Gordon Lee third in state Class A public school rankings

The Georgia Class A baseball power polls for week two were released Tuesday, and Region 6 has seven teams ranked in the top 11 of the public and private school polls.

Gordon Lee (15-1) is the No. 3 public team, trailing Charlton County (17-1) and Emanuel County Insitute. Trion (10-5) is 11th. Darlington heads the private poll, with league members Mount Paran (No. 2), Christian Heritage (ninth) and Mount Pisgah (10th) also ranking well.

Gordon Lee will have a chance to improve its standing this week with nonregion games against Class AA powers Pepperell and Calhoun. Playing against higher-classification teams improves a team's power ranking -- and winning against them would do even more.

"Those are two good teams, and if we can some how sneak in and win those games, it will help us," Trojans coach Mike Dunfee said. "We just want to focus on playing well and gearing up for the playoffs, and playing teams like that can only do that."

The Trojans' only league loss was at Darlington, and the two will meet again on April 26 in Chickamauga. Region winners will earn top seeds and the possible four home playoff series that go with it.

Dade has coach vacancy

Dade County recently accepted Brad Weir's resignation as baseball coach after less than a year on the job in Trenton. Athletic director Bradley Warren said he could not comment on the specifics of the move but said the program is in good shape.

"We are looking for another coach, but since this is a personnel issue I can't comment on it," Warren said. "Jamie McMahan is the interim coach and he has two really good lay coaches to help in him in Kerry Lacy and Josh Gifford."

Weir, a former Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe star player and former head coach at McIntosh County, Wayne County and Eastside, is remaining at Dade County as a teacher.

Dalton, Northwest clash

Depending on the outcome of this week's games in Region 7B-AAAA, next week's three-game series between rivals Dalton and Northwest Whitfield could determine the regular-season champion. It at least will go a long way in determining the subregion's top seed.

Dalton's Catamounts kept their bats smoking last week with 28 runs in a sweep of Ridgeland, while the Bruins used terrific pitching to sweep Heritage. At 6-0 heading into Tuesday's play, Dalton and Northwest were three games up on Heritage.

"We're not looking ahead," Northwest coach Todd Middleton said Friday. "It will be a big series, but we've got work to do before then."

Race for No. 2 in 5-AAA

Cartersville completed the first half of the Region 5-AAA schedule 7-0 and is, as expected, the clear front-runner for the league title. The region does not have a season-ending tournament, so the other three playoff spots are still up for grabs.

Ringgold (10-6, 3-2) and Sonoraville (8-6, 3-2) are tied for second starting the second half, with Adairsville, North Murray, LFO and Coahulla Creek needing to make up ground to get in the hunt.

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.

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