Thanks to its first ever state championship, North Gwinnett football finished the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state in the final Georgia Sports Writers Association High School Football Poll, released Tuesday. The Bulldogs defeated Colquitt County 19-17 in the state championship game in Suwanee for their first ever crown.
Meanwhile, Rabun County, Buford and Jefferson also finished inside their respective classifications' top 10, while Mill Creek, Flowery Branch, East Hall and Commerce all received votes in the rankings.
The Wildcats, Class AA runners-up, are No. 2 in the rankings after a historic season that saw them fall only to Hapeville Charter, 35-23, in the state championship -- the program's previous best finish was in the state quarterfinals.
Buford, meanwhile, is No. 3 in Class AAAAA after falling to Rome in the state semifinals.
And Jefferson is No. 8 in Class AAAA after reaching the state quarterfinals onlt to fall to Mary Persons on the road.
The Associated Press 2017 Georgia Football Prep Poll
Final 2017 Rankings
The Top Ten teams in the Georgia Sports Writers Association High School Football Poll of the 2017 season with first-place votes in parentheses total points and rank last season at right (area teams in bold):
Class AAAAAAA
1. North Gwinnett (13) 130 7
2. Colquitt County 114 9
3. McEachern 87 NR
4. Brookwood 85 8
5. Archer 81 2
6. Tift County 60 T4
7. Parkview 37 NR
8. Lowndes 33 1
9. Marietta 31 NR
10.Grayson 30 3
Others receiving votes: Mill Creek 6, Milton 4, Hillgrove 2, Newton 1, Woodstock 1
Dropped out: South Forsyth (6), Walton (t4), Milton (10).
Class AAAAAA
1. Lee County (13) 130 3
2. Coffee 117 6
3. Tucker 98 1
4. Glynn Academy 94 9
5. Mays 70 2
6. Alpharetta 54 NR
7. Allatoona 50 10
8. Harrison 48 8
9. Douglas Co. 20 T4
10.Northside-Warner Robins 18 T4
Others receiving votes: Dacula 9, Centennial 3, Brunswick 2, Evans 2, Richmond Hill 1
Dropped out: Brunswick (7).
Class AAAAA
1. Rome (13) 130 1
2. Warner Robins 110 4
3. Buford 107 3
4. Stockbridge 87 2
5. Carver-Atlanta 83 6
6. Jones County 59 7
7. Carrollton 48 10
8. Starr's Mill 41 8
9. Wayne County 22 9
10.Ware County 10 NR
Others receiving votes: Griffin 4, Eagle's Landing 3, Flowery Branch 3, Arabia Mountain 2, Bainbridge 2
Dropped out: Griffin (5).
Class AAAA
1. Blessed Trinity (13) 130 7
2. Marist 117 4
3. Mary Persons 89 NR
4. St. Pius X 82 NR
5. Cartersville 64 1
6. Burke County 58 3
(tie)Woodward Academy 58 6
8. Jefferson 49 9
9. Thomson 43 5
10.Cedartown 9 8
Others receiving votes: Ridgeland 8, Troup 5, Americus-Sumter 2, Eastside-Covington 1
Dropped out: Ridgeland (2), Heritage-Catoosa (10).
Class AAA
1. Calhoun (12) 129 5
2. Peach County (1) 118 3
3. Cedar Grove 99 1
4. Greater Atlanta Christian 95 2
5. Jenkins-Savannah 66 4
6. Liberty County 51 NR
(tie) Westminster 51 NR
8. Pike County 46 NR
9. Monroe Area 21 8
10.Crisp County 16 6
Others receiving votes: Lovett 8, East Hall 6, Westside-Macon 3, Bremen 2, Cook 2, Pierce County 2
Dropped out: Morgan County (7), Bremen (9), Lovett (10).
Class AA
1. Hapeville Charter (12) 129 4
2. Rabun County (1) 117 5
3. Heard County 98 6
4. Brooks County 87 8
5. Benedictine 78 1
6. Thomasville 68 3
7. Screven County 55 2
8. Callaway 38 9
9. Dodge County 15 7
10.Jefferson County 10 10
Others receiving votes: Toombs County 9, Rockmart 8, Pepperell 2
Dropped out: None.
Class A (public)
1. Clinch County (13) 130 8
2. Irwin County 117 4
3. Emanuel County Institute 97 5
(tie) Mt. Zion-Carroll 97 NR
5. Manchester 76 3
6. Macon County 61 10
7. Charlton County 57 NR
8. Mitchell County 31 NR
9. Marion 12 NR
(tie)Schley County 12 NR
Others receiving votes: Lincoln County 10, Pelham 8, Dooly County 5, Washington-Wilkes 3, Commerce 1
Dropped out: None.
Class A (Private)
1. Eagle's Landing Christian (13) 130 1
2. Athens Academy 117 6
3. Mount Paran Christian 95 3
4. Prince Avenue Christian 85 7
5. Stratford Academy 69 NR
6. Calvary Day 50 NR
7. Darlington 37 NR
8. Savannah Country Day 36 NR
9. Wesleyan 19 9
10.Aquinas 11 NR
Others receiving votes: Mt. Pisgah 4, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 3, Whitefield Academy 3,
Dropped out: None.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/12/617977/north-gwinnett-no-1-rabun-no-2-buford-no-3-in-final-rankings-jefferson-8th