The state playoffs begin Tuesday, with the championships games to be played May 9-11 at Denmark. Here are some things to know heading in.
CLASS 7A
Boys
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
The West Forsyth Wolverines are the defending state champs, winning the first ever 7A championship. They’re not favorites to win the second, and last, before next year’s reclassification cycle, when the highest classification will be 6A. The Wolverines (12-5) enter the tournament as a No. 3 seed, so they’ll be on the road. They’re still ranked No. 5, in the state’s deepest area with No. 2 Lambert, No. 3 Buford and No. 9 Milton.
Before the Wolverines, Lambert was two-time defending champions of the highest classification, which from 2017-2022 was 6A-7A.
The North Paulding Wolfpack (18-0) are No. 1 and the lone undefeated team, however the MaxPreps computer rankings have them No. 3 behind Lambert and Buford. The Wolfpack are shooting for their first championship in program history.
Girls
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
The No. 1 Milton Eagles (14-4). That’s it. That’s all you need to know. Not being lazy, but there’s really nothing to add.
5A-6A
Boys
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
The Roswell Hornets are in the driver’s seat for a second back-to-back championship run in program history, with the other coming exactly a decade ago, when they won 6A in 2014 and 2015. They’re 16-2 and ranked No. 1 this year. They’ve lost just once to a 5A-6A school since joining the classification last year, and that was 13-12 to Cambridge in the regular season. They’d get their redemption in the playoffs, however, beating Cambridge 20-12 in the semifinals.
No. 2 North Forsyth (15-2) and No. 3 Allatoona (12-5), which lost to Roswell in last year’s championship, round out the top three.
Girls
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
Like on the boys’ side, the Blessed Trinity Titans, also in Roswell, are defending state champions and ranked No. 1, except they’re going for the first four-peat in program history. The Titans won A-5A in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and won it again from 2021 to 2022, then won 5A-6A last year.
The River Ridge Knights enter ranked No. 2, but the poll came out when they were 16-0. They lost their regular season finale 18-3 to No. 5 Creekview (15-2).
No. 3 Cambridge and No. 4 Northgate round out the top five, and of those five, only Blessed Trinity has a championship to its name.
A-4A
Boys
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
The Westminster Wolves won the title last year, but at 9-8 and unranked, they appear to be a long shot to repeat. However, they won their area to earn a first-round bye, so they’re already in the second round, where they’ll host either No. 7 East Forsyth (11-5) or No. 10 Savannah Country Day (11-7). The Wolves have won seven championships, the most among any GHSA boys program.
The Starr’s Mill Panthers (14-2) are No. 1, followed by Fellowship Christian (13-4), North Oconee (11-4), Benedictine (13-4, 4-0) and Whitewater (13-5), which round out the top five. All five combine for zero titles, meaning this year should produce a first-time champion.
In fact, no top 10 team has won a title. The Lovett Lions (4-12) are the only team besides Westminster to win a championship, winning A-5A in 2022. They went 3-0 in Area 4, so they’re a No. 1 seed, but they closed the season with a 13-1 loss to Lambert in a cross-classification game.
Girls
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
The Fellowship Christian Paladins (16-1) have a strong shot at winning the first title in program history, with their only loss coming in a cross-classification game to cross-city rival Blessed Trinity, 18-10. They rebounded with an 18-17 win over 5A-6A’s No. 7 Kell.
No. 2 Wesleyan, No. 3 Westminster, No. 4 North Oconee and No. 5 East Forsyth cap the top five. Westminster is the only of them with a title, winning four in a row from 2010-13, with the first coming in A-4A and the last three in A-5A.
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