Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: Grayson makes move in national rankings
Lowndes’ hopes of a national title evaporated with a loss to Northside-Warner Robins, but another Georgia team is now in position, the GHSF Daily staff notes.
Grayson, the new No. 1 team in Georgia’s Class AAAAA, jumped 12 places to No. 3 in the RivalsHigh 100 released Monday. Grayson is No. 10 in the National Prep Poll and No. 15 in three other national rankings.
Northside, which beat Lowndes 10-7 last week, entered three national rankings but remained behind Lowndes in two polls, including USA Today.
RivalsHigh 100
3. Grayson (+12); 21. Northside (un); 38. Lowndes (-35); 58. North Gwinnett (-18); 68. Gainesville (-13); 79. Peachtree Ridge (-13)
MaxPreps Xcellent 25
15. Grayson (+3); 18. Lowndes (-14)
ESPN Fab 50
15. Grayson (+3); 35. Northside (un); 45. North Gwinnett (-1)
National Prep Poll
10. Grayson (+8); 21. Northside (un)
USA Today
15. Grayson (+1); 25. Lowndes (-16)
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180 comments Add your comment
eagleforlife
October 6th, 2009
6:54 pm
Thanks for your explanation Todd. That is all I was asking for. Lol. Guess I sparked some unintended emotions. As for the Grayson/Demon blogger.. I got a great laugh from your post! Thank you! I needed that!
Reeze- I know the polls mean nothing but it kind of irritates me.. And the discussion is fun!
SouthGARules
October 6th, 2009
7:05 pm
RaidersAreLosers: Before Region 5 gets the opportunity to “wipe the field” with NSWR & Lowndes, you might want to take care of the Gwinnett schools in rounds 1 & 2 first. Your #4 seed will probably play Grayson, so they will NOT get to “wipe the field” with NSWR & Lowndes. At least 2 Region 5 teams will lose in the first round. BTW, the second round you will have North Gwinnett & P’Tree Ridge, so I don’t think you will get to “wipe the field” with NSWR & Lowndes this year.
Grayson Supporter: What year did you graduate from WRHS? My wife was class of 77.
Lissa: I’m glad you crawled out from under your rock & glad you had no damage.
BROOKWOOD MOM: Glad they moved the Meadowcreek-Berkmar game. Now I can see games on both nights. LOL. Seriously, I will be at Brookwood Community Stadium Friday night. Looking forward to a good game. Keep bringing your enthusiam for your Broncos. I can tell you’re a real fan, win or lose.
slalom1
October 6th, 2009
7:15 pm
AAAA teams that have absolutely NO chance of going all the way in 2009. Here they are: 1-Hillgrove 2-Banneker 3-Apalachee 4-Alcovey 5-Lakeside-Evans
Northside Observer
October 6th, 2009
7:28 pm
Slalom 1–I have kind of forgotten the old post but BoDog may be mad at you. Good Luck to LaGrange and Troup. Now, whenever you predict a lost for NSWR; just say they will lose. Not a score! (41-7). See you on the post.
wildcat observer
October 6th, 2009
7:50 pm
Hey slalom1 maybe you are an expert.I dont know.Dont throw Apalachee under the bus yet..The last 3 years they made the playoffs. They are for real.
slalom1
October 6th, 2009
8:05 pm
REEZE, Just a little too early for me to worry about Peach County, but they do appear to be for real. As for McKeachern, I would not lose ANY sleep. Weak region. Last time a Cobb County team took it all the way was 1968 or was it 1967? Anyway it was Marietta. McKeachern did however make the state title game when A.J. Suggs was the star player in Georgia only to lose to Valdosta 31-7.(Last state title won by the Wildcats). NO WAY McKeachern gets the job done.
slalom1
October 6th, 2009
8:08 pm
Northside Observer, I amy have hit the wrong button on my last post, but I will paraphrase by saying that I am mighty proud of Northside pulling off the big upset and hope that Northside will remain in Region 1AAAAA when the time comes to make the call. Coach Nix and his staff amaze me.
slalom1
October 6th, 2009
8:09 pm
Should have read: “I may have….”
cane fan
October 6th, 2009
8:12 pm
how can the #1 team in AA only score 40 and give up 15??????????? Fitz avg 51 giving up only 4.8 ??????????? give me a break, our 3,4 teams can beat norths 1,2 we have a 3-2 team in the top ten and there are i dont know how many undef north teams not even
BROOKWOOD MOM
October 6th, 2009
8:13 pm
SouthGARules: Yea I love my BRONCOS win or lose. I am looking forward to the game!!!
