Marquis Westbrook’s first season coaching Peach County resulted in the Trojans’ first losing season in 37 years.
In Westbrook’s second season, Peach is No. 1 again, its only loss to defending Class 4A champion Perry in August.
Peach County moved ahead of previous No. 1 Sandy Creek, which lost to unranked Mary Persons 37-29 on Friday night.
Sandy Creek (8-1) had been one of only two unbeaten teams in Class 3A. The other was Cherokee Bluff, which lost to Jefferson 35-7. Jefferson (7-2) moved up to No. 2. Cherokee Bluff is No. 4, and Sandy Creek is No. 5.
Peach County’s No. 1 ranking is its first since 2019, but Westbrook has been there more recently. He led Warner Robins to state titles in 2020 and 2021 before taking the Peach job. Peach was 4-7 last season, though four losses came against top-10 opponents.
In other classes, Benedictine and Rabun County remained No. 10 despite losing, extending two of the state’s longest rankings streaks.
Rabun County (6-3) lost to Athens Academy, the No. 4 team in Class 3A-A private, 34-28, but did not drop in Class A Division I. Rabun’s run of 169 weeks in the rankings, dating to 2015, is the state’s third-longest active streak of its kind. Only Buford and Cartersville have gone longer.
Rabun County’s other losses were against No. 3 Fannin County and No. 9 Commerce from the same class.
In Class 4A, Benedictine (4-4) ran its streak to 67 rankings weeks despite losing to Perry 31-27. Benedictine’s other losses have been against nationally ranked Buford and Rabun Gap and region rivals Ware County and Perry, which are ranked ahead of the Cadets in 4A.
Class 6A
1. (1) Carrollton (9-0)
2. (2) Buford (8-1)
3. (3) North Gwinnett (9-0)
4. (4) Douglas County (8-1)
5. (5) Collins Hill (8-1)
6. (6) Grayson (6-1)
7. (7) North Cobb (9-0)
8. (8) Mill Creek (7-2)
9. (9) Valdosta (8-1)
10. (10) Colquitt County (6-3)
Class 5A
1. (1) Milton (9-0)
2. (2) Lee County (9-0)
3. (3) Thomas County Central (8-1)
4. (4) Hughes (8-1)
5. (7) Roswell (8-1)
6. (5) Gainesville (7-3)
7. (6) Coffee (8-1)
8. (8) Brunswick (7-1)
9. (9) Rome (6-2)
10. (NR) Woodward Academy (6-3)
Out: Houston County (6-3)
Class 4A
1. (1) Marist (9-0)
2. (2) Cartersville (10-0)
3. (3) Blessed Trinity (7-1)
4. (4) North Oconee (9-0)
5. (5) Eastside (9-1)
6. (6) Cedartown (9-1)
7. (7) Starr’s Mill (9-0)
8. (8) Perry (7-2)
9. (9) Ware County (4-4)
10. (10) Benedictine (4-4)
Class 3A
1. (2) Peach County (8-1)
2. (4) Jefferson (7-2)
3. (5) Douglass (7-2)
4. (3) Cherokee Bluff (8-1)
5. (1) Sandy Creek (8-1)
6. (6) LaGrange (7-2)
7. (8) Calhoun (6-3)
8. (7) Cairo (6-3)
9. (9) Oconee County (5-4)
10. (10) Westover (8-1)
Class 2A
1. (1) Pierce County (8-0)
2. (2) Morgan County (9-0)
3. (3) Carver-Columbus (8-1)
4. (4) Burke County (7-1)
5. (5) Hapeville Charter (5-3)
6. (6) Callaway (7-2)
7. (7) Rockmart (7-2)
8. (9) Carver-Atlanta (7-2)
9. (8) Appling County (6-2)
10. (10) Thomson (6-2)
Class A Division I
1. (1) Toombs County (7-0)
2. (2) Dublin (9-0)
3. (3) Fannin County (9-0)
4. (4) Thomasville (7-2)
5. (5) Fitzgerald (6-2)
6. (8) Northeast (7-2)
7. (7) Worth County (6-3)
8. (6) Dodge County (8-1)
9. (9) Commerce (6-3)
10. (10) Rabun County (6-3)
Class A Division II
1. (1) Manchester (6-1)
2. (2) Brooks County (6-3)
3. (3) Bowdon (7-2)
4. (4) Clinch County (7-1)
5. (5) Irwin County (8-1)
6. (7) Lincoln County (8-0)
7. (6) Greene County (7-1)
8. (8) Trion (8-1)
9. (9) Metter (7-1)
10. (10) Jenkins County (6-2)
Class 3A-A
1. (1) Savannah Christian (8-0)
2. (2) Hebron Christian (8-1)
3. (3) Prince Avenue Christian (6-3)
4. (4) Athens Academy (10-0)
5. (6) Fellowship Christian (7-2)
6. (7) Calvary Day (7-1)
7. (8) North Cobb Christian (8-1)
8. (5) Lovett (7-2)
9. (9) Wesleyan (7-2)
10. (NR) Whitefield Academy (7-2)
Out: No. 10 Greater Atlanta Christian (4-5)
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