Bessemer Academy climbs to AISA's No. 1 spot

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

It took five weeks, but there's a new No. 1 team atop the Alabama Sports Writers Association's AISA rankings.

On Aug. 20, Bessemer Academy - then ranked fifth - opened the season by beating No. 1 Monroe Academy, 28-9. But it took five weeks for the Rebels to climb past the Volunteers into the top spot - a place that the 5-0 Rebels last held in the fifth week of the 2008 season.

The Rebels had 15 first-place votes and 328 points to 14 firsts and 311 points for Monroe. Edgewood and Springwood academies picked up the remaining firsts.

While no other No. 1 team was knocked off their perch, there was some change at the top. For the first time this season, Thomasville is not a unanimous choice in Class 4A. The Tigers earned 31 of 32 first place votes after a 57-16 win over Saraland. Region 1 rival and second-ranked Jackson picked up the other first place vote with a 40-14 win over UMS-Wright, ranked eighth in last week's poll.

The lone unanimous team is Class 1A Linden, thanks to a convincing 25-14 win over Sweet Water - ranked No. 2 at the time, but fell to sixth after the loss.

The top spots in the other classes remained unchanged with 6A Daphne, 5A Briarwood Christian, 3A Piedmont and 2A Elba.

Most AHSAA teams face non-region opponents this week in some intriguing matchups. The best among ranked teams include: Class 6A No. 6 Auburn hosting No. 10 Oxford, No. 7 Spain Park at No. 8 Bob Jones, Class 4A No. 2 Jackson at Class 2A No. 2 Leroy, No. 4 North Jackson at Class 1A No. 9 R.A. Hubbard, Class 4A No. 7 Andalusia at Class 3A No. 8 T.R. Miller, Class 3A No. 1 Piedmont at No. 9 Glencoe, No. 3 Handley hosting Class 1A No. 6 Sweet Water, and Class 3A No. 7 Clay County hosting Class 2A No. 7 Lineville.

CLASS 6A

1. Daphne (31) (4-0) 381

2. Hoover (1) (4-0)  288

3. Prattville (3-1)  244

4. Clay-Chalkville (4-0)  217

5. Mountain Brook (4-0)  186

6. Auburn (4-0)  148

7. Spain Park (3-1)  106

8. Bob Jones (4-0)  81

9. Davidson (3-1)  48

10. Oxford (3-1)  45

Others receiving votes: Blount (4-0) 30, McGill-Toolen (4-0) 17, Northridge (4-0) 12, Gadsden City (3-1) 9, Central-Phenix City (3-1) 4, Dothan (3-1) 3, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (4-0) 3, Benjamin Russell (4-0) 1, Pell City (3-1) 1.

CLASS 5A

1. Briarwood Chr. (26) (4-0)  366

2. Hueytown (6) (4-0)  306

3. Hartselle (4-0)  249

4. Eufaula (4-0)  213

5. Muscle Shoals (4-0)  182

6. Vigor (3-1)  151

7. St. Paul's (4-0)  138

8. Chelsea (3-1)  96

9. Cullman (4-0)  69

10. Fairfield (4-0)  26

Others receiving votes: McAdory (3-1) 12, Etowah (3-1) 5, Fort Payne (3-1) 5, Center Point (3-1) 2, Pinson Valley (3-1) 2, Demopolis (3-1) 1, Valley (3-1) 1.

CLASS 4A

1. Thomasville (31) (4-0)  381

2. Jackson (1) (4-0)  274

3. Dadeville (4-0)  247

4. North Jackson (4-0)  220

5. Deshler (4-0)  196

6. Bibb Co. (4-0)  168

7. Andalusia (4-0)  140

8. Fairview (4-0)  75

9. Beauregard (4-0)  52  

10. Fayette Co. (4-0)  35

Others receiving votes: Guntersville (3-1) 25, UMS-Wright (2-2) 7, Dora (3-1) 2, Anniston (2-2) 1, Greene Co. (4-0) 1.

CLASS 3A

1. Piedmont (27) (4-0)  364

2. Hamilton (1) (4-0)  282

3. Handley (4) (4-0)  273
4. Washington Co. (4-0)  222

5. Leeds (3-1)  179

6. Bayside Acad. (4-0)  153

7. Clay Co. (3-1)  133

8. T.R. Miller (3-1)  81

9. Glencoe (4-0)  58

10. Trinity (3-1)  25

Others receiving votes: Sardis (4-0) 14, Slocomb (4-0) 14, Hanceville (4-0) 12, Sylvania (4-0) 6, Gordo (2-2) 5, Rogers (3-1) 2, Opp (3-1) 1.

CLASS 2A

1. Elba (30) (4-0)  372

2. Leroy (3-1)  275

3. Fyffe (1) (4-0)  249

4. Tanner (4-0)  220        

5. American Chr. (1) (3-1)  200

6. Reeltown (3-1)  164    

7. Lineville (4-0)  138      

8. Red Bay (4-0)  100

9. Flomaton (4-0)  66      

10. Colbert Hts. (3-1)  29

Others receiving votes: Fultondale (3-1) 6, Sulligent (1-3) 3, North Sand Mountain (3-1) 1, Oakman (3-1) 1.

CLASS 1A

1. Linden (32) (4-0)  384

2. Lynn (4-0)  267

3. Collinsville (4-0)  217

4. Brantley (4-0)  198      

5. Maplesville (4-0)  173

6. Sweet Water (2-2)  172

7. Pickens Co. (4-0)  120

8. Addison (4-0)  96

9. R.A. Hubbard (3-1)  83

10. Ragland (3-0)  39

Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (3-1) 15, Marion Co. (4-0) 10, Parrish (2-2) 10, McIntosh (4-0) 9, Berry (3-1) 7, Cedar Bluff (2-2) 7, Notasulga (4-0) 7, Appalachian (3-1) 5, Winterboro (4-0) 5.

AISA

1. Bessemer Acad. (15) (5-0)  328

2. Monroe Acad. (14) (4-1)  311

3. Edgewood Acad. (1) (4-0)  267

4. Springwood (2) (5-0)  232

5. Patrician (3-1)  175

6. Crenshaw Chr. (4-0)  114

7. Glenwood (3-2)  106

8. Pike Liberal (2-2)  85

9. Lee-Scott (3-1)  59

10. Autauga Acad. (5-0)  40

Others receiving votes: Tuscaloosa Acad. (4-0) 38, Hooper Acad. (4-1) 31, Fort Dale Acad. (2-2) 27, Clarke Prep (2-2) 4, Lowndes (2-3) 4, Chambers Acad. (3-1) 2, Macon-East (1-3) 1.