5A runner-up McAdory's the exception as defending champs dominate ASWA preseason high school football poll

By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - For the seventh time in the last 12 seasons, Hoover will open the high school football season as the No. 1 team in its class.

For the first time in school history, so will McAdory.

The two Birmingham-area schools open the Alabama Sports Writers Association preseason poll atop the two largest classes in a vote of the state's high school sports writers, released late Tuesday evening.

The Bucs, who beat Opelika 31-0 in the Class 6A championship game at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium to close the 2012 season, were the lone unanimous pick among the poll's seven classes – one for each division of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and an all-encompassing division for the Alabama Independent Schools Association. All 34 writers participating in this year's poll chose the Bucs over runner-up Clay-Chalkville, which lost to Hoover in last season's North semifinal.

The Yellow Jackets, on the other hand, had the tightest margin with a 348-321 edge over Spanish Fort – which topped McAdory in last season's Class 5A championship, 45-14. McAdory picked up 17 first-place votes to 12 for the Toros with the rest scattered between Homewood, Benjamin Russell and Jackson.

In the remaining four AHSAA classes, state champions were tabbed to repeat their 2012 accomplishments with Class 1A Brantley, 2A Tanner, 3A Madison Academy and 4A UMS-Wright all chosen to pick up where they left off. Madison Academy and Tanner received 33 of a possible 34 first-place votes, while UMS had 28 and Brantley had 26.

In all, 10 of the 12 teams reaching an AHSAA title game in 2012 appear in the top-two in their classes to start this season.

The AISA also held form as last season's Class AA champion Edgewood Academy will open the 2013 campaign as the team to beat, picking up 31 first-place votes.

The season opens on August 29 for AHSAA member schools and a week earlier for many AISA programs.

(First place votes and 2012 record in parentheses).

Class 6A
1. Hoover (34) (15-0)   408
2. Clay-Chalkville (12-2)   297
3. McGill-Toolen (11-1)   241
4. Auburn (11-2)   240
5. Opelika (10-5)   195
6. Mountain Brook (11-2)   109
7. Tuscaloosa County (9-3)   84
8. Florence (7-4)   78
9. Davidson (8-2)   63
10. Carver-Montgomery (12-2)   46

Others receiving votes: Vestavia Hills (10-3) 42, Oxford (6-4) 38, Bob Jones (8-4) 31, Daphne (8-4) 16, Central-Phenix City (7-4) 13, Blount (6-5) 10, Decatur (7-4) 10, Enterprise (7-4) 5, Spain Park (10-3) 5, Shades Valley (5-6) 4, Foley (8-4) 3.

Class 5A
1. McAdory (17) (14-1)   348
2. Spanish Fort (12) (14-1)   321
3. Homewood (3) (9-2)   249
4. Benjamin Russell (1) (11-2)   234
5. Jackson (1) (9-2)   217
6. St.Paul's (11-3)   135
7. Hartselle (8-5)   108
8. Muscle Shoals (13-1)   95
9. Cullman (10-3)   80
10. Demopolis (9-3)   72

Others receiving votes:  Briarwood Chr. (6-7) 40; Eufaula (8-3) 19, Vigor (8-4) 10, Fort Payne (10-1) 4, Southside-Gadsden (6-4) 4, Russellville (9-3) 1, Wenonah (10-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (28) (13-2)   389
2. Oneonta (6) (14-1)   319
3. Calera (8-3)   229
4. Charles Henderson (9-4)   215
5. Central-Clay Co. (10-2)   182
6. Dadeville (10-2)   178
7. Beauregard (11-2)   104
8. Dora (12-2)   75
9. Madison Co. (12-2)   73
10. Cleburne Co. (5-5)   58

Others receiving votes: J.O.Johnson (11-2) 41, Tallassee (9-3) 27, Munford (8-4) 18, Thomasville (8-3) 12, Andalusia (6-5) 6, Lincoln (6-6) 5, DAR (5-6) 3, Sardis (6-5) 2, Central-Florence (7-4) 1, Hillcrest-Evergreen (2-8) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (33) (13-2)   405
2. Leeds (1) (11-2)   297
3. Piedmont (11-1)   253
4. Fayette Co. (12-3)   252
5. Straughn (9-4)   188
6. T.R. Miller (10-2)   169
7. Deshler (9-4)   90
8. Daleville (10-1)   70
9. Geraldine (9-3)   62
10. Hamilton (10-1)   52

Others receiving votes: W.S. Neal (9-3) 40, Opp (6-4) 16, Trinity (9-3) 15, Hanceville (7-4) 11, Bayside (7-5) 10, Lauderdale Co. (12-2) 7, Colbert Co. (8-5) 1.

Class 2A
1. Tanner (33) (14-0)   404
2. Washington Co. (1)(13-2)   261
3. Reeltown (12-2)   257
4. Walter Wellborn (9-3)   222
5. Fyffe (11-1)   184
6. Oakman (10-2)   174
7. Mobile Chr. (9-4)   116
8. G.W. Long (10-2)   113
9. Lanett (8-2)   53
10. Woodland (10-3)   43     

Others receiving votes: Lamar Co. (9-4) 37, Sweet Water (11-3) 27, N. Sand Mountain (8-3) 20, Fultondale (10-3) 11, Cottonwood (5-5) 5, Elba (6-5) 4, Ohatchee (2-8) 4, Sand Rock (5-6) 2, Sheffield (6-6) 1.

Class 1A
1. Brantley (26) (15-0)   376
2. Marion Co. (2) (13-2)   263
3. Linden (2) (11-2)   259
4. Pickens Co. (3) (11-3)   246
5. Maplesville (1) (11-2)   238
6. Addison (7-3)   141
7. R.A. Hubbard (7-5)   90
8. Geneva Co. (8-3)   89
9. Hackleburg (10-2)   73
10. Berry (8-5)   62

Others receiving votes: Notasulga (8-4) 37, Ragland (9-1) 24, Gaylesville (3-7) 13, Hubbertville (9-4) 11, Parrish (5-5) 9, McIntosh (8-6) 4, Spring Garden (9-3) 2, Cedar Bluff (10-1) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (31) (14-0)   399
2. Clarke Prep (2) (11-2)   309
3. Tuscaloosa Acad. (1) (13-0)   255
4. Restoration (13-1)   187
5. Pickens Acad. (10-3)   164
6. Fort Dale Acad. (8-4)   154
7. Pike Liberal. (1-9)   137
8. Lee-Scott (11-2)   93
9. Crenshaw Chr. (7-5)   69
10. Macon-East (6-5)   63

Others receiving votes: Ashford Acad. (9-4) 48, Monroe Acad. (10-2) 34, Sparta Acad. (5-6) 8, Glenwood Acad. (7-4) 7, Escambia Acad. (6-5) 4, Marengo Acad. (7-5) 3, Autauga Acad. (10-2) 2, Coosa Valley Acad. (4-7) 1, Jackson Acad. (3-7) 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; Cory Diaz, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald.