Improvement Tracker: Regular-season leaders still on top after first round
GHSF Daily each week will rank the top five teams and their head coaches in each classification based on their improvement in the computer Maxwell Ratings from previous seasons, but with some exclusions. Only teams with winning records will be listed. In the end, each team and coach must also make the playoffs and improve playoff seeding or state playoff finish from the previous year to qualify. The objective is to recognize not only improvement but also the challenge of making a struggling program relevant on the state level or taking a good program to the next level. After the season, GHSF Daily will present an award, sponsored by Hudl, to the nine coaches who lead their classifications. The recognition will take place at the GACA Falcons Luncheon on Feb. 6 in Macon.
Class 7A
+17.85 - Peachtree Ridge (Matt Helmerich)
+13.11 - Osborne (Luqman Salam)
+6.56 - Walton (Daniel Brunner)
+4.15 - McEachern (Kareem Reid)
+2.20 - Duluth (Cam Jones)
Class 6A
+22.48 - Douglas County (Johnny White)
+19.43 - Thomas County Central (Justin Rogers)
+12.55 - Jonesboro (Timothy Floyd)
+11.18 - Dunwoody (Michael Nash)
+11.12 - East Paulding (Chris Hirschfield)
Class 5A
+22.38 - Harris County (Tommy Watson)
+20.06 - Hiram (Pete Fominaya)
+18.18 - Coffee (Mike Coe)
+10.72 - Chapel Hill (Brad Stephens)
+7.64 - Dalton (Kit Carpenter)
Class 4A
+24.02 - Spalding (Carl Kearney)
+8.87 - Luella (Craig Coleman)
+8.25 - Central-Carrollton (Umbrah Brown)
+8.15 - Stockbridge (Thomas Clark)
+6.56 - East Forsyth (Brian Allison)
Class 3A
+16.94 - Lumpkin County (Heath Webb)
+15.12 - Morgan County (Clint Jenkins)
+14.56 - Mary Persons (Brian Nelson)
+10.89 - Calvary Day (Mark Stroud)
+9.16 - Upson-Lee (Justin Elder)
Class 2A
+18.89 - Providence Christian (John Russ)
+16.08 - Toombs County (Buddy Martin)
+14.92 - Therrell (B.J. Jamison)
+9.39 - Columbia (Greg Barnett)
+7.21 - Spencer (Joseph Kegler)
Class A Division I
+16.85 - Bryan County (Cherard Freeman)
+10.33 - Commerce (Mark Hollars)
+4.15 - Trion (Sean Patrick)
+-2.18 - Mount Vernon (Wayne Dabbs)
+-2.55 - Dade County (Jeff Poston)
Class A Division II
+23.77 - Portal (Jason McEachin)
+20.34 - Greene County (Terrance Banks)
+9.48 - Hawkinsville (Tim Suttles)
+9.23 - Macon County (Dexter Copeland)
+7.53 - Jenkins County (Charley Waters)
GIAA
+34.72 - Flint River Academy (Kirk Hoffman)
+14.91 - Bulloch Academy (Aaron Phillips)
+11.03 - Bethlehem Christian (Bruce Lane)
+8.94 - Valwood (Brad Wells)
+4.63 - Strong Rock Christian (Myron Jackson)
