Four Marengo County teams in ASWA preseason football poll

The Alabama Sports Writers Association released its 2014 preseason football poll Wednesday, marking the first such standing with the newly-formed AHSAA Class 7A.

Hoover sits in a familiar position atop Class 7A while Spanish Fort reigns over 6A a season after winning the Class 5A state title. St. Paul’s sits atop Class 5A. Other teams in a No. 1 spots include Leeds, Madison Academy, Tanner and Brantley while Edgewood holds the top spot in the AISA.

Demopolis drew 17 points in the poll, good enough for 12th and a seat in the “Others Receiving Votes” category. The Tigers are replacing more than 30 seniors, including starting quarterback Tyler Oates, three ACC signees in Tyler Merriweather, Cortez Lewis and Demetrius Kemp and Division II signees Hollis Bright and Peyton Pearson.

Sweet Water sits at No. 5 in Class 2A, one spot behind region rival Washington County. Since they last took the field, the Bulldogs have lost long-time coach Stacy Luker along with Jacksonville State signee Jakoby Aldridge and Tuskegee signee Demarcus Gamble.

Linden returns a younger team a season after it made it to the third round of the playoffs, garnering enough ASWA attention to nail down the No. 3 spot in Class 1A behind Brantley and Maplesville.

A.L. Johnson pulled 69 total points in the 1A poll, earning the No. 10 overall spot by a wide margin over the next highest team, Marion County, which has only 32 points.

The reigning AISA Class A champion Marengo Academy jumps to Class AA this season and sits at the No. 5 spot in the AISA poll behind Edgewood, Restoration, Bessemer and Monroe.

Sweet Water will be the first local team to kick off its regular season when it plays Thomasville Aug. 22.

Class 7A
1. Hoover (32) (15-0) <ws>384
2. Bob Jones (11-2) <ws>233
3. McGill-Toolen (12-2) <ws>224
4. Spain Park (8-3) <ws>218
5. Auburn (13-2) <ws>190
6. Central-Phenix City (6-4) <ws>158
7. Foley (6-6) <ws>137
8. Vestavia Hills (11-3) <ws>133
9. Fairhope (9-3) <ws>75
10. Prattville (7-3) <ws>45
Others receiving votes: Smiths Station (10-3) 13, Murphy (6-5) 5, Gadsden City (5-6) 4, Baker (6-4) 3, Mountain Brook (7-4) 1, Tuscaloosa Co (7-4) 1.

Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (29) (15-0) <ws>370
2. Clay-Chalkville (1) (10-2) <ws>279
3. Shades Valley (1) (10-2) <ws>216
4. Carver-Montgomery (1) (10-3) <ws>198
5. Opelika (7-4) <ws>190
6. Florence (9-4) <ws>150
7. Daphne (8-3) <ws>147
8. Blount (9-2) <ws>97
9. Muscle Shoals (13-2) <ws>60
10. Bessemer City (10-2) <ws>49
Others receiving votes: Decatur (5-6) 33, Saraland (12-2) 14, Southside-Gadsden (13-1) 7, Hartselle (8-3) 6, Scottsboro (7-4) 3, Briarwood Chr. (9-3) 2, Athens (9-4) 1, Oxford (9-3) 1, Stanhope Elmore (4-6) 1.

Class 5A
1. St. Paul’s (24) (10-3) <ws>347
2. Pleasant Grove (3) (10-2) <ws>249
3. Vigor (3) (2-8*) <ws>228
4t. Central-Clay Co. (10-3) <ws>223
4t. Jackson (1) (12-1) <ws>223
6. Charles Henderson (1) (14-1) <ws>160
7. J.O. Johnson (11-2) <ws>139
8. Etowah (7-4) <ws>67
9. Alexandria (3-7) <ws>59
10. Guntersville (10-2) <ws>24
*-includes five forfeits
Others receiving votes: Dora (5-6) 20; Demopolis (7-4) 17; Madison Co. (8-3) 16; Calera (10-2) 15; Mortimer Jordan (4-7) 11, Sylacauga (8-4) 9, Greenville (2-8) 6, Eufaula (6-5) 3, Russellville (4-6) 3, Moody (6-5) 2, Lincoln (4-7) 1, Parker (8-4) 1, West Point (4-6) 1.

