New teams atop Class 3A, 2A 

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA 

Two top-ranked teams fell from their perch atop their respective classes in two different ways in this week's Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll.

Class 2A Fultondale, which started the season at No. 2 and spent the first two weeks of the regular season at No. 1, tumbled to sixth after a 25-24 home loss to Region 6 foe Woodland on Friday night.

And even though Class 3A Leeds came away with a 7-6 Region 4 win over Birmingham-area foe Midfield, No. 2 Piedmont moved into the top spot among this week's panel of voters with a convincing 49-7 win over Glencoe.

Among the other leaders, Hoover regained its unanimous perch on top of Class 6A, snaring all 31 first-place votes, while Class 4A Oneonta lost its perfect first-place mark as No. 2 Dadeville grabbed one first-place vote.

Class 5A Hartselle, Class 1A Marion County and the AISA's Edgewood Academy retained their first-place status.

In games involving ranked teams this week, Hoover hosts Class 6A No. 6, Northridge, Hartselle hosts Class 5A No. 6 Cullman, Class 4A No. 7 Thomasville is at No. 8 Andalusia, Class 3A No. 3 T.R. Miller is at No. 7 Bayside while No. 4 Madison Academy is at No. 9 Deshler, Class 2A No. 8 Walter Wellborn hosts No. 6 Fultondale, and  AISA No. 2 Autauga Academy is at No. 1 Edgewood Academy,  No. 3 Monroe Academy at No. 7 Fort Dale, No. 6 Glenwood at No. 9 Lee-Scott and No. 4 Restoration hosts No. 5 Tuscaloosa Academy,

Class 6A

1. Hoover (31) (3-0)  372

2. Clay-Chalkville (3-0)  268

3. Auburn (3-0)  245

4. McGill-Toolen (3-0)  213

5. Vestavia Hills (3-0)  177

6. Northridge (3-0)  143

7. Austin (3-0)  120

8. Gadsden City (3-0)  71

9. Daphne (2-1)  66

10. Fairhope (3-0)  25

Others receiving votes: Carver-Montgomery (2-1) 16, Opelika (2-1) 11, Central-Phenix City (2-1) 7, Mountain Brook (3-0) 7, Oxford (1-2) 7, Hazel Green (2-1) 5, Northview (2-1) 5, Blount (3-0) 3, Davidson (3-0) 2, Huntsville (3-0) 2, Oak Mountain (3-0) 2.

Class 5A

1. Hartselle (25) (3-0)  350

2. Muscle Shoals (5) (3-0)  281

3. Jackson (1) (3-0)  251

4. Eufaula (3-0)  197

5. Spanish Fort (3-0)  192

6. Cullman (3-0)  137

7. St. Paul's (2-1)  119

8. Fort Payne (3-0)  96

9. Homewood (2-1)  66

10. Demopolis (3-0)  42

Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (3-0) 13, Vigor (2-1) 5, Walker (2-1) 5, Sylacauga (3-0) 4, Boaz (3-0) 3, McAdory (3-0) 3, Wenonah (3-0) 2, Etowah (2-1) 1.

Class 4A

1. Oneonta (30) (3-0)  369

2. Dadeville (1) (3-0)  270

3. Central-Clay Co. (3-0)  240

4. Beauregard (3-0)  202            

5. UMS-Wright (2-1)  200

6. Handley (2-1)  111

7. Thomasville (2-1)  110           

8. Andalusia (3-0)  99

9. Madison Co. (3-0)  72

10. Brooks (3-0)  28       

Others receiving votes: Tallassee (3-0) 14, Dora (3-0) 10, St. James (3-0) 9, J.O. Johnson (3-0) 8, Anniston (2-1) 7, Monroe Co. (1-2) 7, Haleyville (3-0) 4, Calera (2-1) 2, Lincoln (2-1) 2, Sardis (2-1) 2, Bibb Co. (2-1) 1.

Class 3A

1. Piedmont (21) (3-0)  342        

2. Leeds (7) (3-0)  288

3. T.R. Miller (3) (3-0)  259

4. Madison Acad. (2-1)  201

5. Hamilton (3-0)  179

6. Lauderdale Co. (2-1)  153

7. Bayside Acad. (2-1)  123

8. Vinemont (3-0)  61

9. Deshler (1-2)  38

10. Sylvania (3-0)  34

Others receiving votes: Midfield (1-2) 23, Colbert Co. (3-0) 16, Fayette Co. (2-1) 15, Gordo (2-1) 12, Straughn (2-1) 11, Daleville (3-0) 6, Barbour Co. (3-0) 4, B.B. Comer (2-1) 1, Opp (1-2) 1.

Class 2A

1. Tanner (29) (3-0)  360

2. Washington Co. (2) (3-0)  282

3. Fyffe (3-0)  220

4. Elba (2-1)  210           

5. Sweet Water (2-1)  185          

6. Fultondale (2-1)  117

7. G.W. Long (3-0)  108

8. Walter Wellborn (3-0)  89      

9. Reeltown (2-1)  67

10. N. Sand Mountain (3-0)  57

Others receiving votes: Woodland (2-1) 47, Ider (3-0) 11, Providence Chr. (3-0) 4, Randolph Co. (3-0) 3, New Brockton (2-1) 2, Sheffield (2-1) 2, Vincent (2-1) 2, Horseshoe Bend (2-1) 1.

Class 1A

1. Marion Co. (29) (3-0)  365

2. Linden (1) (3-0)  281

3. Maplesville (3-0)  232

4. Ragland (2-0)  200

5. Brantley (1) (3-0)  199            

6. Pickens Co. (3-0)  177                   

7. Cedar Bluff (3-0)  125            

8. Collinsville (3-0)  88  

9. R.A. Hubbard (2-1)  46

10. Shoals Chr. (2-1)  23

Others receiving votes: Keith (3-0) 8, Lynn (2-1) 8, Spring Garden (3-0) 7, Meek (3-0) 3, Donoho (3-0) 2, Falkville (3-0) 1, Geneva Co. (2-1) 1, Hackleburg (2-1) 1.

AISA

1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (5-0)  369

2. Autauga Acad. (4-0)  269

3. Monroe Acad. (1) (4-0)  230

4. Restoration (5-0)  188

5. Tuscaloosa Acad. (4-0)  181

6. Glenwood Acad. (3-1)  132

7. Fort Dale Acad. (3-1)  109

8. Clarke Prep. (4-0)  108

9. Lee-Scott (3-1)  103

10. Pickens Acad. (4-0)  41

Others receiving votes: Macon-East (3-1) 14, Escambia Acad. (1-3) 4, Marengo Acad. (3-1) 4, Ashford Acad. (4-1) 3, Meadowview (2-2) 3, Bessemer Acad. (1-4) 2, Jackson Acad. (2-2) 2, Wilcox Acad. (1-3) 2, Crenshaw Chr. (2-2) 1, Lakeside (2-2) 1, Patrician (2-2) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Alabama Media Group; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Jonathan Deal, Athens News Courier; Erich Hilkert, Atmore Advance; Bran Strickland, 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; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Record; Josh Bean, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald.  Not Voting: Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times.