Football: Four area teams ranked in preseason poll

Four area teams made their respective top 10s in the preseason rankings released by the Georgia Sports Writers Association this week.

Buford, Commerce, Jefferson and Rabun County each enter the 2018 season with big expectations, including second place spots for the Wolves and Wildcats.

Rabun County ended the 2017 season as Class 2A runner-up and finds itself No. 2 again, behind state champ Hapeville Charter.

Buford, which reached the Class 5A semifinals last season, is currently No. 2 in the rankings, behind only two-time defending state champ Rome.

After dropping down from Class 4A, Jefferson sees itself enter the Class 3A rankings at No. 6, as the Dragons prepare to challenge in Region 8-3A.

And in Class A Public, perennial power Commerce kicks off the campaign at No. 7.

The Associated Press 2018 Georgia Football Prep Poll
Preseason 2018 Rankings

The Top Ten teams in the Georgia Sports Writers Association High School Football Poll for the 2018 preseason (Area tams in bold):

Class 7A
1. Grayson
2. Colquitt County
3. North Gwinnett
4. Archer
5. McEachern
6. Marietta
7. Walton
tie, Lowndes
9. Tift County
10. Brookwood

Class 6A
1. Lee County
2. Tucker
3. Coffee
4. Northside-Warner Robins 
5. Mays
6. Glynn Academy
7. Allatoona 
8. Valdosta 
9. Alpharetta
10. Douglas County

Class 5A
1. Rome
2. Buford 
3. Warner Robins
4. Stockbridge
5. Carrollton 
6. Jones County
7. Carver-Atlanta
8. Wayne County 
9. Ware County
10. Starr's Mill 

Class 4A
1. Blessed Trinity
2. Marist 
3. Cartersville
4. Mary Persons 
5. Woodward Academy
6. St. Pius X  
7. Burke County
8. Thomson
9. Cedartown
10. Ridgeland

Class 3A
1. Calhoun 
2. Greater Atlanta Christian
3. Cedar Grove
4. Peach County
5. Benedictine 
6. Jefferson 
7. Lovett
8. Liberty County
9. Westminster
10. Jenkins-Savannah

Class 2A
1. Hapeville Charter
2. Rabun County
3. Heard County
4. Brooks County
5. Thomasville 
6. Callaway
7. Dodge County 
8. Jefferson County
9. Screven County
10. FItzgerald
tie, Bremen

Class A (public)
1. Clinch County
2. Irwin County
3. Emanuel County Institute
4. Mt. Zion-Carroll
5. Macon County 
6. Manchester
7. Commerce
8. Charlton County

Class A (Private)
1. Eagle's Landing Christian
2. Athens Academy
3. Prince Avenue Christian 
4. Mount Paran Christian
5. Calvary Day
6. Wesleyan
7. Darlington 
8. Savannah Country Day

Rabun County's Austin Jones surges upfield in a game played last season. The Wildcats enter 2018 ranked second in Class 2A.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/8/703029/football-four-area-teams-ranked-in-preseason-poll