Class 4A
1. Leeds (16) (12-3) <ws>332
2. UMS-Wright (12) (11-3) <ws>321
3. Dadeville (11-2) <ws>198
4. Straughn (10-3) <ws>175
5. Oneonta (4) (14-1) <ws>167
6. Saks (13-1) <ws>165
7. Thomasville (5-6) <ws>139
8. Deshler (8-4) <ws>98
9. Andalusia (8-3) <ws>50
10. Trinity (8-3) <ws>47
Others receiving votes: Bibb Co. (10-2) 38, Fayette Co. (10-2) 38, Munford (12-2) 32, Hamilton (9-3) 6, North Jackson (2-8) 6, St. James (4-6) 6, Haleyville (10-2) 4, Childersburg (9-3) 2.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (30) (15-0) <ws>378
2. Piedmont (11-2) <ws>271
3. T.R. Miller (2) (12-1) <ws>267
4. Dale Co. (11-1) <ws>192
5. Walter Wellborn (8-4) <ws>141
6. Pike Co. (7-5) <ws>132
7. Colbert Co. (11-2) <ws>129
8. Glencoe (8-4) <ws>120
9. Midfield (7-5) <ws>59
10. Lauderdale Co. (9-3) <ws>48
Others receiving votes: Geraldine (8-3) 15, Daleville (5-5) 14, Plainview (7-4) 12, Fultondale (10-2) 9, Gordo (7-4) 8, Oakman (10-2) 7, Montgomery Acad. (11-2) 6, Lamar Co. (10-2) 5, Aliceville (7-4) 3, Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-4) 3, Bayside Acad. (8-5) 2, Excel (5-5) 2, New Hope (8-3) 1..

Class 2A
1. Tanner (28) (13-1) <ws>369
2. Fyffe (3) (12-2) <ws>266
3. Lanett (1) (11-1) <ws>251
4. Washington Co. (13-2) <ws>238
5. Sweet Water (10-4) <ws>161
6. G.W. Long (10-2) <ws>160
7. Addison (9-2) <ws>88
8. Cottonwood (6-5) <ws>86
9. Pickens Co. (15-0) <ws>64
10. Falkville (9-2) <ws>54
Others receiving votes: Geneva Co. (9-3) 36, Luverne (11-2) 24, Red Bay (8-3) 13, Reeltown (7-4) 9, Gaston (7-4) 5.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (19) (11-3) <ws>336
2. Maplesville (12) (14-1) <ws>272
3. Linden (1) (9-4) <ws>252
4. Hubbertville (11-3) <ws>191
5. R.A. Hubbard (8-4) <ws>136
6. Loachapoka (10-3) <ws>131
7. Cedar Bluff (4-5) <ws>115
8. Valley Head (9-2) <ws>90
9. Ragland (10-2) <ws>72
10. A.L. Johnson (7-3) <ws>69
Others receiving votes: Marion Co. (6-4) 32, Berry (7-6) 28, J.U. Blacksher (1-9) 18, McKenzie (9-3) 16, Autaugaville (8-4) 15, Donoho (7-3) 11, Lynn (3-7) 8, Shades Mtn. Chr. (2-7) 7, Billingsley (8-3) 6, Brilliant (7-5) 6, Kinston (5-6) 5, Hackleburg (7-4) 2, Millry (3-7) 2, Gaylesville (6-5) 1, McIntosh (2-8) 1, Spring Garden (3-7) 1, Talladega Co. Cent. (5-6) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (14-0) <ws>378
2. Restoration (12-2) <ws>260
3. Bessemer Acad. (12-2) <ws>248
4. Monroe Acad. (1) (13-0) <ws>224
5. Marengo Acad. (1) (13-0) <ws>194
6. Wilcox Acad. (8-4) <ws>189
7. Escambia Acad. (10-3) <ws>112
8. Clarke Prep (8-5) <ws>99
9. Autauga Acad. (8-3) <ws>63
10. S. Choctaw Acad. (4-7) <ws>25
Others receiving votes: Abbeville Chr. (10-3) 16, Tuscaloosa Acad. (7-4) 13, Sparta Acad. (3-8) 2, Pike Liberal (2-8) 1.

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; Brandon Miller, Anniston Star; 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; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Jeremy Smith, Freelance (Demopolis); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; J.J. Hicks, Gadsden Times; Brent Maze, Hartselle Enquirer; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Tom Green, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Daniel Evans, Selma Times-Journal; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.