Canes open 2017 slate ranked No. 5
Coach Stuart Chester (photo) and the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes will open the 2017 baseball season as the No. 5-ranked team in Class AAAA according to the Georgia Dugout Club's preseason baseball poll.
Blessed Trinity is the preseason No. 1 team in the AAAA classification, followed by St. Pius X and Heritage-Catoosa.
Cedartown, also a member of Region 5AAAA with Cartersville, comes in at No. 4 in the classification and fellow region foe Troup County is ranked ninth.
East Paulding (No. 8 in Class AAAAA) is the highest ranked team from Region 7AAAAA that includes Cass and Woodland. Kell and Carrollton of that region also received top ten consideration.
Ringgold and Calhoun, members of Region 6AAA with Adairsville, are ranked eighth and ninth in Class AAA.
Cartersville opens the season Tuesday at Johns Creek at 5pm and will host Mill Creek Saturday at noon.
Cass plays at Rockmart Tuesday at 5:30pm and will entertain Gilmer Wednesday at 5:55pm.
Adairsville and Woodland play a home-and-home series Monday at Woodland at 5:30pm and Saturday at Adairsville at 11am. Cass will also play the Tigers Saturday at Adairsville at 2pm.
Excel Christian Academy is not fielding a varsity baseball team in 2017.
Georgia Dugout Preview Magazine 2017 Preseason Baseball Poll
Class AAAAAAA
Rank Team
1. Walton
2. Norcross
3. Brookwood
4. Parkview
5. Mill Creek
6. Lambert
7. Woodstock
8. Grayson
9. Colquitt County
10. Archer
Others considered: Etowah, Lassiter, Hillgrove, East Coweta, North Gwinnett
Class AAAAAA
Rank Team
1. Pope
2. Winder-Barrow
3. Dalton
4. Allatoona
5. Harrison
6. Cambridge
7. Valdosta
8. Johns Creek
9. Lee County
10. Gainesville
Others considered: Houston County, Northview, Northgate, Lanier, Glynn Academy
Class AAAAA
Rank Team
1. Locust Grove
2. Buford
3. Veterans
4. Loganville
5. Jones County
6. Starr's Mill
7. Griffin
8. East Paulding
9. Wayne County
10. South Effingham
Others considered: Kell, Carrollton, Bainbridge, Decatur, Columbia
Class AAAA
Rank Team
1. Blessed Trinity
2. St. Pius X
3. Heritage-Catoosa
4. Cedartown
5. Cartersville
6. Eastside
7. Madison County
8. Marist
9. Troup
10. Woodward Academy
Others considered: Columbus, West Laurens, North Oconee, Upson-Lee, Cairo
Class AAA
Rank Team
1. North Hall
2. Lovett
3. Greater Atlanta Christian
4. Westminster
5. Pierce County
6. Franklin County
7. Redan
8. Ringgold
9. Calhoun
10. Dawson County
Others considered: Hart County, Jackson, Cook, Jackson County, Appling County
Class AA
Rank Team
1. Benedictine
2. Heard County
3. Jeff Davis
4. Elbert County
5. Callaway
6. Metter
7. Harlem
8. Berrien
9. Rockmart
10. Bacon County
Others considered: Washington County, Toombs County, Thomasville, Social Circle, Lamar County
Class A Public
Rank Team
1. Bowdon
2. Gordon Lee
3. Charlton County
4. Schley County
5. ECI
6. Clinch County
7. Trion
8. Taylor County
9. Irwin County
10. Lanier County
Others considered: Telfair County, Treutlen, Commerce, GMC, Miller County
Class A Private
Rank Team
1. Holy Innocents'
2. Tattnall Square
3. Wesleyan
4. Kings Ridge Christian
5. George Walton
6. Hebron Christian
7. Savannah Christian
8. Calvary Day
9. Eagles Landing Christian
10. Walker
Others considered: Brookstone, Mount Pisgah Christian, Mount Paran Christian, First Presbyterian Day, Mount Vernon Presbyterian