Tell The Truth
October 6th, 2009
8:44 pm
It’s Tuesday and we a few hours from Wednesday and no East Paulding fan has been on here ranting about how East Paulding High is the best thing since slice bread. How wonderful. Let’s all post a message on the board that tell them it’s OK, and that they are welcomed on the board.
Tick…..Tick…..Tick…..BOOM!!!!!
LOL
Yo
October 6th, 2009
8:44 pm
You Have to Be Kidding have you ever heard of Katy Texas. Your ex #1 team this year who got drilled by a school from the powerful football state of Utah. foflrofl Your handle on this blog is appropriate “You Have To Be Kidding”.
Yo
October 6th, 2009
8:51 pm
RaidersAreLosers yes we can’t help but notice how annually the region of 5AAAAA cleans up the rest of the state in the playoffs there validating your point. I am wowed at the tradition and all of the state championships your so called 1AAAAA beater powerhouse schools have in the most feared “wanna be” region called 5AAAAA in the state of Georgia. The numbers are truly staggering.
Yo
October 6th, 2009
9:05 pm
I haven’t seen McEachern play but I see the scores put up against them and offense doesn’t win championships. Defense does. McEachern will not get past the semis and I really doubt the quarters. When that offense goes up against a good defense like Lowndes, Grayson, Northside, Camden, PTree, North Gwinnett and Newnan they will become average real quick. You have to remember what region they are putting all of those points up on right now. The routinely early exit region when it comes to the playoffs.
CJ Dawg
October 6th, 2009
9:24 pm
I am, by nature and by birth and by having played there, a Camden fan. But by ALL means, I pull for every team in Georgia to make it in the national polls. I love to see our boys up there with the so-called national powerhouses. I say, GO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOOOOTBALL!!!!!
Fred
October 6th, 2009
9:26 pm
BROOKWOOD MOM – I might have said that I missed the handshake except that is the one thing I look for after every game. I was so surprised that I went back to look at the video. Almost every coach I have ever watched will at least say that the other team played well but we messed up. Your fine upstanding example to young men said absolutley nothing about Grayson playing well and only said how porrly his team played. Bring it on Friday night!!!!
Okay, I had some fun playing it up. I am hoping for a good clean hard game Friday. See you there!
carlos
October 6th, 2009
10:13 pm
Yo, you lost a bunch of credibility last week when it comes to making predictions, so I am not so sure about any of the others you are making.
It is a fact, though, that Region 5 has not shined in the playoffs on a regular basis. Woodstock had Camden on the ropes just last season and I know Mac and Harrison made it to the title gamee several years back but we typically have not performed well. Both my Eagles and North Cobb were #1 seeds who lost in round 1 recently.
I agree that defense wins championships but I also know a defense can improve over the course of a season and help make a playoff run go deeper. Mac has the potential to do this and if they do, there’s no telling how far they can make it with that offense they have. All of those teams you mention play solid defense but I doubt they have faced a team with a balanced attack who execute extremely well in both the passing and running game. Most high school teams struggle against a good passing attack. We saw it when Grayson played South Gwinnett and Parkview. Colquitt has given some teams fits in Region 1 with that Hoover deal they have going. Speaking of Hoover- their ability to throw the ball is what got them back in the game against Camden and they ultimately won it.
We’ll see soon enough and no matter what, the playoffs here in Georgia are unsurpassed.
THe IC
October 6th, 2009
10:23 pm
Slalom 1 – I know for a fact Northside will be moving back down when the opportunity presents itself. Football loves it but every other sports thinks it is a huge inconvenience and expense to have to travel to where our opponents live. Would be much more cost effective to only have to travel to Baldwin or Griffin than coffee, lowndes/valdosta, tift. Every other high school will be down on that level with us with the new high school opening. Houston County might actually be a contender when the county moves down.
Yo
October 6th, 2009
11:34 pm
Carlos predicting Lowndes will beat Northside (that has hapened before) and predicting McEachern will win state are two different animals. Most of the state would have agreed with my prediction but I don’t feel to good about that same fact for yours.
Colquits offense put up 6 points in the fourth quarter against Lowndes and managed 14 last week against Valdosta in a game the Cats were missing their starting qback. With Dosta’s qback would they have been able to put up 14 points since Dosta would most likely have moved the ball more effectively on offense? Who knows?
If McEachern can hold all of the teams I mentioned under 20 they may have a chance. Example….in Lowndes last 2 losses they have given up 17 points and 10 points. To beat Lowndes (and most of the teams I mentioned) it will depend on your defense to get the job done because they will strangle your offense. Northside played a near perfect game against us (penalties, turnovers, etc.)and their defense did the job when it had to. Offensively they only got about 180 yards. Spread, Wing T, Pro set or all of the above it doesn’t matter. The championship teams will slow them way down or even shut them down.
Lowndes offensively did nothing the first half against Northside but ended up with around 230. The fact is if we would have gone ahead and kicked that 4 yard field goal with 9 seconds left we would have gone to overtime. Not second guessing because I would have taken a shot at the TD too. Just pointing out the game was as good as a tie up to that point except when it was all said and done Northside got the win.
Personally I like our chances much better now even if we have to hit the road in the playoffs. We have never been a team that can stand
a high national ranking but always do better when we’ve been humbled a little bit. Northside humbled us. We have never won a state championship with a #1 ranking from start to finish. They have all come when we weren’t expected to pull it off or as in 2005 when we were upset by Ware. In 2005 up to the Ware game we pretty much played like
the first half of last weeks Northside game even though we would get lopsided wins. The Ware game showed us it will take more than showing up to win in the State of Georgia. A different set of boys but I’m thinking we just learned the same thing at the Mac last week.
2007 Harrison upset us in the first game at home. We then went on to go undefeated and beat a much feared passing attack in North Gwinnett in the state championship.
2005 we shut down the much feared Brookwood team who had the giant offensive line, much ballyhooed running back and passing attack.
Offense gets people excited about championships but Defense wins them.
Wolverine2Blazer
October 6th, 2009
11:59 pm
Wolverine Fan, haha! look at all the crap we’ve started. Looks like the EP fans have really started going crazy. Speaking of which…
RaidersAreLosers, I still dont think your HeadEast. And something tells me you really dont think Woodstock’s that great. So please, cut the childish act and lets act like grownups. Thanks.
Looking 4 The Wolverines, We never said that we should be ranked or were bitching that we weren’t. We were enjoying a joke. Calm down. But dont worry, I’m sure you’ll see the Wolverines re-appear in the GA top 10 in a few weeks.
FauxHeadEast, going back to what you said and living in region one and having seen some of the games, I feel like I can say this with some true belive in it. I think that if Woodstock were to be transplanted into Region 1 that we could hang with the big boys. Now the 5-6 shutouts you predicted I dont think would happen. But Coach O’B’s D could def get 2 Goose eggs down here. He’s a thought for the next re-shaping of regions, put a team thats not exactly in the geographic region in it. for example, put Newnan in 1. or Brookwood in 5. What ya’ll think about that?
MikeMike
October 7th, 2009
7:18 am
CAIRO SYRUPMAKERS PLAY PEACH COUNTY FRIDAY NIGHT FORT VALLEY SERIES RECORD CAIRO 3-0 EDGE OVER PEACH. CAIRO OTHER TWO WINS AGAINST PEACH CAME IN 1999 AND 2000 LET MAKE IT LAST YEARS. IT GOING TO BE A UPSET IN PEACH COUNTY.
Etowah Fan
October 7th, 2009
8:26 am
I am beginning to think we (Region 5-AAAAA) should disavow the poster known as RaiderAreLosers. I am have to close ranks with the Wolverine crowd. I don’t believe that RaidersAreLosers is the former HeadEast. Most of HeadEast’s posts were sane… albeit in full support of EP and Region 5-AAAA, but NOT some of the insanity coming forth now.
Top to bottom – I think Region 5-AAAAA is competitive and probably has more parity top to bottom than Region 1-AAAAA (see previous arguments by the Wolverine faithful). Does Region 5-AAAAA have legitimate chance at a State Championship? Don’t know… Our top dog, McEachern, appears to have a porous Defense, but a stronger Offense. R5 will make some noise… how much, only time will tell.
I believe NSWR and Lowndes are ranked legitmately both at the state level and national level for good reason… until proven otherwise.
drock09
October 7th, 2009
9:25 am
Slalom. The line is coming together. We have now 3 stud backs instead of two. Also we have added more plays to our talented 6′3 220 junior tight end. The defense is solid
Big Kid
October 7th, 2009
9:48 am
Grayson is the best team in GA. They are 6-0. What other teams are 6-0 in the region? NONE! Stop hating. Grayson is goin all the way this year
Roswelldad
October 7th, 2009
10:36 am
No disrespect for Lownds but I felt that they were a little overated and some of the ranking may have been based on hype. They obviously are a good team; but they should not get so worked up at this point in the season and see what happens on the field in about a month. I do not think that there are 5-8 teams in the top 10 that could beat Roswell, Collins Hill, or perhaps Walton. Yet they are not even ranked ??? Seems like Roswell should be ranked somewhere between 6-10. We will obviously find out who can play as we enter the 2nd half of the scehdule and meet Milton, Walton, and Lassiter. Roswell will likely beat Wheeler handily this Friday then decide the region crown by facing Milton, Walton, and lassiter after beat Alpharetta in 2 weeks. Milton game will be at our place this year and be a revenge game…..my feeling is that Milton will go down in Roswell’s 1st REAL region test. Go Roswell Hornets !
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
11:18 am
Roswelldad,
You said no disrespect to Lowndes in your first sentence of your comments. But isn’t it disrespect to Lowndes though? Lowndes County is not overated at all. No team in North Georgia will beat Lowndes County this year. Although Grayson has earned their spot in the spot light, and I do give them credit. But I don’t believe that they (Grayson) will beat Lowndes County if they face each other in the post season. You North Georgia Fans, have to understand the concept in rankings. North Georgia Fans complained about Region 3-AAAAA Camden County and their two losses and being ranked No.10 in the State. Now you are saying that Lowndes County were a little over rated. Region 1-AAAAA are by far the Region in the State Of Georgia in ALL CLASSIFICATIONS……. Not taking anything away from Northside Warner Robbins, but Lowndes County deserves to be ranked this year. You have to look at strength of schedule, wins and losses, and win streak when considering rankings. With all of that being said, do you really believe that Lowndes County is over rated? I’m sorry, but I definitely disagree.
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
11:28 am
Sports31313, what if Gwinnett was a County school? All the talent in one school………that would make lowndes County look sick.
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
11:32 am
BTW Big Kid………in all fairness I think Machearn (not sure of spelling) is 6-0, but with that being said, Grayson has beaten them to.
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
11:40 am
GHS#22,
I agree with you.. But all of that is pure speculations…. Fact is that Lowndes County is indeed a Perinnial Power House, and I don’t believe that Grayson will beat Lowndes County if they meet this year….
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
11:49 am
Looking @ the brackets this year that could happen, I’m looking forward to that game.
I have to admit something though, I am a Greg Reid fan this year down in FSU. He was shut down last year when Grayson and lowndes played but has stepped up big the year and I take my hat off, but I feel this year Lowndes will suffer another lose to Grayson.
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:03 pm
Well I don’t think so.. With that lost in Georgia’s Toughest Region, I believe Lowndes County has a wake up call…. They will not lose any more games…..
K-MAN
October 7th, 2009
12:03 pm
LOWNDES losing to NORTHSIDE is not really an upset. It takes another team from the south that powerful to beat them. If it were VALDOSTA, COLQUITT, or CAMDEN,…thats not a real surprize! What is a surprize…is how GRAYSON is getting all of this attention and they havent done anything yet! WIN A CHAMPIOSHIP first…then give them some credit….until then…all they have done is have a great season just like any other team or the championship loser!
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:05 pm
Oh GHS#22,
It’s spelled McEachern…. Region 5-AAAAA….
Coweta County
October 7th, 2009
12:09 pm
Newnan is flying under the radar at the moment. Ranked but not much talk about them. Like it that way. Go Cougars.
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
12:15 pm
K-man, TWO great season!
Anyway, it’s funny that people always get caught up on a teams PAST performance, (old championships don’t count) we are talking about now……the present teams, the present games, the present players.
