How the new top-10 teams fared in Week 7
Class 7A
1. (1) Buford (6-0)
Last week: Beat Collins Hill 23-3. Justice Haynes rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Buford led only 10-3 at halftime but kept Collins Hill from threatening. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Mill Creek (6-0)
2. (2) Colquitt County (6-0)
Last week: Beat Lincoln, Fla. 30-7. Charlie Pace rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Neko Fann was 13-of-25 passing for 103 yards and a touchdown. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Camden County (4-2)
3. (3) Mill Creek (6-0)
Last week: Beat Central Gwinnett 58-7. Mill Creek led 30-0 at halftime against the previously unbeaten Black Knights. Hayden Clark was 15-of-19 passing for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Makhail Wood had five receptions for 102 yards. Trajen Greco returned a fumble for a touchdown. Jamal Anderson returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown. Next: Oct. 14 at Buford (6-0)
4. (4) Carrollton (6-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. East Coweta (4-2)
5. (6) Valdosta (6-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Lowndes (3-2)
6. (5) Walton (4-1)
Last week: Beat North Paulding 51-49. Alex Rupp kicked a 25-yard field goal with eight seconds left. Jeremy Hecklinski was 22-of-29 passing for 409 yards and six touchdowns. Three receivers had more than 100 yards receiving – Wyatt Sonderman (7-129-2), Hunter Teal (7-141-1) and Cameron Loyd (4-107-3). Makari Bodiford rushed for 155 yards on 21 carries. The final touchdown came with 11:12 left on Jaylen Poe’s 80-yard run for a 49-48 North Paulding lead. Next: Friday vs. North Cobb (3-2)
7. (7) Lambert (5-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Forsyth Central (2-3)
8. (8) North Cobb (3-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Walton (4-1)
9. (9) Lowndes (3-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Valdosta (6-0)
10. (10) Grayson (5-1)
Last week: Beat Newton 26-0. Joe Taylor rushed for 164 yards on 27 carries. John Cineas had four receptions for 101 yards. Grayson led 3-0 at halftime and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to put the game away in its Region 4 opener. Away. Next: Oct. 14 at South Gwinnett (4-2)
Class 6A
1. (1) Hughes (6-0)
Last week: Beat Alexander 40-7. Jediyah Willoughby had 100 yards from scrimmage on four touches. Prentis "Air" Noland was 16-of-24 passing for 239 yards and three touchdowns, two to Terrance Love. Next: Friday vs. East Paulding (2-4)
2. (2) Lee County (5-1)
Last week: Beat Houston County 50-21. Lee County led 36-0 midway through the second quarter. Ousmane Kromah rushed for 275 yards and five touchdowns. Weston Bryan, a sophomore making his first start, was 12-of-17 passing for 170 yards and rushed for 45 yards. Next: Friday at Veterans (4-2)
3. (3) Roswell (5-1)
Last week: Beat Blessed Trinity 41-10. Roswell was up 26-0 at halftime in the first game between these crosstown rivals. Nykahi Davenport rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. J.J. Smith was 9-of-11 passing for 179 yards and four touchdowns, two to Dylan Williams. Next: Friday at Lassiter (3-2)
4. (4) Woodward Academy (5-1)
Last week: Beat Lovejoy 34-7. Jalen Woods was 14-of-17 passing for 182 yards and two touchdowns, both to Ben Grice, who had six receptions for 111 yards. Woodward forced five turnovers and didn’t allow an offensive touchdown. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Rockdale County (1-5)
5. (5) Gainesville (6-0)
Last week: Beat Lanier 42-14. Naim Cheeks rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and had 75 receiving yards and a touchdown. Baxter Wright was 15-of-18 passing for 254 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 72 yards on six carries. Travien Watson had 10 receptions for 120 yards. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Habersham Central (2-4)
6. (6) Rome (5-1)
