Leroy falls from poll for 1^st time since 2003 

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA 

The last time Leroy wasn't ranked in the Alabama Sports Writers Association's high school football poll, the current group of seniors was in fourth grade.

A streak of 83-consecutive polls - the second-longest active run - ended today (Wednesday) as the Bears fell out of the Class 2A top 10 for the first time since the final poll of the 2003 season. The Bears finished just outside the top 10, first among schools also receiving votes with 14 points. The 20-14 loss to Mobile Christian also ended Leroy's 33-game region winning streak.

Hoover owns the longest active streak in the top 10 with 128 consecutive poll appearances dating back to the preseason poll in 2000. Class 1A Sweet Water now holds the second longest streak at 76 consecutive spots in the ASWA top 10 and Brantley has the third-longest active streak at 66.

After the Bears fell out of the top 10 in 2003, they quickly made up for it. After a 5-6 record that season, Leroy went on to win four of the next five Class 2A championships.

The streak is also at one for Edgewood Academy, which took over the top spot in the AISA following then-No. 1 Bessemer Academy's 16-12 loss to now 7-0 and sixth-ranked Tuscaloosa Academy. Class 6A Daphne, Class 4A Thomasville and Class 1A Linden were unanimous picks at No.1 in their respective divisions, while Class 5A Hueytown, 3A Piedmont and 2A Elba held comfortable margins.

The AISA headlines this week's games among ranked teams with Edgewood hosting No. 2 Springwood in a battle of unbeaten. Class 5A No. 1 Hueytown hosts No. 4 Fairfield, Class 3A No. 5 Bayside is at No. 7 Trinity, Class 1A No. 5 Maplesville hosts No. 6 Pickens County, and AISA No. 8 Glenwood hosts No. 7 Monroe Academy.

CLASS 6A

1. Daphne (30) (6-0) 360

2. Hoover (6-0)  268

3. Clay-Chalkville (6-0)  233

4. Mountain Brook (6-0)  201

5. Auburn (5-0)  183

6. Bob Jones (6-0)  132

7. McGill-Toolen (6-0)  103

8. Blount (6-0)  96

9. Prattville (4-2)  49

10. Northridge (6-0)  47

Others receiving votes: Opelika (4-1) 11, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (6-0) 7, Central-Phenix City (5-1) 6, Oxford (4-2) 5, Gadsden City (3-3) 4, Fairhope (5-1) 3, Spain Park (3-3) 2.

CLASS 5A

1. Hueytown (29) (6-0)  357

2. Hartselle (6-0)  264

3. Briarwood Chr. (1) (5-1)  231

4. Fairfield (6-0)  197

5. St. Paul's (5-1)  158

6. Muscle Shoals (5-1)  140

7. Fort Payne (5-1)  91

8. Vigor (4-2)  77

9. Eufaula (5-1)  74

10. Valley (5-1)  35

Others receiving votes: Center Point (5-1) 23, Pinson Valley (5-1) 23, Chelsea (4-2) 16, McAdory (4-2) 9, Cullman (5-1) 7, Greenville (5-1) 4, Spanish Fort (4-2) 4.

CLASS 4A

1. Thomasville (30) (6-0)  360

2. Jackson (6-0)  256

3. Dadeville (6-0)  228

4. North Jackson (6-0)  206

5. Deshler (6-0)  184

6. Bibb Co. (6-0)  158

7. Andalusia (6-0)  134

8. Beauregard (6-0)  80  

9. Guntersville (5-1)  65

10. Dora (5-1)  15

Others receiving votes: Fairview (5-1) 10, Fayette Co. (5-1) 7, Oneonta (5-1) 3, Greene Co. (5-1) 2, Ashford (5-1) 1, UMS-Wright (4-2) 1.

CLASS 3A

1. Piedmont (26) (6-0)  345

2. Hamilton (1) (6-0)  267

3. Handley (3) (6-0)  253
4. Leeds (5-1)  190

5. Bayside Acad. (6-0)  187

6. Clay Co. (5-1)  146

7t. Trinity (5-1)  79

7t. Washington Co. (5-1)  79

9. Sardis (6-0)  62

10. Hanceville (6-0)  54

Others receiving votes: Gordo (4-2) 17, Saks (6-0) 15, Sylvania (5-1) 6, Rogers (5-1) 5, T.R. Miller (4-2) 5.

CLASS 2A

1. Elba (28) (6-0)  350

2. Fyffe (1) (6-0)  254

3. Tanner (6-0)  235        

4. American Chr. (1) (5-1)  219

5. Reeltown (5-1)  187    

6. Red Bay (6-0)  139

7. Flomaton (6-0)  127    

8. Lineville (5-1)  99        

9. N. Sand Mountain (5-1)  52

10. Vincent (5-1)  16

Others receiving votes: Leroy (3-3) 14, Oakman (4-2) 8, Colbert Hts. (4-2) 2, G.W. Long (5-1) 2, Zion Chapel (5-1) 2, Fultondale (4-2) 1, Ider (5-1) 1, Mobile Chr. (3-3) 1, Westminster Chr. (4-2) 1.

CLASS 1A

1. Linden (30) (6-0)  360

2. Lynn (6-0)  250

3t. Collinsville (6-0)  211

3t. Brantley (6-0)  211     

5. Maplesville (6-0)  185

6. Pickens Co. (6-0)  149

7. Addison (6-0)  124

8. Ragland (5-0)  92

9. Sweet Water (3-3)  61

10. Marion Co. (6-0)  38

Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (5-1) 13, Winterboro (6-0) 10, Berry (5-1) 3, R.A. Hubbard (3-3) 2, St. Jude (4-1) 1.

AISA

1. Edgewood Acad. (24) (6-0)  340

2. Springwood (3) (7-0)  273

3. Patrician (5-1)  186

4. Crenshaw Chr. (6-0)  178

5. Bessemer Acad. (1) (6-1)  166

6. Tuscaloosa Acad. (2) (6-0)  141

7. Monroe Acad. (6-1)  138

8. Glenwood (5-2)  85

9. Lee-Scott (5-1)  75

10. Autauga Acad. (7-0)  69

Others receiving votes: Pike Liberal (4-2) 52, Jackson Acad. (5-1) 6, Fort Dale (3-3) 1.