Battles among 1A unbeatens highlight this week's ASWA high school football poll
By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

      With three weeks left in the regular season, there are 28 undefeated high school football teams left in the state -- with six in Class 1A.

     After this weekend, that number will drop two showdowns featuring unbeaten teams in de facto region championship games -- sure to shake up next week's Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll.

     The winner between No. 4 Ragland and No. 5 Donoho -- both 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Region 5 -- will hold down the No 1 seed come playoff time. Further south, it's the same situation with No.6 McKenzie and No. 1 Brantley. McKenzie (7-0, 5-0) holds a half-game lead in Region 2 over No. 1 Brantley (7-0, 4-0).

     As for the other 24 unbeaten teams, Class 4A No. 10 West Blocton became the last undefeated team to move into the top 10 thanks to a 48-14 win over Northside. Six of the eight No. 1 ranked teams are unbeaten -- Class 6A Spanish Fort, 5A St. Paul's, 4A UMS-Wright which moved into the top spot after Leeds lost to Dadeville, 2A Fyffe and AISA's Edgewood Academy.

     Two-loss Hoover holds down the No. 1 spot in 7A just ahead of unbeaten Fairhope, and one-loss Madison Academy has a comfortable lead over three Class 3A unbeatens -- Dale County, Glencoe and Gordo.

      In action this week involving ranked teams, Class 4A No. 2 Saks at No. 9 Cleburne County, Class 1A No. 1 Brantley at No. 6 McKenzie, No. 4 Ragland hosting No. 5 Donoho, and AISA No. 6 Wilcox Academy at No. 4 Marengo Academy.

Class 7A
1. Hoover (22) (5-2)    336
2. Fairhope (7) (7-0)    289
3. Prattville (6-1)    209
4. Gadsden City (7-1)    192
5. Central-Phenix City (1) (7-1)    183
6. Oak Mountain (6-1)    165
7. Baker (7-1)    123
8. Bob Jones (5-2)    85
9. Foley (6-2)    76
10. Murphy (5-2)    12
Others receiving votes: James Clemens (5-2) 9, Spain Park (4-3) 8, Theodore (5-2) 8, Mountain Brook (3-4) 7, Smiths Station (5-3) 4, Hewitt-Trussville (4-3) 3, Jeff Davis (5-3) 1.

Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (24) (7-0)    340
2. Clay-Chalkville (6) (7-0)    288
3. Opelika (6-1)    236
4. Saraland (6-1)    179
5. Shades Valley (6-1)    178
6. Florence (5-2)    146
7. Blount (5-2)    119
8. McAdory (7-0)    108
9. Benjamin Russell (7-1)    58
10. Carver-Montgomery (5-2)    18
Others receiving votes: Fort Payne (6-1) 12, Muscle Shoals (5-2) 8, Daphne (4-3) 7, Decatur (5-2) 5, Homewood (5-2) 4, Southside-Gadsden (6-2) 3, Park Crossing (5-2) 1.

Class 5A
1. St. Paul's (30) (7-0)    360
2. Guntersville (7-0)    264
3. Parker (7-0)    231
4. East Limestone (7-0)    214
5. Jackson (5-2)    156
6. Demopolis (6-1)    150
7. Russellville (6-1)    104
8. Mortimer Jordan (6-1)    92
9. Ramsay (6-1)    74
10. Calera (6-1)   38
Others receiving votes:  Lincoln (5-2) 11, Sylacauga (6-1) 5, Greenville (5-2) 4, Tallassee (5-2) 3, Vigor (3-3) 3, Beauregard (4-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (29) (7-0)    348
2. Saks (1) (7-0)    269
3. Straughn (6-1)    220
4. Leeds (7-1)    210
5. Oneonta (6-1)    180
6. Fayette Co. (5-2)    130
7. Deshler (6-1)    94
8. Jacksonville (7-1)    86
9. Cleburne Co. (6-1)    32
10. West Blocton (7-0)    29
Others receiving votes: St. James (6-1) 26, Dadeville (4-3) 25, Haleyville (6-2) 23, W.S. Neal (4-2) 10, Wilson (6-1) 10, Locust Fork (6-1) 7, Clarke Co. (5-2) 5, Thomasville (5-3) 4, Hamilton (5-2) 1, North Jackson (5-2) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (29) (6-1)    356
2. Dale Co. (8-0)    269
3. Glencoe (1) (7-0)    239
4. Gordo (7-0)    212
5. T.R. Miller (7-1)    159
6. Montgomery Acad. (7-0)    145
7. Pike Co. (5-1)    99
8. Piedmont (5-2)    80
9. Lauderdale Co. (6-2)    79
10. Opp (5-2)    24
Others receiving votes: Aliceville (7-1) 15, Geraldine (6-1) 10, Plainview (6-1) 10, Sylvania (3-4) 6, Oakman (6-1) 4, Colbert Co. (4-3) 1, Lamar Co. (6-1) 1, New Hope (3-4) 1.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (24) (7-0)    342
2. Washington Co. (6) (7-0)    279
3. G.W. Long (7-0)    235
4. Tanner (6-2)    198
5. Ranburne (7-0)    185
6. Elba (7-0)    119
7. Sweet Water (5-2)    118
8. Reeltown (6-1)    101
9. Pickens Co. (5-2)    66
10. Red Bay (7-1)    30
Others receiving votes: Addison (5-2) 12, Leroy (4-3) 9, Cleveland (6-1) 8, Randolph Co. (6-1) 6, Geneva Co. (4-2) 2.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (16) (7-0)    317
2. Maplesville (14) (6-0)    311
3. Hubbertville (6-0)    235
4. Ragland (7-0)    205
5. Donoho (7-0)    179
6. McKenzie (7-0)    150
7. Linden (3-3)    125
8. Millry (6-1)    73
9. Berry (5-2)    56
10. Hackleburg (6-1)    23
Others receiving votes: A.L. Johnson (5-2) 13, Phillips (7-1) 10, Billingsley (5-2) 4, J.U. Blacksher (6-1) 4, R.A. Hubbard (5-2) 3, Isabella (5-1) 2.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (7-0)    360
2. Bessemer Acad. (7-0)    270
3. Escambia Acad. (6-0)    237
4. Marengo Acad. (5-1)    196
5. Monroe Acad. (7-1)    185
6. Wilcox Acad. (5-1)    142
7. Restoration (4-2)    123
8. S. Choctaw Acad. (6-1)    88
9. Autauga Acad. (5-2)    57
10. Tuscaloosa Acad. (5-2)    35
Others receiving votes: Sparta Acad. (6-1) 12, Clarke Prep (3-3) 3, Abbeville Chr. (6-2) 1, Lakeside (5-2) 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.