TIFTON — The Associated Press preseason football polls for Georgia high schools was released Tuesday and the Tift County Blue Devils will begin the year ranked sixth in Class AAAAA.

Coach Jay Walls’ team has plenty of familiar names as company. Out of the seven teams in Region 1-AAAAA, every squad with the exception of the Colquitt County Packers received at least one vote by the seven-member polling board.

Besides Tift at No. 6, Warner Robins comes in at No. 4. Lowndes is also in the top 10 at No. 8. Coffee, Houston County and Valdosta all received votes from the sports writers.

“Everyone is that good,” said Walls. “Our region will be very competitive again, because every region game will be tough.”

Tift is preparing to face the Southside (Atlanta) Lasers this week in the preseason scrimmage. Southside is a Class AAA team and Walls feels the Lasers are very athletic.

The scrimmage will be Friday at Brodie Field at 8 p.m.

Tift played a “Soap Game” scrimmage this past Friday at home. While the team battled each other on the field, fans were asked to bring in bars of soap, laundry detergent and towels for the Devils to use during the 2007 season.

“I wanted to thank the community for their support last Friday,” said Walls. “Everyone that came in donated something and now we have a tremendous amount of towels, laundry soap and bars of soap. It will be a big help to us.”

Besides the Devils, there were other teams from the Tiftarea that received notice in the AP polls.

The Cook High Hornets will come in at No. 9 in the Class AA poll. Also receiving votes were the Fitzgerald High Purple Hurricanes.

In Class A, Turner is ranked fifth in the preseason, while the Irwin County Indians received votes.

The Georgia High School Top 10

By The Associated Press

The Associated Press Georgia high school 2007 preseason football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points.