Maplesville cuts Brantley's Class 1A lead down to seven points -- even after bye week
By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

      Over the last few weeks, Maplesville has slowly been digging away at Brantley's lead atop the Alabama Sports Writer's Association Class 1A high school football poll.

     A 60-point lead by the Bulldogs after Week 3 dropped to 45 after the Red Devils beat Class 1A then-No. 4 Linden, then to 20 after they dropped Class 2A then-No. 3 Tanner, 36-21.

     After a bye week this past weekend, ASWA voters have trimmed the margin to seven points, even after Brantley's 35-21 win over a Florala team that hasn't had four wins this deep into the season since 2007.

      The Red Devils, a 31-8 winner over Brantley in last season's Class 1A semifinal, have cut the lead to 317-310 with the Bulldogs holding the edge in first-place votes by a 16-14 margin.

     It's the closest difference between the top two teams in any class since a three-point margin between Class 5A McAdory and Spanish Fort in Week Three last season and the closest in Class 1A since eight points separated Lynn and Linden in the Week 8 poll in 2011.

     The rest of the poll finds the No. 1 teams holding comfortable margins as Class 5A St. Paul's Class 4A Leeds and the AISA's Edgewood Academy are unanimous picks among this week's panel of 30 voters.

     Class 3A Madison Academy has 28 of 30 first-place votes, Class 5A Spanish Fort has 27, Class 2A Fyffe has 24 and Class 7A Hoover picked up 21.

     In action this week involving ranked teams, Class 7A No. 10 Murphy at No. 9 Foley, Class 6A No. 2 Clay-Chalkville at No. 3 Shades Valley, No. 1 Spanish Fort at No. 5 Blount, Class 3A No. 1 Madison Academy hosting No. 5 Lauderdale County, No. 8 Aliceville at No. 4 Gordo, and Class 1A No. 6 A.L. Johnson is at No. 8 Linden.

Class 7A
1. Hoover (21) (4-2)      332
2. Fairhope (5) (6-0)      278
3. Central-Phenix City (4) (7-0)      260
4. Prattville (5-1)      173
5. Gadsden City (6-1)      170
6. Oak Mountain (5-1)      159
7. Baker (6-1)      85
8. Bob Jones (4-2)      82
9. Foley (5-2)      64
10. Murphy (5-1)      43
Others receiving votes: Smiths Station (5-2) 30, James Clemens (5-1) 27, Spain Park (3-3) 4, Enterprise (4-2) 1, Hewitt-Trussville (3-3) 1, Theodore (5-2) 1.

Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (27) (6-0)      348
2. Clay-Chalkville (2) (6-0)      274
3. Shades Valley (1) (6-0)      244
4. Opelika (5-1)      211
5. Blount (5-1)      162
6. Saraland (5-1)      138
7. Florence (4-2)      102
8. Carver-Montgomery (5-1)      94
9. Decatur (5-1)      86
10. McAdory (6-0)      34
Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (6-1) 8, Daphne (3-3) 6, Fort Payne (5-1) 1, Hartselle (4-2) 1, Southside-Gadsden (5-2) 1.

Class 5A
1. St. Paul's (30) (7-0)      360
2. Guntersville (6-0)      253
3. Mortimer Jordan (6-0)      241
4. Parker (6-0)      201
5. East Limestone (6-0)      187
6. Jackson (4-2)      127
7. Demopolis (5-1)      120
8. Russellville (5-1)      86
9. Ramsay (5-1)      78
10t. Beauregard (4-1)      20
10t. Calera (5-1)     20
Others receiving votes:  Vigor (2-3) 8, Sylacauga (5-1) 5, Greenville (4-2) 2, Lincoln (4-2) 1, Tallassee (4-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. Leeds (30) (7-0)      360
2. UMS-Wright (6-0)      270
3. Saks (6-0)      240
4. Straughn (5-1)      196
5. Oneonta (5-1)      159
6. Haleyville (6-1)      135
7. Fayette Co. (5-2)      93
8. Thomasville (5-2)      75
9. Jacksonville (6-1)      62
10. Deshler (5-1)      44
Others receiving votes: St. James (5-1) 24, Cleburne Co. (5-1) 18, West Blocton (6-0) 18, Munford (5-2) 9, Elkmont (5-1) 2, Locust Fork (5-1) 2, Wilson (5-1) 2, Dadeville (3-3) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (28) (5-1)      353
2. Dale Co. (1) (7-0)      272
3. Glencoe (1) (6-0)      240
4. Gordo (6-0)      203
5. Lauderdale Co. (6-1)      153
6. T.R. Miller (6-1)      131
7. Montgomery Acad. (6-0)      114
8. Aliceville (7-0)      72
9. Pike Co. (4-1)      71
10. Piedmont (4-2)      58
Others receiving votes: Opp (4-2) 22, Geraldine (5-1) 7, Walter Wellborn (4-2) 7, Plainview (5-1) 5, Lexington (6-1) 1, Oakman (5-1) 1.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (24) (6-0)      342
2. Washington Co. (6) (6-0)      286
3. G.W. Long (6-0)      238
4. Tanner (5-2)      195
5. Ranburne (6-0)      187
6. Sweet Water (4-2)      109
7. Elba (6-0)      104
8. Reeltown (5-1)      102
9. Pickens Co. (4-2)      65
10. Geneva Co. (4-1)      27
Others receiving votes: Red Bay (6-1) 19, Addison (4-2) 18, Woodland (5-1) 5, Cleveland (5-1) 4, Leroy (4-2) 4, Randolph Co. (5-1) 3, Hatton (4-1) 2.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (16) (6-0)      317
2. Maplesville (14) (5-0)      310
3. Hubbertville (5-0)      236
4. Ragland (6-0)      199
5. Donoho (6-0)      176
6. A.L. Johnson (5-1)      141
7. McKenzie (6-0)      135
8. Linden (2-3)      82
9. Millry (5-1)      40
10. Berry (4-2)      28
Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (5-1) 15, Phillips (6-1) 11, Wadley (5-1) 6, Billingsley (4-2) 5, Isabella (4-1) 3, Notasulga (4-2) 2, R.A. Hubbard (4-2) 2, Decatur Heritage (5-1) 1, J.U. Blacksher (5-1) 1

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (6-0)      360
2. Bessemer Acad. (6-0)      270
3. Escambia Acad. (5-0)      237
4. Marengo Acad. (4-1)      190
5. Monroe Acad. (6-1)      176
6. Wilcox Acad. (5-1)      149
7. Restoration (4-2)      132
8. S. Choctaw Acad. (5-1)      82
9. Autauga Acad. (4-2)      48
10. Tuscaloosa Acad. (4-2)      19
Others receiving votes: Abbeville Chr. (6-1) 14, Crenshaw Chr. (5-1) 12, Pike Liberal (6-1) 11, Sparta Acad. (5-1) 7, Clarke Prep (3-2) 3.

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.