It took a state-record performance, but West Laurens is finally back in the GPB Sports Top 10.

Behind the 615-yard rushing effort of senior Ty Cummings, the Raiders (6-0) outlasted Baldwin 70-55 and moved into the Class 3A rankings at No. 9.

bufrd header

It is the first time West Laurens has been in the rankings since the opening week of the 2020 season, a spot largely based on the team’s 2019 performance that saw them reach the state quarterfinals.

Cummings carried 19 times and scored eight touchdowns on runs of 59, 91, 75, 53, 59, 59, 86 and 78 yards. Cummings, who has committed to Georgia Southern, broke the record of 605 yards set by Tyrese Woodgett of Coffee in 2024.

West Laurens coach Kip Burdette took over as head coach in 2022 and endured some hard times, going 1-9 and 2-8 his first two years. The Raiders went 8-3 last year and returned to the state playoffs.

cvaillheader

This season West Laurens is off to a 6-0 start, the first time that’s happened since 1973 – the second year of the program’s existence when it played a non-region schedule and finished 8-2. The Raiders started 5-0 in 1990 en route to an 11-2 finish and an appearance in the state quarterfinals.

There were no major shifts in this week’s GPB Top 10 rankings. All No. 1 teams retained their positions: Class 6A Grayson, 5A Thomas County Central, 4A North Oconee, 3A Sandy Creek, 2A Carver Columbus, Class A Division 1 Worth County, Class A Division 2 Lincoln County and Private Hebron Christian.

In addition to West Laurens, there are eight other new teams in the Top 10: Collins Hill, No. 8 in 6A; Cambridge, No. 10 in 4A; North Clayton, No. 10 in 3A; Dodge County, No. 10 in AD1; Wheeler County, No. 8 in AD2; Emanuel County Institute, No. 9 in AD2; Wilcox County, No. 10 in AD2; and Wesleyan, No. 10 Private.

Class 6A

  1. Grayson
  2. Buford
  3. Carrollton
  4. Valdosta
  5. North Gwinnett
  6. McEachern
  7. Lowndes
  8. Douglas County
  9. Collins Hill
  10. Colquitt County

Also receiving consideration: Hillgrove, Camden County, West Forsyth, Peachtree Ridge

Class 5A

  1. Thomas County Central
  2. Hughes
  3. Milton
  4. Gainesville
  5. Houston County
  6. Brunswick
  7. Roswell
  8. Rome
  9. Northgate
  10. Lee County

Also receiving consideration: Woodward Academy, Sequoyah, Lovejoy, River Ridge, Jackson County

Class 4A

  1. North Oconee
  2. Cartersville
  3. Creekside
  4. Central Carroll
  5. Marist
  6. Benedictine
  7. Ware County
  8. Blessed Trinity
  9. Cass
  10. Cambridge

Also receiving consideration: Lithonia, King, Kell, Jones County, Ola, Flowery Branch

Class 3A

  1. Sandy Creek
  2. Peach County
  3. North Hall
  4. Calhoun
  5. LaGrange
  6. Troup County
  7. Jefferson
  8. Jenkins
  9. West Laurens
  10. North Clayton

Also receiving consideration: Pickens, Oconee County, Liberty County, Westside-Augusta, NW Whitfield, Stephenson

Class 2A

  1. Carver-Columbus
  2. Pierce County
  3. Morgan County
  4. Carver-Atlanta
  5. Rockmart
  6. Sumter County
  7. Burke County
  8. Callaway
  9. Cook
  10. North Murray

Also receiving consideration: Miller Grove, Elbert County

Class A-Division 1

  1. Worth County
  2. Toombs County
  3. Heard County
  4. Thomasville
  5. Swainsboro
  6. Rabun County
  7. Northeast
  8. Lamar County
  9. Dublin
  10. Dodge County

Also receiving consideration: Jeff Davis, Jasper County, Fannin County

Class A-Division II

  1. Lincoln County
  2. Clinch County
  3. Johnson County
  4. Bowdon
  5. Screven County
  6. Early County
  7. Treutlen
  8. Wheeler County
  9. ECI
  10. Wilcox County

Also receiving consideration: Brooks County, Metter, Hawkinsville,

Class 3-1A Private

  1. Hebron Christian
  2. Fellowship Christian
  3. Athens Academy
  4. Calvary Day
  5. Greater Atlanta Christian
  6. Holy Innocents’
  7. Aquinas
  8. Prince Avenue Christian
  9. Savannah Christian
  10. Wesleyan

Also receiving consideration: Lovett, Landmark Christian, Whitefield Academy