Final football rankings: Perry, Coffee finish on top after historic first titles

Coffee, the 5A champion, opened in 1970, although schools from Coffee County have played football going back 100 years, none with a championship. Coffee beat Stockbridge 31-14.

Milton won Class 7A with a 31-21 victory over previously unbeaten Walton. Milton started 3-2 and was ranked only 10th in the final regular-season poll but defeated No. 2 (Walton), No. 3 (Colquitt County) and No. 6 Grayson), all region champions, in the playoffs.

Thomas County Central joined Coffee as the only teams to finish unbeaten at 15-0. The Yellow Jackets defeated Woodward Academy 49-28 in the Class 6A final. Thomas County Central had won most previously in 1997.

Cedar Grove defeated Savannah Christian 48-28 to win Class 3A for the fifth time in eight seasons, first since 2021.

Pierce County beat Rockmart 48-45 in the second three-overtime final in history, first since Bainbridge beat Warner Robins in 2018. Pierce County also won 2A in 2020.

Class A teams Prince Avenue Christian of Division I and Bowdon of Division II won their second consecutive championships.

Milton of Fulton County and Cedar Grove of DeKalb County were the only metro Atlanta champions. That’s the fewest of those since the GHSA expanded to eight championships in 2016. Bowdon and Prince Avenue Christian are from North Georgia, Perry from Middle Georgia and Pierce County, Coffee and Thomas County Central from South Georgia.

Class 7A

1. (10) Milton (13-2)

2. (2) Walton (14-1)

3. (3) Colquitt County (12-1)

4. (6) Grayson (11-3)

5. (5) Carrollton (11-2)

6. (NR) Camden County (10-4)

7. (1) Mill Creek (12-1)

8. (4) Buford (11-2)

9. (8) Westlake (9-3)

10. (7) Newton (8-3)

Out: No. 9 North Cobb

Class 6A

1. (2) Thomas County Central (15-0)

2. (10) Woodward Academy (12-3)

3. (3) Douglas County (13-1)

4. (1) Gainesville (12-1)

5. (7) Marist (12-2)

6. (6) Rome (11-2)

7. (5) Lee County (10-3)

8. (4) Hughes (9-3)

9. (9) Houston County (9-3)

10. (8) Roswell (11-2)

Class 5A

1. (1) Coffee (15-0)

2. (2) Creekside (13-2)

3. (3) Jefferson (13-1)

4. (4) Cartersville (13-1)

5. (9) Warner Robins (9-4)

6. (5) Ware County (8-4)

7. (7) Hiram (9-3)

8. (NR) Cass (7-6)

9. (10) Harris County (11-2)

10. (NR) Dalton (8-4)

Out: No. 6 Kell, No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian

Class 4A

1. (7) Perry (13-2)

2. (6) Stockbridge (12-3)

3. (1) Benedictine (13-1)

4. (4) Spalding (12-1)

5. (3) Bainbridge (9-3)

6. (2) North Oconee (12-1)

7. (8) Starr’s Mill (10-4)

8. (5) Central (Carrollton) (12-1)

9. (9) Stephenson (10-3)

10. (10) LaGrange (9-3)

Class 3A

1. (2) Cedar Grove (10-5)

2. (1) Calvary Day (13-1)

3. (4) Savannah Christian (12-3)

4. (3) Mary Persons (11-2)

5. (5) Lumpkin County (12-1)

6. (9) Carver (Columbus) (10-4)

7. (7) Morgan County (10-2)

8. (NR) Wesleyan (9-4)

9. (6) Stephens County (10-2)

10. (NR) Monroe Area (8-5)

Out: No. 8 Sandy Creek, No. 10 Crisp County

Class 2A

1. (3) Pierce County (14-1)

2. (6) Rockmart (12-3)

3. (9) Cook (11-3)

4. (4) Toombs County (11-2)

5. (10) Fitzgerald (10-4)

6. (2) Appling County (9-3)

7. (5) Callaway (9-3)

8. (1) Thomson (10-2)

9. (NR) Columbia (9-4)

10. (8) Fellowship Christian (10-3)

Out: No. 7 Northeast

Class A Division I

1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (14-1)

2. (8) Swainsboro (12-3)

3. (NR) Brooks County (8-6)

4. (10) Bryan County (12-2)

5. (3) Commerce (11-2)

6. (4) Elbert County (10-3)

7. (2) Trion (11-1)

8. (6) Rabun County (9-4)

9. (NR) Irwin County (7-6)

10. (5) Bleckley County (9-3)

Out: No. 9 Lamar County

Class A Division II

1. (5) Bowdon (13-2)

2. (1) Schley County (12-1)

3. (2) Manchester (11-3)

4. (4) Clinch County (11-2)

5. (NR) Telfair County (10-3)

6. (3) Macon County (10-3)

7. (10) Dooly County (8-5)

8. (NR) Early County (8-5)

9. (6) Greene County (10-2)

10. (7) Aquinas (9-3)

Out: No. 8 Jenkins County, No. 9 Portal