Appling County Tops Class 3A Rankings

Appling County is the No. 1 high school football team in the AJC Varsity Class 3A rankings. The Pirates achieved the top spot on Sunday after defeating previous leader Toombs County 11-7 on Friday. This is the second time the school has held the No. 1 position in recent rankings.

In 2024, Appling County also rose to the top of the standings. The Pirates defeated No. 1 Pierce County during the final two games of that regular season. They subsequently lost their next matchup against Fitzgerald.

The Appling County squad currently holds a 9-0 record. They have one game remaining in the season. That contest is scheduled against No. 3 Pierce County. A victory in that game would secure an outright Region 3-3A title for the Pirates.

Other teams in Class 3A saw shifts in their standing. Toombs County dropped to the No. 2 position after the loss. Pierce County holds the No. 3 slot. Northeast is ranked No. 4, and Columbia sits at No. 5. The top ten list includes Hapeville Charter at No. 7, Hart County at No. 8, Rockmart at No. 9, and Worth County at No. 10.

Across other classifications, Buford leads the Class 7A rankings with a 9-0 record. Carrollton and Newton follow at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. In Class 6A, Thomas County Central is the No. 1 team. They are 9-0. Creekside is second, and Lee County is third.

Cartersville and Blessed Trinity are tied for the top spot in Class 5A. Both schools are 9-0. Marist is third in that division. In Class 4A, Sandy Creek is the No. 1 team with a 9-0 record. Peach County and Troup are tied for second place, also at 9-0.

Heard County leads the Class 2A rankings with a 9-0 record. Thomasville and Dublin are tied for second at 8-1. In Class A, Johnson County is the No. 1 team. They are 9-0. Lincoln County is second, and Randolph-Clay is third. Private school leader Prince Avenue Christian is 8-0 in the Class 4A-2A division.