Last week: Beat Woodstock 70-0. Martel Hight returned punts 63 and 50 yards for touchdowns in the first quarter, after which Rome led 42-0, and ran an interception 50 yards for a touchdown and a 56-0 lead in the second quarter. Hight also caught a 19-yard TD pass. Reece Fountain was 8-of-9 passing for 169 yards and three touchdowns. Tyler Floyd had six receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Sequoyah (3-3)
7. (7) Thomas County Central (6-0)
Last week: Beat Veterans 48-21. Ricky Fulton rushed for 170 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Trey Benton rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Sam Brown was 14-of-19 passing for 174 yards and three touchdowns. Thomas County Central led 34-7 in the second quarter. Next: Friday at Tift County (1-5)
8. (9) Marist (4-2)
Last week: Beat Dunwoody 42-3. Dunwoody opened the game with a 71-yard drive and a 3-0 lead, but Walker Richens returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for the first of five Marist touchdowns in the first half. Jack Euart was 7-of-9 passing for 150 yards and four touchdowns, two to Ripp Perez. Euart also rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown. Luke Harpring had a 49-yard TD reception, blocked a kick, forced a fumble and had a sack. Next: Oct. 14 vs. South Cobb (0-6)
9. (NR) Brunswick (6-0)
Last week: Beat Grovetown 56-39. Jarod Elkins was 9-of-17 passing for 218 yards and five touchdowns, four to Ty Mitchell, who had five catches for 143 yards. All touchdown passes came in the first half, when Brunswick built a 42-7 lead. Next: Friday vs. Lakeside-Evans (3-2)
10. (8) Houston County (5-1)
Last week: Lost to Lee County 50-21. Antwann Hill was 19-of-29 passing for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Taleb had 68 yards rushing and 80 receiving. Houston County was down 36-0 in the first half. Next: Thursday vs. Northside-Warner Robins (4-2)
Out: No. 10 Blessed Trinity (4-2)
Class 5A
1. (2) Ware County (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Jenkins (1-4)
2. (3) Creekside (4-2)
Last week: Beat Mays 22-21. Khary Morrow rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, and his two-point conversion run with 2:31 left gave Creekside the winning margin. Travis Terrell Jr. scored on a 43-yard run. Rod McCrary rushed for 115 yards on 16 carries. Next: Oct. 13 at Jackson-Atlanta (4-2)
3. (4) Dutchtown (6-0)
Last week: Beat Union Grove 16-0. Dutchtown was held to less than 100 yards of total offense but held Union Grove to 138 yards and 1-of-9 passing with three interceptions, two by Kemari Anderson. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Jones County (4-2)
4. (8) Calhoun (4-2)
Last week: Beat Cartersville 50-48. Calhoun led 27-7 in the first quarter and didn’t trail until the second overtime but pulled out the victory in the third extra session with a stop on a two-point conversion attempt. Caden Williams rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries. Trey Townsend was 10-of-18 passing for 171 yards and two touchdowns and scored on two QB sneaks. Next: Friday vs. Hiram (3-3)
5. (1) Cartersville (5-1)
Last week: Lost to Calhoun 50-48. Cartesville fell short in its bid to rally from a 27-7 deficit. Malachi Jeffries rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries. Paul Gamble was 18-of-26 passing for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Cass (3-3)
6. (6) Loganville (7-0)
Last week: Beat Eastside 13-10. Loganville stopped Eastside’s fourth-and-goal try from the 2 with 3:30 left. The second half was scoreless. Solomon Leslie rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Next: Friday at Clarke Central (2-4)
7. (5) Kell (5-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Northview (1-5)
8. (7) Coffee (4-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Bradwell Institute (0-5)
9. (NR) Jones County (4-2)
Last week: Beat Eagle's Landing 42-19. Omarion Tucker rushed for 150 yards and five touchdowns on 19 carries. Drew Jones rushed for 105 yards on 16 carries. Eddren Chester caught a 62-yard TD pass. Next: Friday vs. Ola (2-3)
10. (NR) Cambridge (4-2)
Last week: Beat Greater Atlanta Christian 43-13. Christian Isibor rushed for 126 yards on 13 carries. Preston Clemmer was 8-of-11 passing for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Centennial (2-4)
Out: No. 9 Jefferson (4-2), No. 10 Eastside (4-2)
