Buford, Flowery Branch and Gainesville are each inside the top 10 in their respective classes, while Jefferson, Dawson County, East Jackson and North Gwinnett each received votes.
The Wolves enter the 2012 season in Class AAA as the No. 2 team, just one vote behind Peach County for the top spot. Buford ended the 2011 season as Class AA runner-up.
The Falcons and Red Elephants both moved up to Region 8-AAAAA this offseason and are ranked No. 6 and No. 9, respectively, in Class AAAAA. Flowery Branch is coming off a Class AAAA quarterfinal appearance, while Gainesville reached the Class AAA semifinals in 2011.
All three teams -- and most of the state -- get the 2012 season underway on Friday, Aug. 31. There are several contests this Friday, including West Hall at Johnson, East Hall at Dawson County and Murphy, N.C., at Fannin County.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PREP FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Georgia high school football preseason poll of the 2012 season with first-place votes in parentheses, win-loss record, total points and position last week at right:
Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Eagle's Landing Christian (4) 0-0 83 -
2. Lincoln County (1) 0-0 73 -
3. Landmark Christian 0-0 72 -
4. Savannah Christian Prep. (5) 0-0 67 -
5. Wilcox County 0-0 56 -
6. Wilkinson County 0-0 35 -
7. Calvary Day 0-0 27 -
8. Prince Avenue Christian 0-0 24 -
9. Aquinas 0-0 19 -
10. Charlton County 0-0 17 -
Others receiving votes: Mount Paran Christian 16, Darlington 13, Clinch County 11, Seminole County 11, Dooly County 8, Emanuel County Institute 8, George Walton 5, Marion County 4, Warren County 1.
Class AA
Record Pts Prv
1. Calhoun (9) 0-0 99 -
2. Lamar County (1) 0-0 74 -
3. Fitzgerald 0-0 69 -
4. Cook 0-0 55 -
5. Dublin 0-0 51 -
6. Brooks County 0-0 50 -
7. Lovett 0-0 34 -
8. Westminster 0-0 27 -
9. Greater Atlanta Christian 0-0 20 -
10. Bremen 0-0 18 -
Others receiving votes: Thomasville 17, Wesleyan 14, Jefferson 12, Bowdon 5, McIntosh County Academy 2, Vidalia 1, Laney 1, Early County 1.
Class AAA
Record Pts Prv
1. Peach County (5) 0-0 95 -
2. Buford (4) 0-0 92 -
3. Carver-Columbus (1) 0-0 81 -
4. St. Pius X 0-0 64 -
5. Washington County 0-0 47 -
6. Elbert County 0-0 39 -
7. North Oconee 0-0 27 -
8. Appling County 0-0 23 -
9. Cedar Grove 0-0 21 -
(tie) Jefferson County 0-0 21 -
Others receiving votes: Thomson 19, Cartersville 6, Blessed Trinity 5, Pierce County 3, Adairsville 3, Dawson County 2, Henry County 1, East Jackson 1.
Class AAAA
Record Pts Prv
1. Sandy Creek (5) 0-0 92 -
(tie) Burke County (5) 0-0 92 -
3. Cairo 0-0 72 -
4. Carrollton 0-0 67 -
5. Baldwin 0-0 35 -
(tie) Marist 0-0 35 -
(tie) Statesboro 0-0 35 -
8. Griffin 0-0 25 -
9. Stockbridge 0-0 16 -
10. Westside-Macon 0-0 12 -
(tie) Stephens County 0-0 12 -
(tie) Perry 0-0 12 -
Others receiving votes: Mary Persons 10, Monroe 7, Jonesboro 7, Dalton 7, North Clayton 5, Ridgeland 3, Grady 3, LaGrange 3.
Class AAAAA
Record Pts Prv
1. Tucker (6) 0-0 93 -
2. Northside-Warner Robins (4) 0-0 90 -
3. Kell 0-0 64 -
4. East Paulding 0-0 45 -
5. MLK Jr. 0-0 42 -
6. Flowery Branch 0-0 41 -
7. Warner Robins 0-0 33 -
(tie)Stephenson 0-0 33 -
9. Gainesville 0-0 31 -
10. Ware County 0-0 24 -
(tie) Allatoona 0-0 24 -
Others receiving votes: Thomas County Central 18, Northgate 8, Pope 2, Clarke Central 1, Conyers (Heritage) 1.
Class AAAAAA
Record Pts Prv
1. Grayson (10) 0-0 100 -
2. Walton 0-0 78 -
3. Colquitt County 0-0 66 -
4. Camden County 0-0 59 -
5. Lassiter 0-0 50 -
6. Norcross 0-0 35 -
7. Hillgrove 0-0 31 -
8. Lowndes 0-0 30 -
9. Brookwood 0-0 21 -
10. Valdosta 0-0 18 -
Others receiving votes: Lovejoy 15, Peachtree Ridge 13, North Gwinnett 11, McEachern 9, Dacula 6, Alpharetta 4, Marietta 3, Etowah 1.
Buford and Gainesville square off during the 2011 season.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/8/251978