Columbia had lost so many consecutive games to Top 10 teams that it seemed the Eagles were doing it on purpose to toughen themselves for the playoffs.
What other Class 3A schools have been playing the likes of Carrollton, Douglas County, Cartersville and Camden County the past few years?
It has paid off, helping Columbia win two region titles and two first-round playoff victories the past two years.
What Columbia hadn’t accomplished was a statement victory in its own classification. The Eagles earned that last week with a 34-21 victory over then-No. 5 Hapeville Charter, the 2025 Class 2A runner-up. Czar Daniels passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns, two to freshman Demarco Cody. Jamal Miller had four sacks.
The victory was Columbia’s first over a Top 10 team since 2014 (Cedar Grove). Columbia had been 0-37 in Top 10 games since then, with many of those losses to teams in higher classes.
Defeating Hapeville Charter made Columbia, now ranked No. 7, with losses to Top 10 bigger schools Carrollton and Tucker, the favorite in Region 6-3A, according to the Maxwell Ratings.
Columbia is the AJC Varsity/GHSF Daily Team of the Week.
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