High school football 2023: The Sports Report's preseason Central Georgia polls (plus last year's final rankings)

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Once again, it looks like the best high school football in Central Georgia will be played in Houston County.

          Three of the top four teams in The Sports Report’s Division I (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A) poll are from there, led by Houston County, which finished No. 1 last year.

          Perry is second and Warner Robins are second and fourth, mainly thanks to Perry getting quarterback Colton Ginn from Peach County to replace standout Armar Gordon Jr. and the major transition on the coaching staff at Warner Robins.

          Northeast tops Division II (AA, A, GIAA), boosted by a lot of young experience, including running back Nick Woodford.

          GIAA 3A champ John Milledge, amid a 50-game winning streak, drops from No. 1 to end last season to No. 6. Lose players like 3A player of the year Briggs Eady, Baylen Zielinski, Tyler Green, Banks Eady, to name a few, and there are question marks.

The Trojans are still the team (that’s tough) to beat in the GIAA.

          Matchups like Mary Persons-Northeast and Northside-Jones County at Saturday’s Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Classic at Mercer will shake things up a bit, as may Friday night meetings of Baldwin-Peach County, Bleckley County-Dodge County, and Warner Robins-Lee County.

2023

Central Georgia preseason polls

Division I

(Class 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A)

10. Westside

9. Baldwin

8. Northside

7. Veterans

6. Peach County

5. Mary Persons

4. Warner Robins

3. Jones County

2. Perry

1. Houston County

Division II

(Class AA, A, GIAA)

20. Gatewood

19. Brentwood

18. Rutland

17. Central Fellowship

16. Westfield

15. Central

13. FPD

13. Stratford

12. Tattnall

11. Southwest

10. ACE

9. Washington County

8. Dodge County

7. Putnam County

6. John Milledge

5. Macon County

4. Lamar County

3. Bleckley County

2. Dublin

1. Northeast

2022

Final Central Georgia polls
Division I

(Class 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A)

1. Houston County

2. Warner Robins

3. Perry

4. Northside

5. Jones County

6. Peach County

7. Veterans

8. Mary Persons

9. Baldwin

10. Westside

Division II

(Class AA, A, GIAA)

1. John Milledge

2. Bleckley County

3. Putnam County

4. Dublin

5. Lamar County

6. Northeast

7. Central Fellowship

8. Dodge County

9. ACE

10. Tattnall

11. Stratford

12. Dooly County

13. Washington County

14. FPD

15. Westfield

16. Macon County

17. Wilkinson County

18. Brentwood

19. Central

20. East Laurens