Chamblee, Carver wait their turn for rankings

A few weeks back we touched on some unranked teams in Class AAAA that might merit consideration, and among those were a handful of teams in Region 6-AAAA.

Perhaps it speaks to the strength of schedules for the ranked teams that there are as many unbeaten, unranked teams in 6-AAAA (two) as there are unbeaten teams in the AAAA rankings this week (Sandy Creek and Monroe Area). The only 6-AAAA team in the rankings is No. 2 Marist, and few would quibble with that spot for the War Eagles, whose only loss is to AAAAA power Thomas County Central.

If any team in the AAAA rankings falters, a couple of other 6-AAAA teams have a case for inclusion.

Chamblee is 7-0, and the Bulldogs are solid favorites to move to 8-0 this weekend, facing a 1-6 Lithonia club.

An 8-0 Chamblee start would be remarkable for a number of reasons. Allen Johnson is the Bulldogs’ third coach in four years. They haven’t started 8-0 since 1981; even in their run to the 2007 Class AA semifinals, they lost in week eight against Westminster.

They average scoring 29.6 points per game and have one big-time recruit – defensive end Davin Bellamy, who has committed to Florida State – and they’ve won in a variety of ways. Blowouts. Nail-biters. Overtime. Comebacks. Last week, they trailed struggling Stone Mountain before prevailing 30-22. The strength appears to be the defense, which is allowing 12 points per game and is led by Bellamy and fellow defensive end James Hanley and has held four opponents to a touchdown or less.

And then there’s Carver-Atlanta, which is also 7-0. The Panthers have an explosive offense, led by running back Montavious Taylor, who has rushed for over 100 yards in four straight games, including last week’s 301-yard, four-touchdown performance. He did all that on 10 carries, or an average of 30 yards per carry.

Homecoming of sorts: Griffin coach Steve DeVoursney visits his alma mater, Upson-Lee, Friday night, with a chance to clinch the top seed from 4-AAAA Division B. The No. 8-ranked Bears have gone 8-2 against Upson-Lee under DeVoursney.

Elimination game in 5-AAAA: Fayette County started 0-5, and the Tigers were not within a touchdown in any of those five games, during which they allowed 191 points. Yet here they are, having now won two straight, facing a Troup club with an identical record (2-5 overall, 2-2 5-AAAA). The winner would be alive for what would likely be the region’s No. 4 playoff seed. The loser would be on the outside looking in. This, courtesy of Fayette’s 38-35 overtime win against LaGrange last week.