Class 4A
1. (1) Cedartown (6-0)
Last week: Beat Central-Carrollton 39-7. Cedartown outrushed Central 383-40 and held freshman 1,000-yard rusher Jonaz Walton to five yards. Harlem Diamond rushed for 102 yards for Cedartown. Patrick Gardner ran for 86 yards with three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Heritage-Ringgold (6-0)
2. (2) North Oconee (5-0)
Last week: Beat North Hall 70-7. North Oconee had three 100-yard rushers – QB Max Wilson (5-142-3), WR Khalil Barnes (4-117-2) and RB Dominic Elder (17-110-2). Next: Friday at Cedar Shoals (3-3)
3. (3) Perry (5-1)
Last week: Beat Westside-Macon 39-7. Armar Gordon was 10-of-22 passing for 184 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 65 yards. Traveon Wright and Demetrious Carter each had two touchdown receptions. Next: Saturday at Griffin (1-5)
4. (4) Troup (6-0)
Last week: Beat North Clayton 63-0. Cam Cameron rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Troup led 43-0 at halftime. Next: Friday at Riverdale (3-4)
5. (5) Burke County (5-0)
Last week: Game with Wayne County postponed. Next: Friday at Benedictine (3-2)
6. (6) Benedictine (3-2)
Last week: Game with New Hampstead postponed. Next: Friday vs. Burke County (5-0)
7. (8) Whitewater (5-1)
Last week: Beat Fayette County 50-13. Whitewater led 43-7 at halftime and used 12 rushers to get 196 rushing yards. Ty Ellington scored two touchdowns and passed for two touchdowns. Markel Aguirre returned a blocked kick for a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Trinity Christian (4-2)
8. (9) Bainbridge (2-4)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Westover (2-4)
9. (10) Wayne County (4-1)
Last week: Game with Burke County postponed. Next: Friday vs. Islands (0-6)
10. (NR) Heritage-Ringgold (6-0)
Last week: Beat Southeast Whitfield 55-12. Tyler Cheatwood scored on a 70-yard kickoff return, a 100-yard interception return and a 22-yard reception. Heritage also scored on Tanner Hall’s fumble recovery in the end zone caused when Southeast’s quarterback made contact with the back judge. Heritage is ranked for the first time in an AJC/GHSF Daily poll and is 6-0 for the first time since 2017. Next: Friday vs. Cedartown (6-0)
Out: No. 7 Starr’s Mill (4-2)
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (4-2)
Last week: Beat St. John's, D.C., 35-13. Cedar Grove traveled to Washington, D.C., and beat a team with six top-25 national rankings. The Saints took a 21-7 lead midway in the second quarter on Quinterio Lawson’s 32-yard interception return. Elliott Colson passed for two touchdowns and ran for two as Cedar Grove stretched the lead to 35-7 midway in the fourth quarter. Next: Oct 13 vs. Douglass (3-4)
2. (2) Carver-Atlanta (4-1)
Last week: Beat Peach County 8-6. Bryce Bowens threw an 18-yard TD pass to Zyee’k Mender for a 6-6 tie on Carver’s first possession of the second half, and Shoun Bilal ran in the two-point conversion. Bowens was 11-of-25 passing for 166 yards and a touchdown. Bilal rushed for 75 yards. Akiliss Smith had four tackles for losses. Taurin Kemp had two sacks and forced a fumble. Next: Friday vs. Mundy's Mill (5-1)
3. (3) Calvary Day (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Groves (1-5)
4. (4) Sandy Creek (6-1)
Last week: Beat Harris County 33-3. Geimere Latimer was 21-of-31 passing for 273 yards and two touchdowns. Kaleb Cost had six receptions for 95 yards and 61 return yards. Next: Oct. 14 at Carver-Atlanta (4-1)
5. (NR) Hebron Christian (6-0)
Last week: Beat Oconee County 35-28. Gavin Hall rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries and passed for 88 yards, most of that on a 79-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead, and Hebron Christian never trailed. J.T. Hornick intercepted two passes. Drew Faucher had four sacks and two other tackles for losses. Next: Friday vs. Monroe Area (2-4)
6. (8) Dougherty (6-0)
Last week: Beat Crisp County 25-9. Kam Davis rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Jacob Stallworth rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and had five receptions for 48 yards. Next: Friday vs. Columbus (2-4)
7. (9) Stephens County (5-1)
