TIFTON — The Associated Press preseason football polls for Georgia high schools was released Tuesday and the Tift County Blue Devils will begin the year ranked sixth in Class AAAAA.
Coach Jay Walls’ team has plenty of familiar names as company. Out of the seven teams in Region 1-AAAAA, every squad with the exception of the Colquitt County Packers received at least one vote by the seven-member polling board.
Besides Tift at No. 6, Warner Robins comes in at No. 4. Lowndes is also in the top 10 at No. 8. Coffee, Houston County and Valdosta all received votes from the sports writers.
“Everyone is that good,” said Walls. “Our region will be very competitive again, because every region game will be tough.”
Tift is preparing to face the Southside (Atlanta) Lasers this week in the preseason scrimmage. Southside is a Class AAA team and Walls feels the Lasers are very athletic.
The scrimmage will be Friday at Brodie Field at 8 p.m.
Tift played a “Soap Game” scrimmage this past Friday at home. While the team battled each other on the field, fans were asked to bring in bars of soap, laundry detergent and towels for the Devils to use during the 2007 season.
“I wanted to thank the community for their support last Friday,” said Walls. “Everyone that came in donated something and now we have a tremendous amount of towels, laundry soap and bars of soap. It will be a big help to us.”
Besides the Devils, there were other teams from the Tiftarea that received notice in the AP polls.
The Cook High Hornets will come in at No. 9 in the Class AA poll. Also receiving votes were the Fitzgerald High Purple Hurricanes.
In Class A, Turner is ranked fifth in the preseason, while the Irwin County Indians received votes.
The Georgia High School Top 10
By The Associated Press
The Associated Press Georgia high school 2007 preseason football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points.
Class AAAAA
1. Roswell (6) 67
2. Norcross 53
3. Peachtree Ridge 47
4. Warner Robins 42
5. Camden County (1) 36
6. Tift County 31
7. North Gwinnett 28
8. Lowndes 18
9. Brookwood 17
10. Stephenson 16
Others receiving votes: Coffee, Houston County, Union Grove, Valdosta, East Coweta, M.L. King, Parkview.
Class AAAA
1. Northside-Warner Robins (7) 70
2. Marist 61
3. St. Pius X 31
4. Thomas County Central 27
5. Griffin 26
tie Tucker 26
7. Statesboro 22
8. East Paulding 21
9. Creekside 20
10. Starr’s Mill 18
Others receiving votes: Habersham Central, Rome, Dacula, Ware County, Bainbridge, Baldwin, Dalton, Brunswick.
Class AAA
1. Peach County (7) 70
2. Carver-Columbus 52
3. Shaw 47
4. Cartersville 41
5. Hart County 38
6. Washington County 34
7. Carrollton 28
8. LaGrange 27
9. Cairo 9
10. Monroe 8
Others receiving votes: Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Grady, North Hall, Stephens County, Thomson, Cass, Riverwood.
Class AA
1. Charlton County (4) 66
2. Dublin (1) 63
3. Buford (2) 54
4. Early County 42
5. Calhoun 34
6. Greater Atlanta Christian 32
7. Lovett 21
8. Washington-Wilkes 15
9. Cook 11
10. Greene County 9
tie Heard County 9
Others receiving votes: Bleckley County, Jefferson County, Fitzgerald, Dodge County, Pepperell, Thomasville.
Class A
1. Lincoln County (7) 70
2. Clinch County 57
3. Athens Academy 49
4. Commerce 47
5. Turner County 41
6. Hawkinsville 39
7. Wilcox County 20
8. Pacelli 16
9. Warren County 12
10. Johnson County 10
Others receiving votes: Seminole County, Irwin County, Emanuel County Institute, Eagles Landing Christian, Bowdon.
————
Polling board members:
The Brunswick News, Kevin Price
The Daily Tribune News (Cartersville), Joseph Myers
Gwinnett Daily Post, Will Hammock
Rome News-Tribune, Jim O’Hara
The Times (Gainesville), Brent Holloway
Thomasville Times-Enterprise, Clint Thompson
The Tifton Gazette, Steve Carter
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