Cherokee, fresh off a historic victory over Cartersville, is in the state football rankings for the first time since 2007 while Eagle’s Landing Christian is not No. 1 for only the second time in five years.
Cherokee moved to 5-0 with a 14-12 victory over Cartersville, which had won a state-record 62 straight regular-season games. Off to its best start since 2007, Cherokee is No. 8 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class 7A rankings. Cartersville dropped one spot to No. 4 in 5A.
ELCA, the five-time defending champion of Class 1A Private, fell to No. 3 after losing to Pierce County 20-13. It was ELCA’s third straight loss, all to ranked teams from higher classifications.
The only other time since 2016 that ELCA wasn’t No. 1 occurred last season when beaten 42-41 by Holy Innocents’. ELCA then won 10 straight games, including a 21-7 win over Holy Innocents' in the semifinals.
Athens Academy is the new No. 1 in 1A Private. The Spartans are 41-3 over the past four seasons, losing only to ELCA, twice in championship games.
Starr’s Mill, whose only loss came to Class 7A opponent Starr’s Mill in overtime in the opening game, is another new team in the rankings at No. 10 in 5A. Starr’s Mill was last ranked in 2017.
Class 7A
1. (1) Grayson (4-0)
2. (2) Lowndes (4-0)
3. (3) Colquitt County (3-0)
4. (4) Brookwood (4-0)
5. (5) Norcross (4-0)
6. (6) North Cobb (4-0)
7. (8) Collins Hill (4-1)
8. (NR) Cherokee (5-0)
9. (NR) Roswell (3-0)
10. (10) Parkview (3-1)
Out: No. 7 Milton, No. 9 North Gwinnett
Class 6A
1. (1) Valdosta (2-1)
2. (2) Buford (2-1)
3. (4) Lee County (3-1)
4. (5) Lovejoy (5-0)
5. (7) Richmond Hill (3-1)
6. (3) Westlake (2-1)
7. (6) Dacula (1-2)
8. (8) Allatoona (3-0)
9. (9) Douglas County (4-0)
10. (10) Carrollton (1-1)
Class 5A
1. (1) Warner Robins (3-1)
2. (2) Blessed Trinity (2-0)
3. (4) Ware County (4-0)
4. (3) Cartersville (4-1)
5. (5) Veterans (4-0)
6. (6) Calhoun (4-1)
7. (8) Coffee (3-1)
8. (9) Ola (4-0)
9. (NR) Starr’s Mill (3-1)
10. (7) St. Pius (2-1)
Out: No. 10 Harris County
Class 4A
1. (1) Marist (3-0)
2. (2) Jefferson (4-0)
3. (3) Benedictine (5-0)
4. (4) Stephenson (1-0)
5. (5) Carver (Columbus) (3-0)
6. (8) Flowery Branch (3-1)
7. (9) Northwest Whitfield (4-0)
8. (10) Hapeville Charter (0-2)
9. (7) Bainbridge (1-3)
10. (NR) Islands (1-0)
Out: No. 6 Jenkins
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (1-0)
2. (2) Crisp County (3-0)
3. (3) Oconee County (4-0)
4. (4) Peach County (2-1)
5. (5) Greater Atlanta Christian (3-0)
6. (6) Pierce County (4-0)
7. (7) White County (4-0)
8. (8) Westminster (2-0)
9. (9) Rockmart (3-1)
10. (10) Sandy Creek (1-2)
Class 2A
1. (1) Callaway (3-0)
2. (2) Fitzgerald (4-0)
3. (3) Rabun County (3-1)
4. (4) Lovett (3-1)
5. (7) Early County (3-0)
6. (8) Bleckley County (3-1)
7. (9) Pace Academy (2-1)
8. (10) Haralson County (4-0)
9. (5) Thomasville (2-3)
10. (6) Heard County (4-1)
Class 1A (Private)
1. (2) Athens Academy (4-0)
2. (3) Prince Avenue Christian (4-1)
3. (1) Eagle’s Landing Christian (2-3)
4. (5) Fellowship Christian (4-0)
5. (4) Wesleyan (4-1)
6. (7) Trinity Christian (4-1)
7. (6) North Cobb Christian (4-1)
8. (8) Holy Innocents (1-3)
9. (9) Aquinas (5-0)
10. (10) Darlington (3-1)
Class 1A (Public)
1. (1) Brooks County (4-0)
2. (2) Metter (4-0)
3. (3) Macon County (3-0)
4. (4) Irwin County (2-2)
5. (5) Clinch County (1-1)
6. (6) Commerce (3-1)
7. (7) Dublin (1-1)
8. (8) Taylor County (3-0)
9. (NR) Pelham (1-1)
10. (NR) Marion County (2-2)
Out: No. 9 Schley County, No. 10 Wilcox County
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