Last week: Beat Monroe Area 27-24. Colton Bartmas kicked a 29-yard field goal to break a 24-24 tie with one second left. Javin Gordon rushed for 156 yards on 28 carries and had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. Next: Friday at Franklin County (0-6)
8. (6) Peach County (3-3)
Last week: Lost to Carver-Atlanta 8-6. Peach County kicked two field goals for a 6-0 lead in the first half but failed to score a touchdown and surrendered the lead in the third quarter. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Mary Persons (4-2)
9. (5) Oconee County (3-3)
Last week: Lost to Hebron Christian 35-28. Oconee County trailed 27-7 in the first half, pulled within 27-21 on an 11-yard run by Mac Ricks with 6:49 left, but got no closer. Ricks passed for 125 yards and rushed for 102. Whit Weeks rushed for 101 yards. Next: Friday vs. Hart County (4-2)
10. (NR) Carver-Columbus (4-1)
Last week: Beat Columbus 45-7. Carver scored the final 45 points after Columbus scored first, won its region opener and re-entered the rankings after a four-week absence. Next: Friday at Thomasville (3-3)
Out: No. 7 Crisp County (3-3), No. 10 Mary Persons (4-2)
Class 2A
1. (1) Fitzgerald (5-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Worth County (6-0)
2. (2) Pierce County (5-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Today at Appling County (2-1)
3. (3) South Atlanta (5-0)
Last week: Beat KIPP Atlanta Collegiate 58-0. Keyjuan Brown rushed for 194 yards on seven carries. Nick Brown returned a punt for a touchdown. Next: Friday at Mount Paran Christian (2-2)
4. (4) Cook (5-1)
Last week: Beat Sumter County 13-7. Jatorian Kennedy rushed for 99 yards on 21 carries, and Drew Folsom scored on two 1-yard runs, the second midway in the fourth quarter to break a 7-7 tie. Cook led 201-158 in total yards. Next: Oct. 14 at Berrien (4-2)
5. (5) Thomson (4-1)
Last week: Beat Josey 54-0. Jontavis Curry rushed for 86 yards and three touchdowns on six carries. Thomson led 48-0 at halftime. Next: Friday at Butler (2-3)
6. (6) Eagle's Landing Christian (2-3)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Redan (2-4)
7. (7) Putnam County (5-1)
Last week: Beat Westside-Augusta 28-0. Freshman QB Branan Griffin was 12-of-13 passing for 158 yards. Tamarion Peters rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Rashod Daniels rushed for 122. D.J. Bland had six receptions for 82 yards. Putnam County had 474 yards on 41 plays. Next: Friday vs. Glenn Hills (2-4)
8. (9) Northeast (4-2)
Last week: Beat Central-Macon 47-0. Nick Woodford rushed for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and caught an 8-yard TD pass. Freshman QB Reginald Glover threw two TD passes. Freshman Kavon Conciauro returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Kendrick (0-6)
9. (NR) Callaway (3-3)
Last week: Beat Columbia 32-12. Qua Whitfield rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries. Callaway led in total yards 435-254. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Towers (0-4-1)
10. (10) Rockmart (3-2)
Last week: Beat Model 48-14. J.D. Davis was 9-of-9 passing for 143 yards and rushed for 41 yards and two touchdowns on five carries. Dennis Sims scored on a punt return and fumble return. Rockmart used 10 ball carriers and five receivers and led 34-7 at halftime. Next: Friday vs. Haralson County (2-4)
Out: No. 8 Columbia (4-2)
Class A Division I
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (5-0)
Last week: Beat Mary Persons 47-14. Aaron Philo was 17-of-22 passing for 227 yards and four touchdowns, two to Bailey Stockton. Josh Britt had five receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown and was named Homecoming King. Next: Friday at Baylor, Tenn. (6-0)
2. (2) Swainsboro (5-0)
Last week: Game with Irwin County canceled. Next: Friday vs. Jefferson County (1-5)
3. (3) Rabun County (6-0)
Last week: Beat Fellowship Christian 21-16. Keegan Stover was 17-of-25 passing for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Jaden Gibson had nine receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Fellowship got within 21-16 with 6:02 left and drove to the Rabun County 42 with 2:14 remaining but was intercepted. Next: Friday at St. Francis (4-2)
4. (4) Bleckley County (6-0)
Last week: Beat Westfield 45-14. Jahvon Butler rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns. T.J. Mays rushed for 123 yards. Bleckley County was just 3-of-13 passing but held Westfield to 83 total yards. Next: Friday vs. Dublin (2-2)
5. (5) Brooks County (4-1)
Last week: Game with Pike Liberal Arts, Ala., canceled. Next: Oct. 14 at Early County (6-0)
6. (6) Irwin County (4-1)
Last week: Game with Swainsboro canceled. Next: Oct. 14 vs. Pelham (2-5)
7. (7) Whitefield Academy (5-1)
Last week: Beat Brookstone 24-7. Ayden Duncanson rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and passed for 75 yards and a touchdown. Caleb LaVallee intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and forced a fumble. Next: Friday vs. Elbert County (6-0)
8. (8) Darlington (6-0)
Last week: Beat Coosa 38-7. Darlington led 38-0 at halftime and held Coosa to 27 rushing yards and one first down. Jack Good was 7-of-8 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Ryland Scott was 5-of-5 on extra points and kicked a 32-yard field goal. Next: Friday at Chattooga (1-5)
9. (9) Elbert County (6-0)
Last week: Beat Mount Vernon 36-7. Quan Moss rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and Marcus Bonds was 9-of-11 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Jermaine Sims had three tackles for losses. Malik Hill returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown. Bonds, Sims and Hill are sophomores. Next: Friday at Whitefield Academy (5-1)
10. (NR) Social Circle (4-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Commerce (4-2)
Out: No. 10 St. Francis (4-2)
Class A Division II
1. (1) Early County (6-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Randolph-Clay (1-4)
2. (2) Clinch County (5-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Lanier County (3-3)
3. (3) Bowdon (5-1)
Last week: Beat St. Francis 23-18. T.J. Harvison rushed for 154 yards on 24 carries. Bowdon led 23-6 entering the fourth quarter. St. Francis got within 23-18 on a 90-yard touchdown pass, but Bowdon ran out the clock. Next: Friday vs. Forest Park (2-4)
4. (4) Johnson County (5-0)
Last week: Beat GMC Prep 48-10. Germivy Tucker rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Johnson County led 28-3 at halftime. Next: Friday at Bacon County (1-5)
5. (5) Washington-Wilkes (5-1)
Last week: Beat Warren County 45-14. Tamari Curry rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Andrew Meech was 10-of-12 passing for 125 yards and three touchdowns, two to Desmond Cofer, who had six receptions for 95 yards. Cofer also intercepted a pass. The score was 14-14 at halftime. Next: Friday vs. Lincoln County (3-2)
6. (6) Charlton County (3-2)
Last week: Game with Dublin canceled. Next: Friday vs. Turner County (1-5)
7. (7) Schley County (4-2)
Last week: Beat Chattahoochee County 29-6. All-state RB/LB Zayden Walker, returning from injury, made his season debut and rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown and returned an interception 60 yards for a TD. Malachi Banks rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Jay Kanazawa was 16-of-26 passing for 170 yards. Next: Oct. 14 at Taylor County (2-4)
8. (8) Dooly County (3-2)
Last week: Beat Wheeler County 47-0. Lorenzo Clayton rushed for 278 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries. Clayton could’ve scored a fifth TD but intentionally stepped out at the 2-yard line late in the game to set up a score by TreDevin Cross, whom Clayton wanted to reward for his return from an ACL injury suffered late last season. [See how it played out here.] Ja’Tyler Lundy had 10 tackles, two for losses, and recovered a fumble. Next: Friday at Treutlen (0-6)
9. (9) Aquinas (4-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Towns County (1-4)
10. (10) McIntosh County Academy (5-1)
Last week: Beat Atkinson County 20-8. JaReese Campbell rushed for 129 yards, Laderrious West ran for 101, and Demonte Stokes rushed for 95. Atkinson County’s touchdown came on a first-quarter fumble return. Next: Friday vs. Jenkins County (4-2)