Top teams stay the course in this week's Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

Change at the top of this week's Alabama Sports Writers Association's high school football poll is like a hot Alabama August day: If there's any movement at all, it's a slight puff, not a turbulent storm.

Of the top three teams in each of the poll's seven classes, the only change comes in Class 2A, where Mobile Christian broke a second-place tie with Tanner to hold the spot outright. Even then, the Rattlers have two first-place votes while the Leopards have none. No. 1 Washington County holds 30 of the other 31 firsts.

The six other leaders among their respective classes in the Alabama High School Athletic Association or Alabama Independent Schools association remained the same with Class 6A Hoover, 5A McAdory, 4A Calera, 3A Madison Academy, 1A Pickens County and AISA's Edgewood Academy remained the same.

Even the movement in the poll's tightest race was a puff as McAdory increased its lead over Spanish Fort by one point - 343-340.

In games involving ranked teams this week, Class 6A No. 6 Carver-Montgomery is at No. 4 Opelika, Class 5A No. 9 St. Paul's is at No. 2 Spanish Fort, Class 3A Madison Academy hosts No. 10 Deshler, Class 1A No. 6 Marion County is at Hubbertvillle and AISA No. 7 Bessemer Academy is at Monroe Academy.

Class 6A
1. Hoover (31) (3-0)   390
2. Clay-Chalkville (2) (3-0)   301
3. McGill-Toolen (3-0)   255
4. Opelika (3-0)   216
5. Tuscaloosa County (3-0)   191
6. Carver-Montgomery (3-0)   150
7. Vestavia Hills (3-0)   133
8. Bob Jones (3-0)   77
9. Auburn (2-1)   57
10. Smiths Station (3-0)   29

Others receiving votes: Shades Valley (3-0) 26, Florence (2-1) 18, Murphy (3-0) 11, Fairhope (3-0) 7, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (1-2) 7, Spain Park (3-0) 7, Blount (3-0) 3, Gardendale (3-0) 1, Oxford (1-2) 1, Pell City (3-0) 1.
Class 5A
1. McAdory (17) (3-0)   343
2. Spanish Fort (15) (3-0)   340
3. Jackson (3-0)   255
4. Muscle Shoals (1) (3-0)   222
5. Hartselle (3-0)   184
6. Homewood (2-1)   151
7. Vigor (3-0)   118
8. Benjamin Russell (2-1)   117
9. St.Paul's (2-1)   58
10. Saraland (3-0)   30
Others receiving votes:  Eufaula (3-0) 18, Cullman (3-0) 13, Demopolis (2-1) 12, Pleasant Grove (3-0) 8, Center Point (3-0) 6, Etowah (3-0) 3, Athens (2-1) 1, Southside-Gadsden (3-0) 1, Sylacauga (2-1) 1.

Class 4A
1. Calera (23) (3-0)   362
2. UMS-Wright (7) (2-1)   296
3. Charles Henderson (1) (3-0)   270
4. Central-Clay Co. (2) (3-0)   238
5. Dadeville (3-0)   175

6. Oneonta (2-1)   166
7. Madison Co. (3-0)   138
8. Beauregard (2-1)   60
9. Munford (3-0)   49
10. Thomasville (2-1)   39
Others receiving votes: Andalusia (3-0) 25, Brooks (3-0) 14, Cleburne Co. (2-1) 13, Central-Florence (3-0) 8, Dora (2-1) 7, Bibb Co. (3-0) 5, Sardis (3-0) 5, Tallassee (2-1) 5, Ardmore (3-0) 2, Jacksonville (3-0) 2, Childersburg (3-0) 1, Haleyville (3-0) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (33) (3-0)   396
2. Piedmont (3-0)   295
3. T.R. Miller (3-0)   264
4. Geraldine (3-0)   206
5. Leeds (2-1)   174
6. Fayette Co. (2-1)   130
7. Straughn (2-1)   108
8. Trinity (2-1)   102

9. Saks (3-0)   55

10. Deshler (2-1)   43
Others receiving votes: Lauderdale Co. (2-1) 31, Daleville (2-1) 23, Colbert Co. (3-0) 19, Dale Co. (3-0) 11, Good Hope (3-0) 6, Vinemont (3-0) 6, Hamilton (2-1) 4, Barbour Co. (3-0) 3, Cleveland (3-0) 2, Hanceville (2-1) 2, Midfield (2-1) 1.

Class 2A
1. Washington Co. (30)(3-0)   385
2. Mobile Chr. (3-0)   275

3. Tanner (2) (2-1)   269
4. Lanett (3-0)   221
5. Lamar Co. (3-0)   183
6. Fyffe (2-1)   152
7. Oakman (2-1)   89
8. Walter Wellborn (2-1)   84
9. Houston Acad. (3-0)   43
10. G.W. Long (2-1)   42
Others receiving votes: Luverne (1) (3-0) 37, Fultondale (3-0) 32, Sweet Water (2-1) 22, Reeltown (1-2) 21, Cottonwood (3-0) 17, Ranburne (3-0) 4, Isabella (3-0) 2, Lexington (3-0) 2, Montgomery Acad. (3-0) 1.

Class 1A
1. Pickens Co. (28) (3-0)   381
2. Maplesville (5) (3-0)   308
3. Brantley (2-1)   256
4. Addison (3-0)   225
5. Geneva Co. (3-0)   184
6. Marion Co. (2-1)   148
7. Linden (2-1)   113
8. Loachapoka (3-0)   88
9. Berry (2-1)   56
10. Hubbertville (3-0)   52

Others receiving votes: Falkville (3-0) 26, R.A. Hubbard (2-1) 26, Valley Head (3-0) 8, Collinsville (3-0) 3, Hackleburg (2-1) 3, St. Luke's (1-2) 2, Fayetteville (3-0) 1, McKenzie (3-0) 1,

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (4-0)   387
2. Tuscaloosa Acad. (3) (3-0)   293
3. Restoration (3-1)   235
4. Pickens Acad. (3-0)   219
5. Fort Dale Acad. (3-0)   195
6. Monroe Acad. (3-0)   165
7. Bessemer Acad. (4-0)   150
8. Clarke Prep (2-1)   100
9. Patrician Acad. (3-1)   62
10. Macon-East (2-1)   24
Others receiving votes: Abbeville Chr. (4-0) 19, Autauga Acad. (3-0) 19, Marengo Acad. (3-0) 8, Lee-Scott (1-2) 2, Kingwood Chr. (3-1) 1, Sparta (1-2) 1, Wilcox Acad. (2-1) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Josh Bean, AL.com; 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; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Nick Johnston, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Journal Record; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.