Final rankings: It’s the only time when we agree on who’s No. 1
Congrats to our five new state champions – Grayson, Tucker, Burke County, Calhoun, Savannah Christian.
Below are the final rankings. All year, we hear that the only rankings that count are the final ones. This week, we found out that the final rankings don’t mean anything either, except for No. 1.
But for those who like to argue this stuff (and that includes me), have at it.
Here are the principles that I believe best guide final rankings:
- Don’t contradict a head-to-head result in the playoffs
- Don’t go strictly by how many rounds a team won in the playoffs
- Don’t let one one playoff result nullify everything a team has accomplished otherwise.
Class AAAAA
1. Grayson (15-0)
2. Walton (14-1)
3. Colquitt County (11-3)
4. Camden County (12-1)
5. Lassiter (10-4)
6. M.L. King (12-1)
7. West Forsyth (11-2)
8. Hillgrove (11-1)
9. McEachern (10-2)
10. North Gwinnett (10-2)
Class AAAA
1. Tucker (15-0)
2. Northside-Warner Robins (13-1)
3. Lovejoy (14-1)
4. Warner Robins (11-3)
5. Flowery Branch (11-2)
6. East Paulding (11-2)
7. Ware County (10-3)
8. Tri-Cities (10-3)
9. Northgate (11-1)
10. Kell (9-3)
Class AAA
1. Burke County (14-1)
2. Peach County (13-2)
3. Cairo (11-3)
4. Gainesville (12-2)
5. Sandy Creek (12-1)
6. Carrollton (11-2)
7. Allatoona (12-1)
8. St. Pius (12-1)
9. Troup (9-3)
10. Mary Persons (9-3)
Class AA
1. Calhoun (15-0)
2. Buford (14-1)
3. Carver-Columbus (12-2)
4. Fitzgerald (11-2)
5. Appling County (12-2)
6. Lamar County (12-1)
7. North Oconee (11-1)
8. Elbert County (11-2)
9. Brooks County (9-3)
10. Dublin (11-2)
Class A
1. Savannah Christian (15-0)
2. Lincoln County (12-1)
3. Landmark Christian (12-2)
4. Eagle’s Landing Christian (12-2)
5. Prince Avenue Christian (13-1)
6. Aquinas (9-4)
7. Bremen (9-4)
8. Wilcox County (11-1)
9. Seminole County (11-2)
10. Darlington (8-3)
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© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
292 comments Add your comment
Gwinnett Fan
December 11th, 2011
2:16 pm
Todd,
I don’t think you read your own rules.
- Don’t contradict a head-to-head result in the playoffs
- Don’t go strictly by how many rounds a team won in the playoffs
- Don’t let one one playoff result nullify everything a team has accomplished otherwise.
Walton at #2 and Lassiter at #5 Really?????
WarEagle
December 11th, 2011
2:28 pm
Lovejoy should be No. 2 in AAAA. Don’t matter what we guess about hypothetical games — the top two should be the finalists in each class.
HSFB Follower
December 11th, 2011
2:29 pm
25 of the top 50 teams in Georgia I’d take anywhere in the country and play.
I’ve got to put Colquitt County and Camden County over Walton. Loved how Grayson stuck to their formula all season to raise the trophy. Other than that I can’t really question anything else that would not violate the rules! lol
Good final poll.
Todd Holcomb
December 11th, 2011
2:32 pm
”Lovejoy should be No. 2 in AAAA. Don’t matter what we guess about hypothetical games — the top two should be the finalists in each class.”
Honest people can disagree.
Todd Holcomb
December 11th, 2011
2:32 pm
Gwinnett Fan: Not sure which rule of mine that I violated.
MC 12
December 11th, 2011
2:33 pm
Todd, I know this is about the rankings, but you said you would keep an eye on the Gainesville tandum sohomore QB Deshaun Watson and junior WR Caleb Hayman.In the quarter final upset of Sandy Creek, Watson and Hayman had 5 catches, 89 yards and 2 touch downs and in the semi final game against the 3AAA Champions Burke County Watson and Hayman connected on 12 catches, 144 yards and 2 touch downs. Continue to keep an eye on them next year. Thanks for your coverage of High School football.
hefnest
December 11th, 2011
2:38 pm
SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN COULD BEAT MOST OF THE OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS #1
Black&Gold 24
December 11th, 2011
2:42 pm
I agree that Colquitt and Camden should be ranked ahead of Walton. I am not taking nothing from Walton, but I really think those two teams from South Georgia were better. None the less Congrats to all the teams and I look forward to next year. Grayson, Colquitt and Camden will be beasts again.
Pack45
December 11th, 2011
2:47 pm
Walton over Colquitt and Camden? Yeah right
WR Demons
December 11th, 2011
2:50 pm
1. Tucker (15-0)
2. Northside-Warner Robins (13-1)
3. Lovejoy (14-1)
4. Warner Robins (11-3)
5. Flowery Branch (11-2)
6. East Paulding (11-2)
7. Ware County (10-3)
8. Tri-Cities (10-3)
9. Northgate (11-1)
10. Kell (9-3)
This kind of looks like a BCS ranking. Maybe we should put the +1 system in High School if that perks someone’s interest (Heavy Sarcasm). I personally could care less about rankings. Really just boils down to a few people’s opinion’s which we all know are like a## holes everyone’s got one.
Congrats to all the teams that went to the dome and represented their regions and communities.
WarEagle
December 11th, 2011
2:54 pm
@hefnest — Sanannah Christian would get rocked by ALL the other class champs. Don’t kid yourself.
valyboy 32
December 11th, 2011
2:55 pm
So 3-a next year for Peach they would stay #2 in rankings since everyone else is moving up to 4-a.
Joseph
December 11th, 2011
2:58 pm
Colquitt deserved to finish no. 2. Taking nothing from Walton, but the Pack actually had the lead over Grayson in the 4th quarter until the refs intervened. Walton was never in the game. The state championship was decided on the turf in Loganville, unfortunately by the refs. Grayson, come to Moultrie next time. ATL be ready, the Pack come to town in the Corky Kell in August. Wish it was sooner.
FridayNightLightsFan
December 11th, 2011
3:08 pm
I agree with Todd about Lovejoy.
I think some can even argue them lower than that.
There is a diffrence between playoff results and team rankings. Just because you beat a team once doesn’t mean you are the better team.
Watched it
December 11th, 2011
3:08 pm
hefnest, Savannah Christian could not beat any of the top eight in AA let alone any other classification. Three big plays are all you had against a numer 4 seed Landmark. You must not have seen any other games. Did you stay for the 3A and 5A games/ Burke and Grayson were awesome.
Georhe
December 11th, 2011
3:21 pm
You know one day i would love to see a game to really determine it all. All 5 Classes need to play against one another. But i think Grayson would come out on top. Once a Ram always a Ram.
Kell Dad
December 11th, 2011
3:42 pm
I first want to congratulate all the winners in the state playoffs. And regrettable I will brake one of my rules. After reading some serious talk about how great all the south GA teams are I am thrilled to see some major representation from North GA, and I am classifying all the counties around Fulton on up. Tucker, Grayson, Walton, Lassiter, East Paulding, Kell, McEachern, and several others (No Offense intended to schoools not called out). All teams played their hearts out, Playoffs are tough and just to make the top 10 is hugh in my opinion.
But many teams played their hearts out and didn’t make the list, but they to should hold their heads high… at least they went out and gave it their best.
When does next season start???
RW Gweed
December 11th, 2011
3:43 pm
Savannah Christian would win class A only. They wouldn’t beat Calhoun or Burke Co., much less Tucker or Grayson.
Packer 2001
December 11th, 2011
3:46 pm
How is Walton 2?? Really Todd?? You think they are the 2nd best team in the state??
Gwinnett Fan
December 11th, 2011
3:50 pm
Todd,
- Don’t go strictly by how many rounds a team won in the playoffs
- Don’t let one one playoff result nullify everything a team has accomplished otherwise.
Do you really think Walton would beat Camdon or Colquitt? I and many other above will take Camden and Colquitt everytime.
- Don’t go strictly by how many rounds a team won in the playoffs.
Lassiter had a nice run but lets not forget they finished 4th in their region. A region that was not that strong. I will take North Gwinnett every time. I you are not respecting how tough North played Colquitt. Ask Colquitt about North’s defense. Have you watched North’s defense this year?
It is a shame the left side of the bracket was stacked as much as it was. Arguably the best four teams in state. Grayson beat Colquitt, Colquitt beat Camden and Colquitt beat North.
Packer 2001
December 11th, 2011
3:55 pm
North was a very good team. I think they would have won the other bracket.
East Cobb Dad
December 11th, 2011
3:57 pm
I was disappointed to see Lassiter and MLK left out of the Corky Kell Classic for next year. Both teams went further in playoffs/finished higher than Brookwood and Peachtree Ridge. Also, having a team from Dekalb would have given the event more balance.
Nike 11
December 11th, 2011
4:30 pm
I think lassiter is about where they should be at 5. I imagine they will be a pre-season top 10 next year between that 5-8 spot (depending on any caching changes, big time move-ins to other schools, injuries, etc).
Lassiter proved in the playoffs the team they should have been all year imo. And being on the road for all those games will do nothing but build character for next year.
@ East Cobb Dad: I thought Lassiter would have been back in the Classic next year as well. Hopefully they get a couple good games in the out of region games. Out of the Cobb teams there, Kell and Mac will be reloading. Walton will be a team to reckon with with all the talent they have coming back…though they need to expand the playbook some.
SouthGAFootballFan
December 11th, 2011
4:30 pm
How did Brookwood and Peachtree Ridge get the 8:00pm slot for the Corky Kell??
SouthGAFootballFan
December 11th, 2011
4:50 pm
oops! I read the info. too quickly.
How do they determine what team plays at what time for the Corky Kell? I would think the State Champs would get the 8:00pm slot?
Hit A Single
December 11th, 2011
4:54 pm
Dave Hunter got Brookwood the 8:00 slot.
heeldawg
December 11th, 2011
5:14 pm
@hefnest: that’s a delusion, and I’m a fan of Class A football. SCPs wouldn’t have even made the semifinals in AA, and would have been a second-round loser in most of the higher classifications. You’re like those Georgia Southern fans who think that they can beat U.Ga. or Georgia Tech because they win some games in the FCS. The level of play between top-level A and AA or higher teams ramps up considerably. SCPS had a great season. You won state in Class A at last. Be happy with that, and don’t show your ignorance by posting things that just don’t make a lick of sense.
Howard
December 11th, 2011
5:32 pm
How did Landmark finish #3 in the A poll?? They made the finals so why not treat them like the others?? Who cares that they were a #4 region seed?? They beat some danged good teams to make to the finals.
country boy
December 11th, 2011
5:33 pm
No Brainer – Colquitt and Camden ahead of Walton. Anyone – who is in the Korky Kell classic?? thanks
Ronbo byrdro
December 11th, 2011
5:33 pm
Clarke Central has beaten Flowery Branch 2 years straight and has made good playoff runs for at least 3 years. They should be up there in 4A or Flowery Branch should not be so high.
Nike 11
December 11th, 2011
5:33 pm
@SouthGAFootballFan:
I believe it is an invitation-type of event for the Corky Kell. And the times are set by the people in charge I believe. And yeah, I imagine Hunter got Brookwood the 8pm slot this year.
Football FAn
December 11th, 2011
5:34 pm
Congratulations to all of these teams for outstanding seasons!
Don’t forget the 2011 Georgia Junior Bowl (or Rising Senior Bowl)….going to be some great football players in this game. Probably one of the strongest group of rising seniors in the entire country with Robert Nkemdiche and Rueben Foster (ranked as the #1 and #2 juniors in the country by 247sports) and Tyren Jones, JJ Greene, Eddie Printz and others.
http://www.risingseniors.com
Nike 11
December 11th, 2011
5:36 pm
@ country boy:
Corky Kell Classic schedule is as follows:
9:00 (AM) Kell vs. Chattahoochee
11:45 Grayson vs. McEachern
2:45 Colquitt vs NGwinnett
5:30 Camden vs. Ptree Ridge
8:30 Walton vs. Brookwood
eagle1
December 11th, 2011
5:37 pm
Tucker and Northside are about as evenly matched as two teams can be! I agree with Todd ranking Northside as number 2. Who else could be number 2? No one else is capable of beating Tucker but Northside. Lovejoy was no match at all! What say you?
Poleesemenses
December 11th, 2011
5:38 pm
I think I could have done a better job ranking the finals. Colquitt ahead of Camden????? Lassiter ahead of MLK??????? Geez.
country boy
December 11th, 2011
5:38 pm
Thank you Nike 11.
Todd Holcomb
December 11th, 2011
5:44 pm
”How is Walton 2?? Really Todd?? You think they are the 2nd best team in the state??”
No, I don’t think they are the second-best team in the state. But I don’t believe that rankings should be predictions of how teams would do if they played. Rather, they are reflections of the full season. I think that Walton out-performed Colquitt over the full season. Walton never lost to an inferior team. Colquitt County lost to an inferior team twice. And while Colquitt played much better vs. Grayson, the result was the same – a loss. … If it were a case where the resumes were the same otherwise (like Northside vs. Lovejoy), then playing Grayson closer would matter a lot more. But for the full season, Walton beat everybody it played except the champ. Colquitt didn’t.
Todd Holcomb
December 11th, 2011
5:45 pm
”How did Landmark finish #3 in the A poll?? They made the finals so why not treat them like the others??”
They were treated like the others. Lovejoy also was a finalist that did not finish #2 in the rankings. It’s happened many times over the years.
Nike 11
December 11th, 2011
5:47 pm
@ Poleesemenses: Colquitt BEAT Camden and Lassiter BEAT MLK. And the Lassiter game was a fairly convincing win that Lassiter controlled for the most part.
yo
December 11th, 2011
5:49 pm
The only logical reason Todd could possibly have put Walton ahead of the 2 Big C’s is to create controversy. Todd knows high school footbal way too well to have had any other reason.
All you have to do is look at AAAA where he put Northside ahead of Lovejoy as proof. He knows how much the Camden and Colquit fans will not like it. It is called selling papers.
yo
December 11th, 2011
5:51 pm
Todd you just contradicted yourself on your previous post on Walton (based on the whole season) being #2 when you put Lassiter with 4 losses at #5.
rolltide
December 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
It does not matter how bad a team lost in the championship game they should be #2.. They made it to the big dance and the rest of the teams did not. Get over it Camden and Colquit. Keep telling yourselves you are the best, the refs robbed you, the other teams cheated, etc…etc…
Colquitt Cryers
December 11th, 2011
6:18 pm
Colquitt fans: you lost. Get over it. And tell your sleazeball coach’s second family hi.
Rockmart Needs a Coach
December 11th, 2011
6:19 pm
Something is missing and I know I like it.
BamaBornDukie
December 11th, 2011
6:22 pm
Agreed that Walton was blown out but 1 game does NOT erase their 14-0 start.
-Walton had 2 wins over Lassiter
-Lassiter had playoff wins over MLK and McEachern on the road.
-McEachern had wins over North Gwinnett at a neutral site and Lowndes on the road.
-MLK beat Valdosta on the road and Stephenson in the Regular Season
-Given the “body of work”….Walton is deserving of the #2 ranking.
-Cobb County was 3-1 against Gwinnett County at the 2011 Corky Kell Classic
-I guess if folks here were overseeing the Final College Football Poll…If Bama were to beat LSU 34-10 in the BCS Title Game….you guys would probably drop LSU out of the top 10 even though they went into the game 13-0.
-If you make A’s on your 1st “14″ tests in Financial Accounting Grad Class and make a bad grade on your “1″ last test….do you think you’d get a failing grade for the class?
Walton played horribly last night….but they are 14-1. Bama blew out previously undefeated Florida in the 2009 SEC Championship Game 32-13. I think Bama was the better team but not by as much as the score indicated on “1″ night.
BamaBornDukie
December 11th, 2011
6:26 pm
@ Nike 11
You’re one of the best, most knowledge posters in these High School Football Blogs. I don’t agree with everything you say…..but I always respect it.
Colquitt Supporter
December 11th, 2011
6:26 pm
Congrats to Grayson. You guys played great this year. Hope that we can play you again next year, and I hope Robert eventually signs with UGA.. 5A rankings look fair to me.
Todd, it seems like Lovejoy should be #2 as the losers of the championship game. I do not like to look backwrds but didn’t you rate Colquitt #2 last year after their loss with a 9-6 record? Seems like a 14-1 record says a lot regardless of which side the bracket they may have been on.
calvary29
December 11th, 2011
6:31 pm
Calvary had only two losses and they were to Savannah Christian and Landmark. How could we not be in the top 10?
packerchick
December 11th, 2011
6:35 pm
rolltide….I agree that the 2 teams that made it to the playoffs should be 1st and 2nd place, however, last year we were ranked 4th or 5th after we played in the championship game.
It really doesn’t matter. The only position that matters is #1 and Grayson got that this year. Congratulations to them!
There is always next year…..
Steve
December 11th, 2011
6:41 pm
What do the high school ranking really mean people? There is a playoff and a champion crowned. Big deal who is ranked after #1.