Class 2A preseason favorite Tanner returns to top spot in ASWA high school football poll

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA 

It took Tanner eight weeks to do it, but the Rattlers have finally returned to the spot where they started the Class 2A football season - No. 1. 

After a season-opening 48-6 pasting by Class 3A No. 1 Madison Academy, the then top-ranked Rattlers dropped to No. 2 behind Washington County, then were leapfrogged by unbeaten Mobile Christian after Week Four.

But the two Region 1 foes both fell by the wayside - Mobile Christian beat Washington County two weeks ago, then the Leopards were topped by Sweet Water last week - paving the way for Tanner to return to the top spot with 21 of a possible 30 first-place votes from the state's prep writers. Unbeaten Lanett picked up seven first-place votes and is second, while the other two votes went to  No. 6 Luverne. 

The other six teams atop their respective classes remained the same - for the second-straight week Class 6A Hoover and 3A Madison Academy remained unanimous picks. The closest race belongs in Class 4A where UMS-Wright holds a 43-point edge over No. 2 Charles Henderson and a 21-7 advantage in first place votes. The next closest is Tanner's 45-point edge over Lanett. 

Spanish Fort holds a 28-2 edge over Jackson in first-place votes as the top two teams in Class 5A, while Pickens County has 27 of 30 top spots on Class 1A ballots, with runner-up Maplesville taking the other three, and Edgewood Academy has 26 of the AISA's 30 No. 1 votes, with No. 3 Monroe Academy picking up four and No. 2 Restoration Academy shut out of No. 1 ballots.  

In games involving ranked teams in the final week of region play, Class 6A No. 4 Auburn is at No. 5 Opelika, Class 5A No. 9 Cullman is at No. 3 Muscle Shoals, Class 4A No. 8 Dadeville is at No. 3 Central-Clay County, Class 3A No. 1 Madison Academy hosts No. 6 Colbert County and  2 T.R. Miller hosts No. 10 Straughn, Class 2A No. 9 Sweet Water hosts No. 7 Mobile Christian, and AISA No. 1 Edgewood Academy hosts No. 9 Fort Dale and No. 6 Kingwood Christian hosts No. 8 Tuscaloosa Academy.

ASWA High School Football Poll

Week 8

Class 6A
1. Hoover (30) (8-0)    360
2. Bob Jones (8-0)    249
3. Vestavia Hills (7-1)    242
4. Auburn (7-1)    181
5. Opelika (7-1)    163
6. Clay-Chalkville (7-1)    141
7. Spain Park (8-0)    96
8. McGill-Toolen (7-1)    92
9. Smiths Station (7-1)    77
10. Shades Valley (7-1)    31

Others receiving votes: Blount (7-1) 29, Carver-Montgomery (6-2) 17, Tuscaloosa Co. (7-1) 11, Oxford (6-2) 10, Daphne (6-2) 8, Florence (6-2) 3.

Class 5A
1. Spanish Fort (28) (8-0)    348
2. Jackson (2) (8-0)    271
3. Muscle Shoals (8-0)    243
4. Homewood (7-1)    202
5. Benjamin Russell (7-1)    176
6. McAdory (7-1)    155
7. Southside-Gadsden (8-0)    117
8. Center Point (7-1)    72
9. Cullman (7-1)    62
10. Saraland (7-1)    37

Others receiving votes:  St. Paul's (6-2) 16, Pleasant Grove (7-1) 8, Hartselle (6-2) 2, Walker (6-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (21) (7-1)    327
2. Charles Henderson (7) (8-0)    284
3. Central-Clay Co. (1) (8-0)    235
4. Bibb Co. (8-0)    212
5. Oneonta (7-1)    175
6. Calera (1) (7-1)    168
7. Tallassee (7-1)    104
8. Dadeville (7-1)    82
9. J.O. Johnson (7-1)    49
10. Andalusia (7-1)    43

Others receiving votes: Guntersville (7-1) 11, Munford (7-1) 9, Jemison (7-1) 6, Haleyville (7-1) 4, Hillcrest-Evergreen (5-3) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (30) (8-0)    360
2. T.R. Miller (8-0)    269
3. Saks (8-0)    220
4. Fayette Co. (7-1)    197
5. Trinity (7-1)    176
6. Colbert Co. (8-0)    156
7. Piedmont (7-1)    120
8. Dale Co. (8-0)    82
9. Leeds (6-2)    81
10. Straughn (6-2)    17
Others receiving votes: Hamilton (7-1) 16, Hanceville (7-1) 8, Lauderdale Co. (6-2) 4, Gordo (6-2) 3, Midfield (5-3) 1.

Class 2A
1. Tanner (21) (7-1)    326
2. Lanett (7) (8-0)    281
3. Washington Co. (7-1)    205
4. Fultondale (8-0)    192
5. Fyffe (7-1)    190
6. Luverne (2) (8-0)    151
7. Mobile Chr.  (7-1)    130
8. Oakman (7-1)    93
9. Sweet Water (6-2)    87
10. G.W. Long (7-1)    19
Others receiving votes: Lamar Co. (7-1) 10, Houston Acad. (7-1) 8, Montgomery Acad. (7-1) 8, Red Bay (6-2) 5, Ranburne (7-1) 3, Walter Wellborn (5-3) 2.

Class 1A
1. Pickens Co. (27) (8-0)    351
2. Maplesville (3) (8-0)    278
3. Brantley (7-1)    239
4. Falkville (7-0)    207
5. Linden (6-2)    153
6. Valley Head (8-0)    143
7. Loachapoka (7-1)    111
8. Addison (7-1)    88
9. McKenzie (7-1)   58
10. Marion Co. (6-2)    51

Others receiving votes: Ragland (6-1) 14, Collinsville (7-1) 9, R.A. Hubbard (6-2) 7, A.L. Johnson (6-2) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (26) (9-0)    344
2. Restoration (8-1)    261
3. Monroe Acad. (4) (8-0)    257
4. Marengo Acad. (8-0)    209
5. Bessemer Acad. (8-1)    180
6. Kingwood Chr. (8-1)    138
7. Pickens Acad. (7-1)    114
8. Tuscaloosa Acad. (6-2)    91
9t. Autauga Acad. (6-2)    47
9t. Fort Dale Acad. (6-2)    47
Others receiving votes: Patrician Acad. (7-2) 17, Escambia Acad. (7-2) 3, Abbeville Chr. (7-2 ) 2.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Josh Bean, AL.com; 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.