The 2020 softball season begins on August 6 and following the reclassification cycle, the fresh mix of teams shifted between classes makes a new-look poll to start the year.
In the state’s highest class, Mountain View, the defending champions, leads the poll ahead of North Gwinnett, Grayson, Etowah and North Forsyth, rounding out the top 5. Kennesaw Mountain begins the season ranked sixth ahead of East Coweta, Mill Creek, Cherokee and Lassiter in the top 10.
Pope, the AAAAAA defending champions, begin the season ranked atop the class. The Greyhounds lead Lee County, Houston County, Creekview and Evans. Dacula comes in at sixth with Alexander, River Ridge, Effingham County and former AAAAA power Buford chasing at No. 10.
Locust Grove has won three-straight AAAAA titles and opens the season at the top of its class. Starr’s Mill, Jones County, Ola and Walnut Grove are in the top 5. Northside-Columbus, Apalachee, Northgate, Greenbrier and Harris County fill out the top 10.
Heritage-Catoosa is trying for a three-peat in Class AAAA and it opens the season at the top. Marist, Northwest Whitfield, Madison County and Central-Carroll make up the top 5. Perry, LaGrange, Cairo, Hampton and former-AAA program East Hall fill up the top 10.
Ringgold won the AAA state championship in 2019, its second overall championship, and it begins the season atop the class. Franklin County is No. 2 with former-AAAA power Oconee County at No. 3. Up from AA, Rockmart and Harlem both will factor and are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Southeast Bulloch, Crisp County, Lumpkin County, LaFayette and Burke County fill out the top 5.
Banks County won its first state title last season and it enters the year at the top of Class AA. Bremen, former-AAA program Lovett, Vidalia and Union County round out the top 5. Heard County, Jeff Davis, Dodge County, Lamar County and East Laurens fill the top 10.
Gordon Lee has won ten softball titles since 2010, only missing out in 2014, and the Trojans enter the season trying to win its sixth consecutive title. The Trojans lead Trion, Bowdon, Commerce and Georgia Military. In Class A-Private, defending-champion Mount de Sales leads ahead of Wesleyan, George Walton, Tattnall Square and Hebron Christian.
Class AAAAAAA
1. Mountain View
2. North Gwinnett
3. Grayson
4. Etowah
5. North Forsyth
6. Kennesaw Mountain
7. East Coweta
8. Mill Creek
9. Cherokee
10. Lassiter
Class AAAAAA
1. Pope
2. Lee County
3. Houston County
4. Creekview
5. Evans
6. Dacula
7. Alexander
8. River Ridge
9. Effingham County
10. Buford
Class AAAAA
1. Locust Grove
2. Starr’s Mill
3. Jones County
4. Ola
5. Walnut Grove
6. Northside-Columbus
7. Apalachee
8. Northgate
9. Greenbrier 10. Harris County
Class AAAA
1. Heritage-Catoosa
2. Marist
3. Northwest Whitfield
4. Madison County
5. Central-Carroll
6. Perry
7. LaGrange
8. Cairo
9. Hampton
10. East Hall
Class AAA
1. Ringgold
2. Franklin County
3. Oconee County
4. Rockmart 5. Harlem
6. Southeast Bulloch
7. Crisp County
8. Lumpkin County
9. LaFayette
10. Burke County
Class AA
1. Banks County
2. Bremen
3. Lovett
4. Vidalia
5. Union County
6. Heard County
7. Jeff Davis
8. Dodge County
9. Lamar County
10. East Laurens
Class A-Public
1. Gordon Lee
2. Trion
3. Bowdon
4. Commerce
5. Georgia Military
6. Emanuel County Institute
7. Marion County
8. Academy for Classical Education
9. Lanier County
10. Schley County
Class A-Private
1. Mount de Sales
2. Wesleyan
3. George Walton
4. Tattnall Square
5. Hebron Christian
6. Eagle’s Landing Christian
7. Stratford Academy
8. Mount Paran Christian
9. Christian Heritage
10. Strong Rock Christian
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