Scroll up a bit to 2:18pm, yesterday’s comment by Todd Holcomb, he summed it up best. Present day Grayson has stepped to the challenge, beating over the last two seasons all the teams that mattered. INCLUDING Lowndes. (opps there I go talking about the past)
Those boys that played on Lowndes past championship teams are gone!
down south fan
October 7th, 2009
12:19 pm
rankings up what they are rankings paper,but the teams have to play the gameand thats where it counts so keeping cheering our teams on and we will see who gets the golden egg at the end. good luck everyoneand every team out there.. go vikes
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
12:21 pm
SportsFan31313 Sorry, my Bad!!
Grayson 31 McEACHERN 21 Aug 24 2008!
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
12:32 pm
SportsFan31313 you have to admit that was funny……
we all should have fun watching the kids play hard
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:44 pm
Coweta County,
Newnan is not under the radar, and is very well recognized. Good Football Program.
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:48 pm
GHS#22,
Yes indeed. This is Georgia Football folks. No where else in the South where the Fans consider the value Football as priceless. It’s not just a Sport, but considered a way of life. Big Business in this Ga Football. In addition i agree with you that Grayson will run all over McEachern.
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:52 pm
Kman,
I am from South Georgia, and it is not a surprise that Northside Warner Robbins beat Lowndes County. I was not expecting it and a lot of others didn’t either. Last week was definitely a week of upsets in all Classifications. This is Georgia Football, and any given Friday or Saturday under the Lights, a great football team can be beaten. Now Region 1-AAAAA is definitely an example of that. All of the Teams in Region 1-AAAAA has the ability and talent to beat each other, too include to beat some of the Perinnial Powers in Nortth Georgia. So it’s not a surprise…..
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
12:56 pm
THe IC,
They are building another High School in Houston County (Warner Robbins) ? WOW!!!!!! A lot of Talent will be split if that is true….. But I doubt that Houston County will be the team to beat in Region 1-AAAAA.
SportsFan31313
October 7th, 2009
1:04 pm
For the North Georgia Fans,
In Class AAAAA you have Grayson in the North Metro Area, and then everybody else. I can’t say that for South Georgia tough. You have sooo many that is neck and neck. Of course, you have Northside Warner Robbins, Lowndes County, Colquitt County, and Warner Robbins that will can deal with a lot of those Atlanta Metro area Schools Convincingly.
eagleforlife
October 7th, 2009
1:09 pm
Northside will be the school that is the least affected by the new school in Warner Robins. The school is actually being built in Bonaire, and Northside students live in the city limits of Warner Robins. Students that live in Bonaire attend WRHS and HoCo. Some busing occurs to handle evening out racial and socioeconomic issues, however, Northside will not be largely affected by the zoning.
Rfrom G
October 7th, 2009
1:13 pm
You heard it here first:
Brookwood -3
Grayson – 26
BTW, #32 for the Broncos is Nick Thompkins (sp?). He is the real deal.
Brookwood Mom: I don’t look forward to the next two seasons with Nick running the ball for the Broncos. Is he playing cornerback this year?
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
1:28 pm
SportsFan31313, N. Gwinnett is ranked higher than the schools you mentioned. (except Lowndes) Norcross,Parkview,Brookwood all have state titles. P tree ridge is always a contender, and even Collins Hill is undeated. So North GA is powerful. Even the smaller schools, Budford, Gainsvilles, Applachee could play with any South GA school
BulldawgBite
October 7th, 2009
1:33 pm
sportsfan
you must have been joking if you think ALL of the region 1AAAAA teams can beat the atlanta powerhouses. only 2 can and thats lowndes and northside. and even those two arent any better than atlantas best teams. Its any teams year to win state. there is no 1 team this year in ga above and beyond the others. playoffs should be fun
BulldawgBite
October 7th, 2009
1:42 pm
ghs#22 whos your sleeper in the playoffs this year? i got the team you played early on. South Gwinnett man their quarterback rollins is putting up crazy numbers. i got them having a chance to beat some good teams this year.
Northside Observer
October 7th, 2009
1:43 pm
Say what you want, this diehard eagle do not wish to play Lowndes anytime soon. If there are better teams than Lowndes or Carver of Columbus, I need to go to their games. Besides being Athletic, Carver is the biggest team I have seen this year. The eagles will mature by play-off time.
GHS#22
October 7th, 2009
1:50 pm
to be honest I would rather play Lowndes again. We have plenty answers for the run.
N. Gwinnett and S. Gwinnett I worry about!! the good news is that both will be in another bracket and we wouldn’t face them until the dome.