Sports

Web site: Knights, Red Devils state’s best

• In an online poll released Wednesday by well-known high school sports Web site, Maxpreps.com, the area’s two lone unbeaten teams — the Deerfield-Windsor and Randolph-Clay boys — were each ranked as one of Georgia’s Top 10 teams.

Danny Aller

ALBANY — For years, the Randolph-Clay boys basketball team has been recognized as one of the most traditionally strong programs in the entire state.

And while Wednesday’s honor of being named by prep Web site Maxpreps.com as the No. 10-most talented team in all of Georgia — in any class, private or public — was just another Red Devils accolade, another area program that has long been denied that same recognition was right there with them.

The 18-0 Deerfield-Windsor boys basketball, according to the site, has been ranked as the No. 4 team overall in Georgia — an honor that left Knights coach Gordy Gruhl “speechless” when told the news Wednesday evening.

“I really don’t know what to say,” the longtime Deerfield coach began, “and I’m speechless and somewhat surprised. But not because I don’t think we don’t deserve the recognition, but because for the longest time, teams in (GISA) haven’t been given credit like that.”

Joe Williams, longtime Randolph-Clay head coach, was unable to be reached for comment Wednesday night. Williams, who earned his 1,000th career victory late last year, has been out sick for the past week.

And while Williams’ 21-0, GHSA Class AA No. 1 Randolph-Clay boys team — according to the Georgia Sports Writers Association — arguably could’ve been ranked higher than DWS (the Red Devils are No. 1 in The Herald’s Top 5 poll, with Deerfield at No. 4), apparently the folks at Maxpreps.com saw something in the Knights many others didn’t.

And maybe they’re right.

After all, DWS is winning its games by an average of more than 40 points this season —led by Clemson signee Andre Young — and they’re nearing their first undefeated boys season in school history. They even helped silence the private- vs. public-school debate earlier this year when they traveled to Florida and demolished a Rickards (Fla.) High team that started its season 11-0 and was once ranked Florida’s Class 4A.

Randolph-Clay, meanwhile, led by DeAndre Johnson and Dexter Ellington, has cruised past opponents all year, averaging 86 points a game while steamrolling to a perfect 13-0 Region 1-AA record.

And rankings aside, there’s no denying what the Red Devils have done, says Gruhl.

“We feel really honored to be grouped with them,” said Gruhl, who actually has a chance to earn his own 1,000th career win Wednesday against Stratford Academy in a game that will be played at Darton College. “I have the utmost respect for (coach Williams) and that program. They’ve been doing it the right way for a long time.”

Another surprising ranking in Wednesday’s release by the Web site was the No. 8 slot, which belonged to the team many think Deerfield is destined to meet in the GISA Class AAA finals this season: North Cobb Christian.

If some remember, North Cobb, led by Georgia signee Dustin Ware, was the team that ousted DWS in last year’s GISA Final Four after Young’s final shot to tie the game fell short, ending the Knights’ season and quest for a state title.

“Everyone keeps saying, Deerfield vs. North Cobb for the state championship,” Gruhl told The Herald earlier this year. “But we’ve got a long way to go before then. We could face a team that plays the game of their life and we don’t, and flukes can happen. It would be a great matchup, though.”

That quest toward a state-title showdown, meanwhile, continues for DWS on Friday when they travel to face Westfield in a key Region 1-AAA game. The Knights (3-0 in region) easily won the first meeting.

The Red Devils, which made the GHSA Class AA Final Four last year, continue their march to a championship again Friday at Fitzgerald.

The entire Maxpreps.com Top 10 were as follows: No. 1 — South Atlanta; No. 2 — Wheeler (Marietta); No. 3 — Norcross; No. 4 — Deerfield-Windsor School; No. 5 — Marietta; No. 6 — Columbia (Decatur); No. 7 — Savannah; No. 8 — North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw); No. 9 — Miller Grove (Lithonia); No. 10 Randolph-Clay.

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