Only Unanimous No. 1 in ASWA high school football poll faces showdown with No. 2

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

Only one first-place team stands a unanimous selection in this week's Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll.

And that school faces its toughest test of the young season as Class 5A No. 1 St. Paul's hosts No. 2 Jackson in the only 1-2 matchup in the state this week.

Not only is the top spot in the poll at stake, but the winner is in the driver's seat in Region 1 as the only team with two region wins. Despite being two south Alabama powers, the two schools have never met, according to the website AHSFHS.org, adding to the game's allure.

While the Saints picked up all 30 votes in this week's poll, the Aggies were close to a perfect No. 2, placed there on 28 of the 30 ballots.

Two other top-ranked teams have 29 first-place votes in from the state's high school writers -- Class 4A Leeds and the AISA's Edgewood Academy. The other leaders remained the same from last week with Class 7A Bob Jones, 6A Spanish Fort, 3A Madison Academy, 2A Fyffe and 1A Brantley.

Also, Class 5A No. 4 Central-Clay County hosts Class 4A No. 1 Leeds, Class 4A No. 10 Fayette County is at No. 5 Haleyville, Class 3A No. 5 Pike County at No. 4 Dale County, Class 1A Brantley at No. 7 Georgiana, and AISA No. 4 Monroe Academy hosting No. 5 Wilcox Academy,

Class 7A
1. Bob Jones (25) (2-0)     335
2. Hoover (3) (1-2)     263
3. Spain Park (3-0)     237
4. Fairhope (2) (3-0)     204
5. Central-Phenix City (3-0)     203
6. Gadsden City (3-0)     156
7. McGill-Toolen (1-1)     94
8. Foley (2-1)     75
9. Prattville (2-0)     67
10. Vestavia Hills (1-1)     21
Others receiving votes: Baker (3-0) 14, Smiths Station (3-0) 13, Oak Mountain (2-0) 11, Tuscaloosa Co. (2-0) 9, Huntsville (2-0) 7, Hewitt-Trussville (1-1) 1.

Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (28) (3-0)     353
2. Clay-Chalkville (1) (3-0)     271
3. Shades Valley (1) (3-0)     235
4. Opelika (2-0)     208
5. Carver-Montgomery (2-0)     187
6. Florence (1-1)     138
7. Daphne (1-1)     105
8. Saraland (2-0)     97
9. Blount (1-1)     46
10. Muscle Shoals (1-1)     27
Others receiving votes: Hartselle (3-0) 26, Decatur (2-1) 7, Pell City (3-0) 4, Pinson Valley (2-1) 3, Wetumpka (3-0) 2, McAdory (3-0) 1.

Class 5A
1. St. Paul's (30) (3-0)     360
2. Jackson (2-0)     267
3. Vigor (1-1)     228
4. Central-Clay Co. (2-1)     195
5. Guntersville (2-0)     164
6. Mortimer Jordan (2-0)     117
7. Pleasant Grove (1-1)     103
8. Sylacauga (3-0)     89
9. Charles Henderson (1-1)     54
10. Russellville (2-0)     44
Others receiving votes:  J.O. Johnson (1-1) 36, Ramsay (2-0) 19, Parker (2-0) 9, East Limestone (2-0) 6, West Point (2-0) 6, Jemison (2-1) 4, Demopolis (1-1) 3, Dora (2-1) 3, Dallas Co. (0-2) 2, Tallassee (2-1) 1.

Class 4A
1. Leeds (29) (3-0)     357
2. UMS-Wright (1) (2-0)     273
3. Saks (2-0)     222
4. Thomasville (3-0)     208
5. Haleyville (3-0)     156
6. Straughn (1-1)     106
7. Jacksonville (3-0)     76
8. Oneonta (1-1)     62
9. St. James (2-0)     60
10. Fayette Co. (2-1)     35
Others receiving votes: Hamilton (2-1) 34, Ashford (3-0) 19, Wilson (3-0) 19, Deshler (1-1) 15, Locust Fork (3-0) 11, Munford (1-2) 9, Andalusia (1-2) 8, Childersburg (2-1) 8, Sardis (1-1) 8, Dadeville (0-2) 6, Bibb Co. (1-2) 5, Clarke Co. (1-1) 5, Priceville (2-0) 4, Central-Florence (2-0) 2, Northside (2-1) 2.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (20) (2-1)     327
2. T.R. Miller (9) (3-0)     291
3. Piedmont (1) (2-0)     241
4. Dale Co. (3-0)     221
5. Pike Co. (2-0)     160
6. Glencoe (2-0)     157
7. Gordo (2-0)     76
8. Lauderdale Co. (2-1)     62
9. Colbert Co. (1-1)     54
10. Montgomery Acad. (3-0)     30
Others receiving votes: Bayside Acad. (1-1) 20, Aliceville (3-0) 14, Walter Wellborn (0-2) 13, Lexington (3-0) 12, Oakman (2-0) 6, Opp (2-1) 6, Fultondale (2-1) 4, Geraldine (1-1) 4, Plainview (1-1) 3, Lamar Co. (3-0) 2, Westbrook Chr. (1-1) 2, Greensboro (2-0) 1, Hillcrest-Evergreen (1-1) 1, Pleasant Valley (1-1) 1, Sand Rock (2-0) 1, Weaver (0-2) 1.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (19) (2-0)     324
2. Washington Co. (4) (2-0)     273
3. Tanner (7) (2-1)     267
4. G.W. Long (2-0)     193
5. Lanett (2-1)     174
6. Sweet Water (1-1)     139
7. Reeltown (3-0)     114
8. Falkville (2-0)     107
9. Pickens Co. (2-1)     59
10. Geneva Co. (2-0)     22
Others receiving votes: Ranburne (2-0) 12, Addison (1-2) 7, Leroy (2-0) 6, Elba (2-0) 4, Cottonwood (0-2) 3, Cold Springs (3-0) 2, New Brockton (2-0) 2, Red Bay (2-1) 1, Woodland (2-0) 1.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (24) (2-0)     342
2. Maplesville (5) (2-0)     282
3. Hubbertville (1) (3-0)     236
4. Linden (1-1)     204
5. Ragland (2-0)     178
6. A.L. Johnson (1-1)     77
7. Georgiana (3-0)     68
8. Donoho (2-0)     66
9. Phillips (3-0)     51
10. McKenzie (2-0)     47
Others receiving votes: Spring Garden (2-0) 37, Millry (2-0) 25, Valley Head (1-1) 21, R.A. Hubbard (1-2) 18, Marion Co. (2-1) 11, Verbena (2-0) 11, Berry (2-1) 9, Autaugaville (1-1) 8, Cedar Bluff (0-2) 7, Winterboro (2-0) 7, Woodville (2-0) 2, Isabella (1-0) 1, J.U. Blacksher (2-0) 1, Wadley (1-1) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (29) (2-0)     357
2. Restoration (2-0)     257
3. Bessemer Acad. (2-0)     243
4. Monroe Acad. (1) (3-0)     217
5. Wilcox Acad. (2-0)     181
6. Escambia Acad. (2-0)     146
7. Marengo Acad. (1-1)     125
8. S. Choctaw Acad. (2-0)     78
9. Autauga Acad. (1-1)     57
10. Abbeville Chr. (3-0)     18
Others receiving votes: Clarke Prep (0-1) 13, Tuscaloosa Acad. (1-1) 8, Lee-Scott (2-0) 6, Sparta Acad. (2-0) 3, Pike Liberal (2-1) 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; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Joey Chandler, Tuscaloosa News.  Not voting: Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.