Week 7 notebook: Unbeaten, unranked area teams; Commerce's Tolbert hits milestone

If you’re halfway through the regular season and unbeaten would you rather have the recognition of being ranked or continue to fly under the radar?

North Hall (5-0, 3-0 in Region 8-4A) and East Forsyth (4-0, 2-0 in Region 8-4A) both find themselves in that position in Class 4A. East Jackson (5-0, 0-0 in Region 8-2A) is in the same spot in Class 2A.

That trio of northeast Georgia-area teams are part of 14 teams overall across the state scattered among the eight Georgia High School Association classifications that are unbeaten and unranked as we enter Week 7 of the 2023 campaign. 

So, we posed that question to Broncos head coach Brian Allison and Eagles head coach Cameron Pettus.

“I would rather be the underdog and fly under the radar, honestly,” Allison said. “Rankings don’t mean much because of the playoffs. You see high-ranked teams get beat all the time once the playoffs start.

“Now, if we had beaten a top 10 team or two, yea, maybe we should be ranked. But we haven’t -- yet.”

Pettus was of much the same opinion.

“I didn’t realize there were that many unbeaten teams that are unranked. But for us, we really don’t care much about the rankings,” he said. “We’ve been working hard for five years to get to this point and that’s all we’re focused on. Just getting better each day, each week is where our attention is.

“If we keep winning, I’m sure that’ll take care of itself."

Among the more notable programs that are unbeaten and still unranked around the state are Harrison (6-0) in Class 7A, a state title winner as recently as 2019. Lambert (5-0) out of Forsyth County is also perfect so far but has yet to crack the rankings in Class 7A as well.

AIN’T THAT A KICK!

Ivy Tolbert will most certainly make her living in the future on the soccer pitch. The senior and Cornell-commit in soccer has over 200 goals in her career for the Lady Tigers, with one more season to go. But she’s no slouch on the football field as well.

She had 8 points last week for the football team, making a career-long 32-yard field goal and 5 PATs to claim her 100th career point for the Tigers in a 38-21 victory over Banks County. She could be a secret weapon for the Tigers as they try to win their first region title since 2020. She has two game-winning field goals in her three-year career.

"We have a tremendous amount of confidence in her," Commerce coach Mark Hollars said. "She has hit from beyond 40 in practice. We're very, very comfortable with taking a field goal inside the the 40 at any time with her."

POWERING FORWARD

Region 8-2A has gone 23-5 in non-region play (.821) so far, which is the best winning-percentage for any region in all classifications of the GHSA. The next closest region statewide is Region 4-7A (22-8, .733).

The region has gone 7-2 vs. higher-classification teams with both losses coming to ranked teams.

Banks County (4-1) plays host to East Jackson (5-0) tonight to open region play. The rest of the region has one more week of non-region play before they enter the playoff chase.

Fellowship Christian (3-2) is tied for 6th in 2A in the latest AccessWDUN/Friday Game Night composite poll and made the semifinals last year. Union County (4-1) made the second round of the playoffs last season. But East Jackson and Providence Christian (4-0) have looked strong in the early going in 2023. Athens Academy (3-2) is ranked 10th in 2A.

It could be one of the more competitive regions in the area over the final half of the season.

STATE LEADERS

A week after four area runners were in the top 10 in rushing, only one remained and just two in the top 15 this week in rushing statewide. Two area runners lead their classifications and seven are in the top 33 after Week 6, all classifications, according to the comprehensive stats released by Georgia High School Football Daily on Friday.

Mason Sullens of Lumpkin County now leads Class 3A and climbed to 2nd in the state overall with 919 yards, just 14 yards behind state and Class 7A leader David Eziomume of North Cobb (933 yards).

Jackson County’s MJ Spurlin still leads Class 6A with 706 yards despite playing just one play last week as he tries to nurse a sore ankle. He sits 22nd overall. Gainesville’s Gavin Hall, meanwhile, is now 2nd in Class 6A with 695 yards and is 25th overall.

Tysean Wiggins of Commerce moved up to 15th overall with 744 yards and is within 100 yards of Class A Division 1 leader Austin Clemons of Bryan County (845 yards). His teammate Jaiden Daniels jumped up 19 spots to 21st and now has 713 yards.

Stephens County’s Javin Gordon is now 17th with 734 yards after the Indians were off last week. Also in Class 3A, Elijiah Hayes of West Hall sits 23rd with 701 yards.

In passing, only three area quarterbacks have thrown for over 1,000 yards. Union County’s Caiden Tanner, whose Panthers were off last week, still tops the area list in 14th with 1,214 yards. He is still 2nd in Class 2A behind Skyler Williams of North Murray, who has 1,272 yards.

Buford’s Dylan Raiola is 33rd with 1,026 yards and Rabun County’s Ty Truelove is 37th with 1,004 yards.

With the off-week, Tanner’s teammate, Jensen Goble, dropped to 7th in the state overall with 589 yards receiving, and is 2nd in Class 2A behind state and Class 2A leader Judson Petty of North Murray, who has 707 yards.

Willie Goodwyn of Rabun County is 10th overall with 557 yards but is 2nd in Class A Division 1, now just 66 yards off the pace of Bryson Campbell of Athens Christian (623 yards). Jeremiah Ware of Flowery Branch is 15th overall after a huge game last week with 507 yards and East Jackson’s Braxton Goolsby is 30th with 450 yards.