ASWA high school football poll sees four teams ending regular season where they began - No. 1

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA 

When the Alabama Sports Writers Association's preseason high school football poll was released three months ago, six of the seven teams ranked No. 1 in their classes were coming off state championships.

As the regular season ends and the first round of the 2013 playoffs start this weekend, most of those six teams are favored to repeat as champions, if the poll is any indication.

Four teams started and ended the season in the top spot in their classes. Three of them - Class 6A Hoover, Class 3A Madison Academy and the AISA's Edgewood Academy - led wire to wire. Class 2A Tanner started the season in the top spot, lost to Madison Academy the first week, and moved back to No. 1 in Week 9.

As for the other three schools, Class 1A champion Brantley started the year at No. 1, but ends it at No. 4. Pickens County ends the season as the top team in Class 1A, up from fourth in the preseason poll. The same position switch happened in Class 4A where champ UMS-Wright started at No. 1 and finished at No. 4, flopping with undefeated Charles Henderson, which closed the regular season by completing the fourth to first march - the school's first appearance in the top spot since 1980.

Spanish Fort started the season as No. 2 in Class 5A behind McAdory, the team it defeated in last season's Class 5A title game, 45-14. The Toros moved up to No. 1 at the beginning of October and have owned the spot since, while two losses have dropped McAdory into the 10th spot.

Of all the first-round playoff pairings, only one features two ranked teams - an AISA Class AAA matchup with No. 8 Escambia Academy playing at No. 7 Tuscaloosa Academy. 

ASWA High School Football Poll
Week 10

(First place votes and record in parentheses).

Others receiving votes: Daphne (8-2) 23, Carver-Montgomery (8-2) 20, Opelika (7-3) 18, Smiths Station (8-2) 7, Spain Park (8-2) 4, Tuscaloosa Co. (7-3) 2.

Others receiving votes: Pleasant Grove (9-1) 28, Hartselle (8-2) 5, Briarwood Chr. (8-2) 4, Walker (8-2) 2.

Others receiving votes: Beauregard (8-2) 18, Andalusia (8-2) 15, Haleyville (9-1) 13, Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-3) 3, Central-Florence (8-2) 2, Childersburg (8-2) 1, Madison Co. (8-2) 1, Tallassee (8-2) 1.

Others receiving votes: Hanceville (9-1) 13, Lauderdale Co. (8-2) 11, Hamilton (8-2) 6, Geraldine (8-2) 2, New Hope (8-2) 2, Deshler (7-3) 1.

Others receiving votes: Lamar Co. (9-1) 36, Montgomery Acad. (9-1) 19, Houston Acad. (8-1) 10, Mobile Chr. (7-3) 10, Red Bay (8-2) 3, Walter Wellborn (7-3) 2.

Others receiving votes: Hubbertville (8-2) 28, R.A. Hubbard (7-3) 9, Geneva Co. (8-2) 8, A.L. Johnson (8-2) 7, Autaugaville (7-3) 5, St. Jude (8-2) 5.

Others receiving votes: Wilcox Acad. (7-3) 20, Clarke Prep (6-4) 11, Kingwood Chr. (8-3) 10, Pickens Acad. (7-3) 7, Fort Dale Acad. (6-4) 2, Coosa Valley Acad. (6-5) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Josh Bean, AL.com; 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; 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; Nick Johnston, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Journal Record; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, 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; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.