LAGRANGE – The Troup Tigers, on the heels of a huge road win over Sandy Creek, are closing in on a spot in the top 10.

Heading into last week’s game, Sandy Creek was ranked fourth in the Associated Press Class AAAA poll, but it was handed a 28-20 home loss by the surging Tigers.

Sandy Creek fell to 10th in this week’s poll, and while Troup is still on the outside looking in, it received the 12th most votes among Class AAAA teams.

Also this week, Callaway remained fourth in the Class AAA poll.

Troup had won four of its first five games, but it faced its sternest test of the season at Sandy Creek.

It was tied 14-14 at the half, and Troup dominated the final two quarters to get the win.

Troup is in the midst of a remarkable turnaround season.

A year ago this time, the Tigers were 0-6 and they had been blown out in every game, and they finished 1-9.

Now, Troup is 5-1, and it is coming off a road victory over one of the state’s elite programs over the past decade.

“I think our boys felt the whole time they were going to win,” Troup head coach Tanner Glisson said. “Going into the game, they were very confident in the game plan, and they just felt good about it.”

Glisson said Troup was buoyed by the presence of a large contingent of fans that made the trip to Tyrone.

“We had a really good turnout,” Glisson said. “Our crowd was tremendous. We let the Troup people enjoy this one. It’s been a long time coming, especially enduring what they had to endure last year.”

Cartersville, which is in Region 5-AAAA along with Troup, LaGrange and Sandy Creek, remains a unanimous number one selection in Class AAAA.

In Class AA, Callaway has been locked into the number four spot for a few weeks now.

Callaway (5-0) was off last week, and it will begin its Region 5-AA schedule on Friday at Lamar County.

Benedictine is first in Class AA, and Fitzgerald, Jefferson County, Callaway and Rabun County round out the top five.

Heard County, which will play Callaway in an epic region matchup next week, is ranked seventh in Class AA.

Mill Creek is the top-ranked team in Class AAAAAAA, Houston County is fisrt in Class AAAAAA, and Stockbridge is first in Class AAAAA.

Greater Atlanta Christian leads the way in Class AAA, and Eagle’s Landing is first in Class A.

CLASS AAAAAAA

1 – Mill Creek

2 – Roswell

3 – Grayson

4 – Norcross

5 – McEachern

6 – Lassiter

7 – Lowndes

8 – North Cobb

9 – Colquitt County

10 – West Forsyth

Others receiving votes: Newton 4, North Paulding 4, South Forsyth 4, Parkview 2, Tift County 2, East Coweta 1, Etowah 1.

CLASS AAAAAA

1 – Houston County

2 – Northside-Warner Robins

3 – Dalton

4 – Lee County

5 – Tucker

6 – Valdosta

7 – Harrison

8 – Alexander

9 – Glynn Academy

10 – Northgate

Others receiving votes: Mays 9, Langston Hughes 4.

CLASS AAAAA

1 – Stockbridge

2 – Buford

3 – Kell

4 – Grady

5 – Woodland-Stockbridge

6 – Rome

7 – Carrollton

8 – Thomas County Central

9 – Griffin

10 – Ware County

Others receiving votes: Loganville 17, Arabia Mountain 13, Jones County 5, Starr’s Mill 3.

CLASS AAAA

1 – Cartersville

2 – Thomson

3 – Woodward Academy

4 – Jefferson

5 – Blessed Trinity

6 – Ridgeland

7 – Cairo

8 – Mary Persons

9 – Burke County

10 – Sandy Creek

Others receiving votes: Marist, Troup, Cedartown, Oconee County, Spaldin County, Stephens County

CLASS AAA

1 – Greater Atlanta Christian

2 – Pace Academy

3 – Peach County

4 – Westminster

5 – Liberty County

6 – Crisp County

7 – Calhoun

8 – Cedar Grove

9 – Lovett

10 – Pike County

Others receiving votes: Union County 5, Central Macon 4, Jenkins-Savannah 4, Appling County 2, Dawson County 1.

CLASS AA

1 – Benedictine

2 – Fitzgerald

3 – Jefferson County

4 – Callaway

5 – Rabun County

6 – Dublin

7 – Heard County

8 – Brooks County

9 – Pepperell

10 – Vidalia

Others receiving votes: Model 13, Elbert County 11, Screven County 6, Rockmart 1, Toombs County 1.

CLASS A

1 – Eagle’s Landing

2 – Prince Avenue

3 – Wesleyan

4 – Clinch County

5 – Emanuel County Institute

6 – Fellowship Christian

7 – Landmark Christian

8 – Manchester

9 – Macon County

10 – Calvary Day

(tie) Carroll Mount Zion

Others receiving votes: Darlington 10, Mt. Paran Christian 7, McIntosh County Academy 5, Commerce 4, Stratford Academy 3, Tattnall Square 1, Wheeler County 1.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports