Sweet Water at No. 2 to open ASWA preseason football poll

Changes abound as Marengo County high schools ready for the 2017 football season. A year marked by turnover at the top, four of the six high school football teams in the county have welcomed new head coaches.

In Class 5A, Brian Seymore is in from Class 7A Mary Montgomery and his Tigers debut in the Alabama Sports Writers Association preseason poll on the outside looking in. The Tigers, who were 7-4 a season ago, are the highest vote getter in the classification not to make the Top 10. Joining them in the “others receiving votes” category are notable powers Russellville, Jackson, Charles Henderson and Mortimer Jordan as well as region foe Calera. Topping the Class 5A ranking is reigning champion Beauregard, which received 23 of 31 first place votes. Briarwood Christian is No. 2 and garnered three first place votes. St. Paul’s received two first place votes and sits at No. 3.

Reigning champ and perennial power Maplesville tops the Class 1A poll with 29 first place votes. But Marengo County is well represented in the AHSAA’s smallest classification as three school populate the Top 10. Sweet Water sits at No. 2 off a 9-3 season saw them finish in the quarterfinal round. They tallied 261 total points, putting them just ahead of Linden. The Patriots, who are in their first season under new head coach Demetrice Jackson, were 13-1 a season ago and ended their campaign in the semifinals. Marengo High pulls in at No. 9 in the preseason poll, just one point ahead of No. 10 Notasulga. Eberne Myrthil’s Panthers were 6-5 last season and lost a thrilling first round playoff game to Brantley.

Marengo Academy has been a dominant force in the AISA and looks to continue that trend in 2017. New coach Lebo Jones and his team will have to earn every bit of respect they get this season as the Longhorns are well outside of the Top 10 in the “others receiving votes” category following an offseason permeated with coaching questions before the late hire of the new head man.

A.L. Johnson, which saw the departure of Johnney Ford two weeks ago and the hiring of Roosevelt Moore late last week, is the lone Marengo County team not mentioned in the preseason poll.

ALABAMA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL Preseason – Aug. 9, 2017

(First-place votes and 2016 record in parentheses)

 Class 7A
1. Hoover (29) (12-2) 366
2. Central-Phenix City (1) (10-2) 261
3. Thompson (5-5) 229
4. Hewitt-Trussville (1) (11-1) 191
5. James Clemens (8-4) 179
6. McGill-Toolen (13-1) 171
7. Spain Park (8-3) 114
8. Bob Jones (7-4) 83
9. Auburn (8-4) 64
10. Enterprise (10-2) 56
Others receiving votes: Gadsden City (7-6) 22, Mountain Brook (8-3) 10, Vestavia Hills (5-5) 8, Lee-Montgomery (0-9) 5, Murphy (6-5) 5, Sparkman (4-6) 3.

Class 6A
1. Ramsay (18) (13-2) 297
2. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (4) (11-1) 233
3. Blount (1) (10-3) 201
4. Austin (2) (10-4) 194
5. Opelika (13-2) 184
6. Pinson Valley (5) (8-4) 180
7. Oxford (10-1) 155
8. Daphne (1) (9-3) 108
9. Muscle Shoals (7-6) 76
10. Park Crossing (13-1) 44
Others receiving votes: Spanish Fort (10-3) 43, Gardendale (8-4) 12, Hazel Green (6-4) 8, Jackson-Olin (8-3) 8, Clay-Chalkville (6-5) 5, Sidney Lanier (8-3) 5, Wetumpka (8-3) 5, Decatur (10-2) 4, Saraland (6-5) 3, McAdory (8-4) 1, Pell City (6-5) 1.

Class 5A
1. Beauregard (26) (13-1) 350
2. Briarwood Chr. (3) (12-2) 270
3. St. Paul’s (2) (9-4) 260
4. Vigor (8-4) 183
T5. Alexandria (5-4) 127
T5. Carroll (12-1) 127
7. Central-Clay Co. (9-3) 97
8. Wenonah (11-3) 90
9. Eufaula (8-3) 87
10. Brooks (9-3)56
Others receiving votes:  Demopolis (7-4) 25, Russellville (8-4) 19, Jackson (9-4) 15, Charles Henderson (7-4) 11, Mortimer Jordan (10-3) 10, Scottsboro (12-1) 10, Etowah (9-3) 9, Calera (8-4) 7, Guntersville (6-5) 6, Fairfield (7-5) 5, Pleasant Grove (4-7) 2, Moody (4-6) 1.

Class 4A
1. Handley (29) (13-2) 365
2. Andalusia (12-2) 257
3. Madison Acad. (11-4) 188
4. UMS-Wright (1) (9-3) 172
5. Rogers (12-1) 162
6. Leeds (1) (8-4) 142
7. St. James (10-2) 101
8. Hokes Bluff (9-5)  80
9. Cordova (9-3) 74
10. Fayette Co. (5-7) 61
Others receiving votes: Tallassee (9-4) 54, Cherokee Co. (10-3) 26, Wilson (8-3) 25, Madison Co. (6-5) 19, Thomasville (9-3) 12, Bibb Co. (8-4) 7, Dale Co. (7-4) 7, North Jackson (6-5) 6, Munford (6-5) 4, West Blocton (6-5) 3, Haleyville (9-2) 2.

Class 3A
1. Piedmont (27) (15-0) 351
2. Mobile Chr. (3) (13-2) 271
3. Gordo (1) (13-1) 268
4. Ohatchee (12-2) 165
5. Montevallo (10-2) 162
6. Opp (9-2) 110
7. Oakman (8-5) 109
8. Pike Co. (9-3) 85
9. Weaver (9-4) 72
10. Randolph Co. (10-3) 59
Others receiving votes: Clarke Co. (4-6) 43, Hillcrest-Evergreen (5-7) 24, Lauderdale Co. (7-5) 12, T.R. Miller (8-3) 12, Fultondale (8-3) 9, Bayside Acad. (8-5) 5, Plainview (6-5) 4, Wicksburg (8-4) 4, Lexington (8-4) 1, Straughn (4-6) 1.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (28) (15-0) 354
2. Aliceville (1) (13-2) 272
3. Lanett (1) (11-3) 230
4. Elba (10-3) 225
5. G.W. Long (1) (12-1) 154
6. Tanner (9-4) 128
7. LaFayette (12-1) 125
8. Leroy (8-4) 110
9. New Brockton (7-5) 52
10. Sand Rock (9-3) 43
Others receiving votes: Reeltown (6-5) 17, Sheffield (9-3) 13, Goshen (8-4) 12, Southern Choctaw (10-2) 12, Cleveland (8-4) 5, Washington Co. (6-4) 5, Horseshoe Bend (6-5) 4, Cold Springs (5-6) 2, Westbrook Chr. (3-7) 2, Luverne (7-4) 1, Red Bay (8-3) 1.

Class 1A
1. Maplesville (29) (14-0) 365
2. Sweet Water (9-3) 261
3. Linden (2) (13-1) 246
4. Pickens Co. (11-4) 210
5. Brantley (7-5) 166
6. Addison (13-1) 110
7. Cedar Bluff (8-4) 107
8. Spring Garden (10-2) 79
9. Marengo (6-5) 50
10. Notasulga (7-5) 49
Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (9-3) 30, Houston Co. (6-5) 22, Loachapoka (3-8) 13, Georgiana (12-1) 12, Wadley (10-1) 12, Decatur Heritage (10-3) 10, Isabella (10-2) 10, Ragland (7-4) 5, Sumiton Chr. (9-3) 3, Hubbertville (10-2) 2 South Lamar (6-5) 2, Millry (4-7) 1, Talladega Co. Central (4-6) 1, Woodville (5-6) 1.

AISA
1. Autauga Acad. (28) (13-0) 353
2. Bessemer Acad. (2) (13-1) 283
3. Escambia Acad.  (8-5) 247
4. Monroe Acad. (1) (11-2) 215
5. Glenwood (8-4) 185
6. South Choctaw Acad.  (8-3) 139
7. Chambers Acad. (12-1) 127
8. Abbeville Chr. (7-6) 77
9. Pike Liberal (6-5) 49
10. Lee-Scott (7-5) 41
Others receiving votes: Clarke Prep (4-8) 21, Patrician (5-6) 14, Cornerstone Chr. (8-3) 5, Marengo Acad. (11-1) 5, Southern Acad. (4-7) 4, Lakeside (5-6) 1, Lowndes Acad. (8-3) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Lizi Arbogast, Alexander City Outlook; Josh Dutton, Andalusia Star-News; Joe Medley, Anniston Star; Andrew Garner, Atmore Advance; Gary Estwick, Birmingham News; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Jake Winfrey, Cullman Times; Johnathan Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; Nicholas Finch, Demopolis Times; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Craig Thomas, Florence TimesDaily; Cody Dowler, Fort Payne Times-Journal; 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; Scott Fields, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Thomas Scott, Selma Times-Journal; Alec Etheridge, Shelby County Reporter; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Joey Chandler, Tuscaloosa News; Evan Dudley, Wetumpka Herald.