ASWA puts out final regular season football poll

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

BIRMINGHAM — In the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s final high school football poll, five of the eight teams ranked No. 1 in the preseason finished in the same spot.

Class 7A Hoover, Class 5A St. Paul’s, Class 3A Madison Academy, Class 1A Brantley and the Alabama Independent School Association’s Edgewood Academy all end the season atop their respective polls, although Hoover had a three-week stretch where it yielded the floor to Bob Jones.

Class 6A Clay-Chalkville, which took over the top spot in Week 9 from Spanish Fort, St. Paul’s and Edgewood all finished the season as unanimous No. 1’s by the 28 members of the all-state panel who voted this week.

Two classes were close enough at the end to warrant watching during the playoffs. UMS-Wright finished the season with 14-point lead over Class 4A preseason favorite Leeds, while a convincing win over Class 2A Sweet Water allowed Maplesville to pull within seven points of Brantley.

And as they have been since the second week of the season, unbeaten Fyffe and Washington finished 1-2 in Class 2A, although the Red Devils have always held a comfortable lead.

This is the final poll during the season; the ASWA will release its fourth-annual Super 25 poll in December, after the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Super 7 championships.

In first-round playoff games involving ranked teams, Class 7A No. 9 Murphy is at No. 3 Central-Phenix City, No. 8 Prattville at at No. 5 Baker, Class 6A No. 10 Blount is at No. 6 McAdory, AISA No. 7 Autauga Academy at No. 7 Restoration and No. 8 Tuscaloosa Academy at No. 4 Monroe Academy.

Class 7A
1. Hoover (20) (8-2) 312
2. Fairhope (7) (10-0) 271
3. Central-Phenix City (1) (9-1) 225
4. Oak Mountain (9-1) 194
5. Baker (9-1) 166
6. Bob Jones (8-2) 133
7. Gadsden City (8-2) 113
8. Prattville (8-2) 85
9. Murphy (7-3) 48
10. Foley (7-3) 30
Others receiving votes: James Clemens (7-3) 7, Hewitt-Trussville (5-5) 5, Tuscaloosa Co. (5-5) 3, Auburn (4-5) 2, Spain Park (6-4) 2.

Class 6A
1. Clay-Chalkville (28) (10-0) 336
2. Opelika (8-1) 250
3. Saraland (9-1) 213
4. Spanish Fort (9-1) 196
5. Florence (8-2) 155
6. McAdory (10-0) 141
7. Benjamin Russell (9-1) 107
8. Shades Valley (8-2) 83
9. Daphne (7-3) 47
10. Blount (7-3) 31
Others receiving votes: Homewood (8-2) 14, Muscle Shoals (7-2) 9, Southside-Gadsden (8-2) 9, Carver-Montgomery (8-2) 2, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (7-3) 2, Decatur (7-3) 1.

Class 5A
1. St. Paul’s (28) (10-0) 336
2. Guntersville (10-0) 244
3. East Limestone (10-0) 228
4. Jackson (8-2) 189
5. Parker (9-1) 137
6. Mortimer Jordan (9-1) 121
7. Demopolis (8-2) 101
8. Ramsay (9-1) 100
9. Calera (9-1) 80
10. Russellville (8-2) 35
Others receiving votes:  Greenville (8-2) 18, Pleasant Grove (8-2)4, Vigor (5-4) 2, Charles Henderson (7-3) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (14) (9-1) 281
2. Leeds (9) (9-1) 267
3. Straughn (5) (8-1) 245
4. Deshler (9-1) 202
5. Saks (9-1) 170
6. Cleburne Co. (8-2) 108
7. Wilson (9-1) 107
8. Jacksonville (8-2) 60
9. Fayette Co. (7-3) 58
10. West Blocton (9-1) 33
Others receiving votes: Oneonta (8-2) 23, Clarke Co. (8-2) 21, Haleyville (8-2) 6, Elkmont (8-2) 4, Dadeville (6-4) 3, St. James (8-2) 3, W.S. Neal (6-3) 3, Locust Fork (8-2) 1, Munford (7-3) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (26) (9-1) 329
2. Dale Co. (1) (10-0) 249
3. Glencoe (1) (10-0) 230
4. Gordo (10-0) 197
5. T.R. Miller (9-1) 163
6. Montgomery Acad. (10-0) 144
7. Lauderdale Co. (8-2) 109
8t. Oakman (9-1) 55
8t. Piedmont (7-3) 55
10. Aliceville (9-1) 30
Others receiving votes: Opp (7-3) 15, Plainview (8-2) 7, Pike Co. (6-3) 6, Greensboro (7-3) 4, Geraldine (8-2) 3.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (21) (10-0) 315
2. Washington Co. (7) (10-0) 273
3. G.W. Long (9-0) 218
4. Tanner (8-2) 190
5. Ranburne (9-0) 168
6. Elba (10-0) 136
7. Reeltown (9-1) 110
8. Red Bay (9-1) 69
9. Sweet Water (7-3) 64
10. Pickens Co. (7-3) 26
Others receiving votes: Addison (7-3) 22, Cleveland (8-2) 2, Cold Springs (8-2) 1, Cottonwood (8-2) 1, Randolph Co. (8-2) 1.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (15) (10-0) 297
2. Maplesville (13) (9-0) 290
3. Hubbertville (9-0) 219
4. Donoho (10-0) 198
5. Linden (6-3) 162
6. Ragland (9-1) 126
7. Hackleburg (9-1) 110
8. McKenzie (8-1) 83
9. Phillips (9-1) 50
10. Berry (7-3) 34
Others receiving votes: Fruitdale (8-2) 14, Billingsley (7-2) 5, R.A. Hubbard (6-4) 5, A.L. Johnson (5-5) 2, Spring Garden (7-3) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (28) (10-0) 336
2. Bessemer Acad. (10-0) 252
3. Marengo Acad. (8-1) 201
4. Monroe Acad. (10-1) 191
5. Escambia Acad. (8-1) 165
6. Restoration (7-2) 151
7. Autauga Acad. (8-2) 93
8. Tuscaloosa Acad. (8-2) 80
9. Wilcox Acad. (7-2) 73
10. S. Choctaw Acad. (8-2) 47
Others receiving votes: Clarke Prep (5-4) 3, Abbeville Chr. (7-4) 2, Crenshaw Chr. (7-3) 2

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Ed Bailey, Alexander City Outlook; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Jonathan Deal, Athens News Courier; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Rob Ketcham, Cullman Times; Johnathan Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Jeremy Smith, Freelance (Demopolis); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; J.J. Hicks, Gadsden Times; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Tom Green, Opelika-Auburn News; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel ; Daniel Evans, Selma Times-Journal; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Joey Chandler, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald. Not Voting: Brandon Miller, Anniston Star; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune.