Two schools that provided some of the most memorable championship moments of the 2025-26 school year also finished as the two highest-scoring athletic programs in the inaugural AJC Varsity all-sports standings for Georgia High School Association schools.
For Marist, guard Kate Harpring completed one of the greatest girls basketball careers in Georgia high school history when she scored 40 points in the War Eagles’ 58-50 victory over Kell in the Class 4A championship game. Harpring set the state’s girls career scoring record that night and was later named national player of the year.
The championship was one of four won by the War Eagles during the school year and helped them finish with a state-best 1,734.5 points in the all-sports standings. Marist also won titles in volleyball, boys swimming and girls swimming.
Buford provided another memorable moment when it defeated Carrollton 28-21 in the Class 6A football final, a victory that all but locked up the consensus national championship for the Wolves. It was the Wolves’ 15th state football championship but the first since moving into the highest classification in 2022.
Buford also won state titles in boys lacrosse, fast-pitch softball and girls track and field. The Wolves finished with 1,667.5 points, the most in Class 6A and second-most overall.
“Obviously we are proud of this tremendous accomplishment for our athletic department, our school system and community,” Buford athletic director Tony Wolfe said. “To win the overall championship takes everyone working together and contributing in a great way. We are so proud of all of our coaches and student-athletes, as their hard work, commitment and dedication contributed greatly to this accomplishment.”
The AJC Varsity all-sports rankings are modeled after similar competitions used by college divisions and other high school associations but with a twist: Sports are weighted based on National Federation of State High School Associations and statewide participation numbers, and the number of championships awarded by the GHSA. These rankings also recognize more schools and more sports than any of their kind in Georgia.
Schools can earn up to 100 points in each of 31 GHSA sports, and those points are multiplied (1.3, 1.2 or 1.1 times, based on the participation and championship numbers) for a total score in each sport. A school’s overall score is made up of its top eight boys finishes, top eight girls finishes, and next-best finish regardless of gender (or coed).
An overall winner is declared in each classification. The top boys program and top girls program in each class are also recognized, along with a top school in each region.
The top point-producers in the other classifications were Pope in Class 5A, Jefferson in 3A, Columbus in 2A, Bremen in A Division I, Lake Oconee Academy in A Division II and Greater Atlanta Christian in 3A-A private.
The closest race in any classification was in 3A-A private, where GAC survived a spring rally by Wesleyan and won by 6.9 points. Hebron Christian and Holy Innocents’ weren’t far behind, either.
Another close race was in A Division II. Lake Oconee Academy was in fourth place with just 10 days remaining on the athletic calendar but won championships in boys golf and girls golf and had a fifth-place finish in baseball, enabling the Titans to leapfrog Screven County, Trion and Metter and take the top spot with 26.7 points to spare.
Bremen enjoyed the largest margin of victory in any classification. The Blue Devils led Class A Division I from start to finish and compiled 1,533.6 points, 214.6 more than second-place Vidalia.
Only 23 of the GHSA’s 457 schools failed to earn any points during the school year. Of those, 20 are small Class A schools that offer limited athletic opportunities.
Listed below are the overall top 50 GHSA athletic programs in the 2025-26 AJC Varsity all-sports standings, with their classifications in parentheses.
Standings by 2025-26 GHSA classification
Overall top 50 programs
- 1. Marist (4A) - 1,734.5
- 2. Buford (6A) - 1,667.5
- 3. Greater Atlanta Christian (3A-A Private) - 1,640.0
- 4. Wesleyan (3A-A Private) - 1,633.1
- 5. Jefferson (3A) - 1,632.4
- 6. Columbus (2A) - 1,631.6
- 7. Oconee County (3A) - 1,601.0
- 8. Walton (6A) - 1,600.7
- 9. Hebron Christian (3A-A Private) - 1,597.8
- 10. Pope (5A) - 1,574.1
- 11. North Oconee (4A) - 1,559.9
- 12. Holy Innocents’ (3A-A Private) - 1,540.4
- 13. Bremen (A Division I) - 1,533.6
- 14. Morgan County (2A) - 1,531.6
- 15. North Gwinnett (6A) - 1,521.1
- 16. Cambridge (4A) - 1,509.2
- 17. West Forsyth (6A) - 1,505.3
- 18. North Hall (3A) - 1,494.9
- 19. Carrollton (6A) - 1,493.9
- 20. Westminster (4A) - 1,489.4
- 21. Pace Academy (4A) - 1,483.7
- 22. Lovett (3A-A Private) - 1,482.0
- 23. Blessed Trinity (4A) - 1,476.7
- 24. Milton (5A) - 1,474.7
- 25. Pierce County (2A) - 1,440.9
- 26. Calhoun (3A) - 1,390.7
- 27. Mount Vernon (3A-A Private) - 1,374.6
- 28. Lambert (6A) - 1,372.9
- 29. Richmond Hill (6A) - 1,359.4
- 30. Cartersville (4A) - 1,356.5
- 31. St. Pius (4A) - 1,345.7
- 32. Woodward Academy (5A) - 1,335.9
- 33. West Laurens (3A) - 1,335.3
- 34. Johns Creek (5A) - 1,321.5
- 35. Vidalia (A Division I) - 1,319.0
- 36. Allatoona (4A) - 1,284.5
- 37. Creekview (5A) - 1,278.1
- 38. Harrison (6A) - 1,274.8
- 39. Hart County (2A) - 1,268.5
- 40. Starr’s Mill (4A) - 1,248.9
- 41. Model (A Division I) - 1,247.9
- 42. Pike County (2A) - 1,245.6
- 43. Cherokee Bluff (3A) - 1,240.7
- 44. Athens Academy (3A-A Private) - 1,234.6
- 45. Brookwood (6A) - 1,234.3
- 46. McIntosh (5A) - 1,225.3
- 47. Lassiter (5A) - 1,212.9
- 48. Heritage-Ringgold (3A) - 1,211.9
- 49. South Forsyth (6A) - 1,207.0
- 50. Lake Oconee Academy (A Division II) - 1,174.4
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