Piedmont takes over as new No. 1 in 3A

 By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

For the first time in 14 polls, there's a new team on top of the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 3A Poll.

After Clay County knocked off No. 1 Leeds in a 14-7 defensive struggle, Piedmont takes over as this week's top dog in the poll. The Bulldogs, whose 2009 title is bookended by Leeds' two crowns, led the way with 26 of a possible 31 first-place votes among the state's high school sports writers. Clay County vaulted from a seventh-place tie into fourth with the win, while Leeds dropped to sixth.

Leeds' loss leaves Thomasville as the state's only unanimous No. 1 team with the Tigers earning every first-place vote in Class 4A. Every other class remained the same at the top: Class 6A Daphne, Class 5A Briarwood Christian, Class 2A Elba, Class 1A Linden and the AISA's Monroe Academy, although No. 2 Bessemer Academy, which beat the Volunteers in the opening game of the season, narrowed the gap from 47 points to 12.

There may be another change at the top of a class this week as Class 1A No. 1 Linden will "host" No. 2 Sweet Water in a game moved to Marengo High School in Dixon's Mills.

There are plenty of key games involving ranked teams, but the biggest might be in McCalla, where Class 5A No. 2 Hueytown is at No. 9 McAdory in a Class 5A, Region 4 game nationally televised on ESPNU. Class 5A No. 1 Briarwood Christian is at No. 5 Chelsea, Class 4A No. 8 UMS-Wright hosts No. 2 Jackson, No. 4 North Jackson hosts No. 9 Guntersville, Class 3A No. 3 hosts No. 4 Clay County, Class 1A No. 4 Lynn is at No. 9 Parrish, and AISA No. 6 Springwood at No. 8 Lee-Scott.

Class 6A

1. Daphne (29) (3-0) 366

2. Hoover (2) (3-0)  280

3. Prattville (2-1)  230

4. Davidson (3-0)  216

5. Clay-Chalkville (3-0)  183

6. Mountain Brook (3-0)  156

7. Auburn (3-0)  125

8. Spain Park (2-1)  81

9. Bob Jones (3-0)  45

10. Oxford (2-1)  31

Others receiving votes: McGill-Toolen (3-0) 18, Northridge (3-0) 11, Gadsden City (2-1) 8, Central-Phenix City (2-1) 6, Florence (2-1) 5, Blount (3-0) 2, Dothan (2-1) 2, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (3-0) 1, Pell City (3-0) 1.

Class 5A

1. Briarwood Chr. (26) (3-0)  357

2. Hueytown (5) (3-0)  294

3. Hartselle (3-0)  242

4. Eufaula (3-0)  189

5. Chelsea (3-0)  162

6. Muscle Shoals (3-0)  145

7. Vigor (2-1)  118

8. St. Paul's (3-0)  117

9. McAdory (3-0)  64

10. Pinson Valley (3-0)  33

Others receiving votes: Cullman (3-0) 21, Russellville (2-1) 7, Citronelle (1-2) 4, Fairfield (3-0) 4, Spanish Fort (1-2) 4, Albertville (3-0) 3, Fort Payne (2-1) 2, Etowah (2-1) 1.

Class 4A

1. Thomasville (31) (3-0)  372

2. Jackson (3-0)  259

3. Dadeville (3-0)  238

4. North Jackson (3-0)  212

5. Deshler (3-0)  191

6. Bibb Co. (3-0)  164

7. Andalusia (3-0)  137

8. UMS-Wright (2-1)  62 

9. Guntersville (3-0)  48

10. Fairview (3-0)  42

Others receiving votes: Beauregard (3-0) 18, Fayette Co. (3-0) 13, Anniston (2-1) 5, Headland (3-0) 5, Jemison (3-0) 1.

Class 3A

1. Piedmont (26) (3-0)  350

2. Hamilton (1) (3-0)  269

3. Handley (3) (3-0)  242
4. Clay Co. (1) (3-0)  217

5. Washington Co. (3-0)  199

6. Leeds (2-1)  159

7. Bayside Acad. (3-0)  132

8. T.R. Miller (2-1)  77

9. Glencoe (3-0)  43

10. Trinity (2-1)  21

Others receiving votes: Sardis (3-0) 15, Slocomb (3-0) 13, Hanceville (3-0) 9, Sylvania (3-0) 6, Gordo (1-2) 4, Rogers (2-1) 4, Walter Wellborn (3-0) 4, Opp (2-1) 3.

Class 2A

1. Elba (29) (3-0)  359

2. Leroy (2-1)  263

3. Fyffe (1) (3-0)  240

4. Tanner (3-0)  203        

5. American Chr. (1) (2-1)  200

6. Reeltown (2-1)  147    

7. Lineville (3-0)  137      

8. Red Bay (3-0)  93

9. Flomaton (3-0)  63      

10. Colbert Hts. (2-1)  16

Others receiving votes: Lamar Co. (3-0) 15, Fultondale (2-1) 10, G.W. Long (3-0) 7, Woodland (1-2) 5, Sulligent (1-2) 3, Highland Home (3-0) 2, Ider (3-0) 1, Lanett (2-1) 1, Mobile Chr. (2-1) 1, Vincent (2-1) 1.

Class 1A

1. Linden (22) (3-0)  344

2. Sweet Water (8) (2-1)  300

3. R.A. Hubbard (1) (3-0)  246

4. Lynn (3-0)  194

5. Collinsville (3-0)  159

6. Brantley (3-0)  155      

7. Maplesville (3-0)  112

8. Pickens Co. (3-0)  74  

9. Parrish (2-1)  52

10. Addison (3-0)  40

Others receiving votes: Ragland (3-0) 38, Berry (2-1) 13, Appalachian (3-0) 12, Cedar Bluff (1-2) 10, McIntosh (3-0) 9, St. Jude (3-0) 3, Winterboro (3-0) 3, Notasulga (3-0) 2, Marion Co. (3-0) 1.

AISA

1. Monroe Acad. (18) (3-1) 315

2. Bessemer Acad. (10) (4-0) 303

3. Edgewood Acad. (1) (3-0)  261

4. Springwood (2) (4-0)  214

5. Fort Dale Acad. (2-1)  158

6t. Lee-Scott (3-0)  143

6t. Patrician (3-1)  143

8. Glenwood (2-2)  57

9. Pike Liberal (1-2)  53

10. Crenshaw Chr. (3-0)  39

Others receiving votes: Clarke Prep (2-1) 31, Tuscaloosa Acad. (3-0) 22, Autauga Acad. (4-0) 12, Lowndes Acad. (2-2) 7, Macon-East (1-2) 6, Morgan Acad. (2-1) 2, Hooper Acad. (3-1) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Freelance (Birmingham); Josh Bean, Co-Chairman, Mobile Press-Register; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Nick Birdsong, Anniston Star; Chandler Myers, Atmore Advance; Robert Ladnier, Baldwin Register; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Stan Veitch, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Jason Bowen, Daily Sentinel; Cody Whitlock, Decatur Daily; Jeremy Smith, Demopolis Times; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Scot Beard, Franklin County Times; Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home.Alex Scarborough, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald.   Not Voting: Jonathan Deal, Moulton Advertiser.