Poll Talk: Richmond Hill enters rankings for first time since 1996

Richmond Hill, the lone undefeated football team in Class AAAAAA, is ranked for the first time since 1996.

The Wildcats improved to 7-0 with a 12-7 victory over Glynn Academy, a win that put them in first place in Region 2-AAAAAA. Richmond Hill checked in at No. 5 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution rankings after a week in which three ranked teams in the classification lost, two that were undefeated.

One was No. 2 Lee County (7-1), which fell to unranked Valdosta and dropped to No. 6. Coffee beat Northside-Warner Robins 14-12 in a game between ranked teams in Region 1. Winder-Barrow, previously unbeaten and No. 7, dropped out of the rankings after a 38-16 loss to Gainesville.

Richmond Hill had been held back because of a relatively weak schedule, but the win over Glynn was significant. Glynn, though unranked, was rated No. 5 in the class by the computer Maxwell Rankings. Richmond lots to Glynn 57-27 last season.

The rankings underwent a shuffle in almost every class this week after 13 ranked teams lost statewide.

In Class AAAAAAA, Tift County is up to No. 6, its highest ranking since spending four early weeks in the top five in 2007. Mill Creek stayed in the rankings despite a 6-3 record and a loss to Mountain View.

In AAAAA, Kell (4-4) dropped out of the rankings after a 45-42 loss to Carrollton. Entering the rankings was Flowery Branch (8-1), a 32-14 winner over Clarke Central. Flowery Branch is ranked for the first time since 2014.

Marist (8-0) moved up one spot to No. 2 in AAAA after a 25-24 victory over previous No. 4 Blessed Trinity, which dropped to No. 6.

Cedartown (7-1) joined the AAAA rankings at No. 8 after a 21-18 victory over previous No. 8 Troup, which fell to No. 10. It was Cedartown’s first victory over a ranked opponent in the same classification since 2005, when the Bulldogs beat No. 3 Cartersville. Cedartown had lost 13 straight against ranked teams in the same class.

Out of the AAAA rankings is former No. 5 Jefferson, which lost to unranked St. Pius 43-29.

In AA, Westminster remained ranked at No. 10 despite its 3-5 record and 21-14 loss to No. 8 Lovett. Westminster’s five losses are against ranked teams.

In the Class A private division, previously unbeaten and No. 4 Tattnall Square dropped to No. 8 after losing to Macon rival First Presbyterian Day 41-35.

Trion re-entered the Class A public-school rankings at No. 8 with a 34-20 win over previous No. 5 Mount Zion, which fell to No. 9. Out of the rankings is previous No. 8 Taylor County, which lost 48-41 to unranked Dooly County.

There are nine games this week between ranked teams. They are No. 8 Colquitt County at No. 1 Lowndes (AAAAAAA), No. 3 Stockbridge at No. 5 Jones County (AAAAA), No. 3 Thomson at No. 5 Burke County (AAAA), No. 4 Calhoun at No. 7 Bremen (AAA), No. 5 Thomasville at No. 6 Brooks County (AA), No. 6 Charlton County at No. 4 Clinch County (A public), No. 8 Tattnall Square at No. 5 Stratford Academy (A private), No. 4 Athens Academy at No. 5 Commerce (A) and No. 7 Mount Pisgah Christian at No. 3 Mount Paran Christian (A private).

Class AAAAAAA

1. (1) Lowndes (9-0)

2. (2) Archer (8-0)

3. (3) Walton (8-0)

4. (4) Grayson (7-1)

5. (5) North Gwinnett (7-1)

6. (10) Tift County (8-1)

7. (7) Brookwood (6-2)

8. (6) Colquitt County (7-2)

9. (9) South Forsyth (7-1)

10. (8) Mill Creek (6-3)

Class AAAAAA

1. (1) Tucker (7-1)

2. (3) Mays (7-1)

3. (5) Coffee (5-2)

4. (4) Harrison (6-2)

5. (NR) Richmond Hill (7-0)

6. (2) Lee County (8-1)

7. (6) Northside (Warner Robins) (6-3)

8. (8) Stephenson (6-2)

9. (9) Douglas County (7-1)

10. (10) Hughes (7-2)

Out: No. 7 Winder-Barrow

Class AAAAA

1. (1) Rome (8-0)

2. (2) Buford (6-1)

3. (3) Stockbridge (8-0)

4. (4) Warner Robins (8-0)

5. (5) Jones County (8-0)

6. (7) Bainbridge (6-2)

7. (8) Starr's Mill (7-1)

8. (9) Wayne County (6-1)

9. (NR) Flowery Branch (8-1)

10. (10) Griffin (8-1)

Out: No. 6 Kell

Class AAAA

1. (1) Cartersville (9-0)

2. (3) Marist (8-0)

3. (2) Thomson (7-0)

4. (6) Ridgeland (8-0)

5. (7) Burke County (8-0)

6. (4) Blessed Trinity (7-2)

7. (9) Woodward Academy (8-1)

8. (NR) Cedartown (7-1)

9. (10) Mary Persons (6-2)

10. (8) Troup (7-1)

Out: No. 5 Jefferson

Class AAA

1. (1) Cedar Grove (8-0)

2. (2) Peach County (7-1)

3. (3) Greater Atlanta Christian (8-1)

4. (4) Calhoun (7-1)

5. (5) Jenkins (8-0)

6. (6) Crisp County (6-1)

7. (7) Bremen (8-0)

8. (8) Lovett (5-3)

9. (10) Morgan County (7-1)

10. (9) Westminster (3-5)

Class AA

1. (1) Benedictine (8-0)

2. (2) Hapeville Charter (7-1)

3. (3) Screven County (7-0)

4. (4) Rabun County (8-0)

5. (5) Thomasville (8-0)

6. (6) Brooks County (7-0)

7. (7) Jefferson County (8-0)

8. (8) Dodge County (8-0)

9. (9) Heard County (7-1)

10. (10) Callaway (7-1)

Class A (private)

1. (1) Eagle's Landing Christian (8-0)

2. (2) Prince Avenue Christian (8-0)

3. (3) Mount Paran Christian (7-1)

4. (5) Athens Academy (8-0)

5. (6) Stratford Academy (8-0)

6. (7) Wesleyan (7-2)

7. (8) Mount Pisgah Christian (7-1)

8. (4) Tattnall Square (7-1)

9. (9) Calvary Day (7-1)

10. (10) Aquinas (6-2)

Class A (public)

1. (1) Manchester (8-0)

2. (2) Irwin County (7-1)

3. (3) Macon County (6-2)

4. (4) Clinch County (6-2)

5. (6) Commerce (7-1)

6. (7) Charlton County (6-1)

7. (9) Emanuel County Institute (7-1)

8. (NR) Trion (6-2)

9. (5) Mount Zion (Carroll) (7-1)

10. (10) Marion County (7-1)

Out: No. 8 Taylor County