1. (1) Sandy Creek (0-0-1)

2. (2) Carrollton (1-0)

3. (3) Burke County (0-0)

4. (4) Marist (1-0)

5. (5) Stockbridge (1-0)

6. (7) Monroe Area (1-0)

7. (8) Griffin (1-0)

8. (NR) Wayne County (2-0)

9. (NR) Mary Persons (1-0)

10. (NR) Westside, Macon (1-0)

Class AAA

1. (1) Buford (1-0)

2. (2) St. Pius (1-0)

3. (3) Cartersville (1-0)

4. (4) Carver (Columbus) (1-0)

5. (5) North Hall (1-0)

6. (6) Washington County (1-0)

7. (8) Peach County (1-0)

8. (9) Callaway (1-0)

9. (NR) Jefferson County (2-0)

10. (10) Thomson (0-0)

Class AA

1. (1) Calhoun (1-0)

2. (2) Lamar County (1-0)

3. (3) Jefferson (1-0)

4. (4) Greater Atlanta Christian (2-0)

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

6. (6) Lovett (2-0)

7. (7) Vidalia (1-0)

8. (8) Fitzgerald (0-1)

9. (10) Washington-Wilkes (1-0)

10. (NR) Benedictine (1-0)

Class A

1. (1) Eagle’s Landing Christian (1-0)

2. (2) Prince Avenue Christian (1-0)

3. (4) Lincoln County (1-0)

4. (5) George Walton Academy (1-0)

5. (6) Wilcox County (1-0)

6. (8) Athens Academy (1-0)

7. (9) Aquinas (1-0)

8. (NR) Seminole County (1-0)

9. (10) Savannah Christian (0-0-1)

10. (7) Wilkinson County (0-1)

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