Football: Buford, Branch, N. Gwinnett all ranked in preseason

Three area football teams will enter the 2011 season ranked amongst the top 10 in their respective classes.

Buford, Flowery Branch and North Gwinnett each claimed a top 10 spot in the preseason Associated Press prep football poll released Tuesday. Gainesville and Stephens County also received votes.

The Wolves, four-time defending Class AA champs, open the '11 campaign on Friday as the No. 1 team in Class AA. Buford will travel to face Blessed Trinity in Roswell.

Flowery Branch came in at No. 5 in Class AAAA. The Falcons reached the second round of the state playoffs in 2010 and will open their season Aug. 26 against Madison County at home.

Meanwhile, North Gwinnett enters the fall ranked eighth in Class AAAAA. The Bulldogs also reached the second round in 2010 and will open their season on Saturday against McEachern in the Kell Classic in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

-- NOTE: Be sure to catch Access North Georgia's 2011 High School Football Season Preview, coming Friday. ... Also be sure to check Access on Wednesday to catch WDUN SportsTalk's final installment of the 2011 season preview. The show will be webcast live beginning at 12:36 p.m.

Georgia Prep Football Poll

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Georgia high school football polls of the 2011 season with first-place votes in parentheses, win-loss record, total points and last year's final ranking:

Class A
1. Clinch County (4) 0-0 94 1
2. Eagle's Landing (5) 0-0 87 3
3. Savannah Christian Prep. 0-0 76 2
4. Wesleyan 0-0 54 4
5. Wilkinson County 0-0 51 5
6. Wilcox County 0-0 50 6
7. Lincoln County 0-0 39 7
8. Emanuel County Institute 0-0 33 8
9. Charlton County (1) 0-0 26 NR
10. Darlington 0-0 21 10
Others receiving votes: Johnson County 8, Brookstone 4, Bowdon 2, Hawkinsville 1, Marion County 1, Aquinas 1, First Presbyterian Day 1, Bremen 1.

Class AA
1. Buford (9) 0-0 99 1
2. Calhoun 0-0 86 2
3. Carver-Columbus (1) 0-0 79 3
4. Cook 0-0 68 4
5. Greater Atlanta Christian 0-0 47 10
6. Fitzgerald 0-0 45 5
7. Dublin 0-0 29 NR
8. Westminster 0-0 27 8
9. Brooks County 0-0 22 9
10. Swainsboro 0-0 15 NR
Others receiving votes: Thomasville 8, Jefferson County 8, Lovett 4, Putnam County 3, Callaway 3, Lamar County 2, Elbert County 2, Laney 1, Pepperell 1, Vidalia 1.

Class AAA
1. Sandy Creek (8) 0-0 97 1
2. Carrollton (1) 0-0 85 2
3. Cairo (1) 0-0 79 4
4. Peach County 0-0 73 3
5. St. Pius X 0-0 52 8
6. Burke County 0-0 40 5
7. Allatoona 0-0 30 NR
8. Baldwin 0-0 28 9
9. Cedar Grove 0-0 24 7
10.Eastside 0-0 12 NR
Others receiving votes: Eastside 12, Grady 11, Gainesville 4, Monroe Area 3, Spalding 3, Thomson 2, Ridgeland 2, Columbia 1, Cartersville 1, Washington County 1, Stephens County 1.

Class AAAA
1. Tucker (6) 0-0 90 4
2. Statesboro (2) 0-0 78 3
3. Northside-Warner Robins (1) 0-0 77 NR
4. Chattahoochee (1) 0-0 50 1
5. Flowery Branch 0-0 46 NR
6. Brunswick 0-0 41 NR
7. Ware County 0-0 40 8
8. Starr's Mill 0-0 32 2
9. Kell 0-0 30 5
10. East Paulding 0-0 26 6
Others receiving votes: Marist 12, Clarke Central 8, Dutchtown 4, Griffin 3, Bainbridge 3, Lambert 3, Creekside 2, Dunwoody 2, Northgate 2, Whitewater 1, Pope 1.

Class AAAAA
1. Brookwood (8) 0-0 97 1
2. Camden County (1) 0-0 83 9
3. Lowndes 0-0 75 6
4. Grayson 0-0 60 3
5. Colquitt County (1) 0-0 58 2
6. McEachern 0-0 46 10
7. Stephenson 0-0 45 NR
8. North Gwinnett 0-0 32 7
9. Hillgrove 0-0 19 5
10. MLK Jr. 0-0 8 NR
Others receiving votes: Collins Hill 7, Peachtree Ridge 6, Valdosta 5, Walton 4, Mill Creek 2, Norcross 2, Etowah 1.