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Bradwell Institute has 15 volleyball wins. Effingham County has 12. But in the GHSA’s Class 6A rankings, Effingham sits at No. 30 and Bradwell at No. 37.

One is inside the top 32. The other is looking up.

How does that happen?

Your record only tells part of the story. Who you play matters, too.

Bradwell has a record of 15 wins and 10 losses. Effingham has 12 wins and 12 losses. But Effingham’s stronger schedule numbers put the Rebels ahead in the rankings.

Those rankings aren't final playoff seeds, but they show why fans need to look beyond the win column.

The GHSA’s postseason ranking system, called the PSR, weighs each team’s results, its opponents’ results, and the strength of those opponents’ schedules.

Here is how it works for the 2026–2028 cycle, and where local teams stand in football, softball, and volleyball.

• 35%: How often your team wins.
• 35%: How often your GHSA opponents win.
• 30%: How strong those opponents’ schedules are.

That is how a team with fewer wins can rank ahead of a team with a better record.

That team your school played last month? How it does this week can help or hurt your team's ranking.

A blowout score does not earn any bonus points, and playing a bigger school does not bring an automatic bonus, either.

The region race still matters.

Win your region and meet the minimum eligibility requirements, and you earn a home playoff opener or, where applicable, a bye.

In the GHSA’s example, a region champion ranked No. 18 moves to the No. 16 seed so it can play at home in the first round. Other teams slide down to make room.

That is why a school’s PSR ranking and its final playoff seed may not match.

Each team must play a region schedule and meet the minimum number of contests. That means nine games for football, 14 for flag football, 30 matches for volleyball, and 20 games for softball.

Public and private schools in Classes 2A, 3A, and 4A compete in their assigned regions during the regular season. For the playoffs, public schools compete in their own classifications. Private schools from those three classes enter one combined private school bracket.

So keep rooting for your team. Keep an eye on the teams it has played, as well as those region standings.

In the GHSA’s 32-team bracket examples, eligible region champions are guaranteed a top 16 seed so they can play their first playoff game at home.

Winning your region still pays off.

Here is where local teams stand in the supplied PSR rankings. These are formula rankings, not final playoff seeds.

The Prep Sports Report will also be following the playoff races for Memorial Day, Savannah Country Day, St. Andrew’s, and Bethesda. Memorial Day, Country Day, and St. Andrew’s compete in the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA), which uses MaxPreps rankings to help seed its playoffs. 

Bethesda competes in the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), where region wins and losses play the biggest role in deciding who gets in and where they play. Different systems, same goal. All four teams are chasing a playoff spot, and PSR will keep fans posted as those races unfold.

School lState Logo courtesy of GHSA

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To share scores, story ideas, or corrections, email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com or text 912.507.9158.

Optim Orthopedics presents Prep Sports Report's 2026 high school football coverage.

Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.

Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.

Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent's Academy).