With Georgia High School Football in full swing, let’s take a look at the current standings for the AAAAAAA Class.
1. Walton (4-0)
Since upsetting Buford in the second round of the state playoffs last year, Walton has continued to make headlines across Georgia High School football. Going into this season, Walton had already established themselves as an early contender with the highly anticipated return of Wake Forest QB commit Jeremy Hecklinski and North Carolina LB commit Ashton Woods.
But what could not be anticipated, was the off-season addition of 4-star Georgia OL commit Daniel Calhoun, who transferred from Centennial. With the addition of Calhoun, Walton added an extra layer of elite protection for Hecklinski. In four games, Hecklinski has thrown for 905 yards and 12 touchdowns. Currently, their explosive offense is averaging 57 points a game. After having two bye weeks, Walton will return to play this Friday against an undefeated North Paulding. Considering Walton has 29 seniors including various three-year starters it seems like the time for Walton to go the distance is now.
2. Buford (5-0)
When the news broke in May that Georgia QB commit Dylan Raiola was heading across the country to play for Buford, it seemed like a no-brainer that the Wolves were the front-runner to clinch the 7A state title. Although other programs have proved themselves to be worthy competitors, Buford still remains one of the most talked about teams in the state. In clinching out-of-state matchups over St.Francis (Maryland) and Mallard Creek (North Carolina), Buford garnered national recognition.
5-star Florida State Commit KJ Bolden has been an asset on both sides of the ball with two interceptions and six touchdowns. This week, Buford will begin region play against Collins Hill. The stakes to win a title are higher than ever this year considering the fact that a championship for Buford would make them the only team in the GHSA to win a state title in every classification. With the GHSA terminating the 7A classification after this year, it is now or never for the Wolves.
3. Mill Creek (5-0)
The current reigning 7A state champion had a statement win over Parkview in week six. With two minutes left on the clock, QB Shane Throgmartin threw a 47-yard TD pass to Georgia Tech commit Trajen Greco to seal the deal for a 30-20 victory.
Mill Creek has had notable wins this season over North Gwinnett and Cedar Grove. Despite losing the largest senior class the program has seen in 2023, Mill Creek continues to be a top competitor in 7A and will strive to be the first team since Colquitt County in 2014 and 2015 to win back to back state championships.
4. Colquitt County (5-0)
As one of the consistent top performing programs in South Georgia, it is no surprise that Colquitt County comes in at number four on this list. After a commanding 48-17 victory over Dutch Fork (South Carolina) in their season opener, Colquitt has been nothing short of dominant with statement wins over Lee County and Cedar Grove.
4-star wide receiver Ny Carr has been a marvel for the Packers offense and continues to overwhelm opponents’ defenses. In five games, Ny Carr has scored 10 touchdowns and is averaging 117.8 receiving yards per contest. Leading Colquitt’s defense is Duke Commit Tyshon Reed Jr who has tallied 28 tackles, three sacks, and seven QB hurries. As the regular season comes to an end, the Packers will strive to remain undefeated in hopes of securing their fourth state title.
5. Carrollton (5-1)
Carrollton began the season with a respectable loss to the reigning 6A state champion, Langston Hughes. Since then, the Trojans have been on a roll. With QB Julian Lewis passing for 990 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns, Carrollton has won five games in a row, its latest victory over Jenkins 47-14.
After losing the 7A State Championship last year to Mill Creek, the Trojans are looking to accomplish the one thing they couldn’t in the 2022 season.
6. Grayson (4-1)
Since falling short 49-27 in their first game to Walton, Grayson has been a team on a mission. In their last four games, Grayson has scored 185 points and only given up 19, with 3 of the four victories being shutouts.
First year head coach Santavious Bryant has had no trouble filling the void left by Adam Carter who left Grayson after four seasons for Lowndes this spring. The Rams are led by senior QB Jeff Davis who has thrown for 1,198 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. This Friday, Grayson will face the undefeated Newton.
7. Newton (5-0)
Since going 9-3 with a region championship title in 2015, Newton has compiled a 38-35 record and has not been able to advance past the first round of the state playoffs. But under first year head coach John Skelton, Newton is off to a 5-0 start with a real chance to become a state playoff contender.
The Rams offense has seen success through junior running back Zion Johnson, who leads class 7A in rushing yards. In five games, Johnson has rushed for 771 yards, scored 10 touchdowns, and is averaging 10.1 yards per carry. This Friday Newton will go on the road to face Grayson and continue vying for a chance to capture their first state championship.
8. Parkview (4-1)
After a statement win in week one over Kell, Parkview instantly became a program that was on everyone’s radar. With weapons like 5-star Tennessee WR commit Mike Matthews and 4-star Auburn CB commit Jalyn Crawford, the Panthers undoubtedly have 5-star talent that could prove to be instrumental in the postseason.
Despite suffering a close loss to Mill Creek last week, Parkview still appears to be at the top of its game. However, the Panthers will continue to be tested in region competition when they face Newton on Oct. 20 and Grayson on Nov. 3.
9. Peachtree Ridge (6-0)
After going 6-5 in the 2022 season, Peachtree Ridge was severely under-looked coming into 2023. However, the Lions have made a name for themselves since going on a 6-0 run. QB Darnell Kelly has passed for 1,323 yards and 14 touchdowns which currently ranks fourth for all Georgia High School quarterbacks.
Although things have been looking just peachy for the program, they will soon face tough tests against North Gwinnett and Norcross. If they can prove successful in these key region matchups, the Lions could be one step closer to winning their second state championship.
10. Westlake (5-1)
Following a loss to Newton two weeks ago, Westlake dropped out of the top 10 rankings. However, after a dominant 42-7 win over Collins Hill last week, the Lions are back to take the final spot on the list.
Westlake has been victorious in their ground game considering three players have had 100 yard games. Junior quarterback Sean Smith has been a driving force passing for 796 yards and allowing no interceptions. Westlake will face their biggest test in three weeks when they travel to Carrollton.
All rankings are derived from Score Atlanta.