“The Albany Herald has named coach Ed Pilcher’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats football team number one in their Fab 5 Southwest Georgia Football poll this week.
Following last Friday night’s 38-14 home victory over the Westlake High School Lions, the Bearcats are 3-1 going into this week’s open date.
Herald sports writer Mike Phillips pointed out that the Bearcats have not lost to a Georgia team in the first four weeks of play. Their only setback was a season opening 33-14 loss to the East Gadsden High School Jaguars from Havana, Fla.
In the two games immediately following the opening loss, they downed the Cairo High School Syrupmakers 17-14 at  home and downed the Early County High School Bobcats 15-12 in Blakeley.
The Lee County High School Trojans, who the Bearcats will meet in a Region 1AAAAA regular season ending game Friday, November 9 at Centennial Field, are  4-0 and number two in the Herald’s Fab 5 this week.
The Early County Bobcats, whose only loss is to the Bearcats, are number three after beating Calhoun County 20-6 Friday night.
Holding down the number four spot are the Americus-Sumter County High School Panther who defeated the Albany High School Indians 43-0 Friday night.
The poll is voted on weekly by the Herald sports department.
Albany’s Monroe High School Tornadoes, who were number one going into the week, dropped out of the poll after losing a 17-14 decision to the number five Westover High School Patriots of Albany.