Improvement Tracker: North Clayton, Burnett off to hot start
Cap Burnett, coach of alma mater North Clayton, leads the most improved winning team in the state after the first week of games, according to GHSF Daily’s opening Improvement Tracker sponsored by Hudl.
North Clayton defeated Riverdale 44-28 on Saturday to avenge a 69-0 loss from 2022. North Clayton finished 1-9 with an average score of 48-5 last season, so Burnett’s Eagles are off to an unexpected and rousing start.
Also best in class after one week are Westlake, Lanier, Hiram, Douglass, McNair, Bryan County, Portal and St. Andrew’s.
All except Portal avenged a 2022 defeat last week. Portal, under third-year coach Jason McEachin, beat Hawkinsville 26-0 after winning only 21-20 last season. Portal was winless in 2020 and 2021 before earning four wins in 2022.
The other avenging winners last week were Westlake over North Cobb, Lanier over South Forsyth, Hiram over Paulding County, Douglass over Mays, McNair over Northview, Bryan County over Lincoln County and St. Andrew’s over Thomas Jefferson Academy.
The Improvement Tracker is based on an objective formula that uses current and historical computer Maxwell Ratings. Improvement from 2022 counts most, but the formula also considers previous years to discourage rewarding traditionally strong teams that simply bounce back from a down year.
The Improvement Tracker will be updated each Wednesday and culminate in awards presented to nine head coaches in February at the GACA Falcons Luncheon in Macon. To qualify, teams must have a winning record, make the playoffs and improve on their playoff advancement or seeding from 2022.
The 2022 winners were Joey King of Carrollton, Justin Rogers of Thomas County Central, Andrew Oropeza of Northside of Columbus, Jaybo Shaw of Wayne County, Heath Webb of Lumpkin County, Joe Kegler of Spencer, Frank Barden of St. Francis, Keldrick Burkie of Wilkinson County and Jacob Lord of Robert Toombs Academy.
Class 7A
+9.87 - Westlake (Rico Zackery)
+7.36 - Walton (Daniel Brunner)
+6.52 - Norcross (Keith Maloof)
+6.52 - Mountain View (John Poitevent)
+6.51 - Osborne (Luqman Salam)
Class 6A
+8.82 - Lanier (Tyler Maloof)
+6.66 - Roswell (Chris Prewett)
+6.20 - Creekview (Trevor Williams)
+5.52 - Rockdale County (Kenderrick Bonner)
+5.19 - Mundy's Mill (Earthwind Moreland)
Class 5A
+7.46 - Hiram (Pete Fominaya)
+6.44 - Northgate (Mike McDonald)
+4.35 – Heritage-Conyers (Ryan Andrews)
+3.89 - Tucker (Wayne Jones)
+3.75 - Greater Atlanta Christian (Tim Hardy)
Class 4A
+19.68 - North Clayton (Cap Burnett)
+8.79 - Baldwin (Jesse Hicks)
+4.62 - Southeast Bulloch (Jared Zito)
+4.19 - North Oconee (Tyler Aurandt)
+4.14 - East Hall (Matt Turner)
Class 3A
+7.56 - Douglass (Stanley Pritchett)
+5.01 - Pickens (Grant Myers)
+4.61 - Thomasville (Jonathan DeLay)
+3.67 - Savannah Country Day (John Mohring)
+3.60 - Sandy Creek (Darius Smiley)
Class 2A
+13.34 - McNair (Mario Drayton)
+11.23 - Providence Christian (John Russ)
+6.34 - Union County (Michael Perry)
+5.61 - Fitzgerald (Tucker Pruitt)
+5.35 - ACE Charter (Keith Hatcher)
Class A Division I
+9.69 - Bryan County (Cherard Freeman)
+6.59 - Jasper County (Ashley Henderson)
+6.45 - East Laurens (Bin Turner)
+5.57 - Elbert County (Shannon Jarvis)
+5.53 - Coosa (Joey Mathis)
Class A Division II
+7.73 - Portal (Jacon McEachin)
+5.63 - Macon County (Dexter Copeland)
+5.40 - Wheeler County (Britt Ingle)
+4.73 - Marion County (Billy Law)
+3.56 - Aquinas (James Leonard)
GIAA
+14.31 - St. Andrew's (Kevin Prisant)
+11.69 - Flint River Academy (Kirk Hoffman)
+8.97 - Strong Rock Christian (Myron Jackson)
+8.86 - Loganville Christian (Nathan Murphy)
+6.01 - Bulloch Academy (Aaron Phillips)
