By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

A number of Shelby County teams are among the state leaders in points per game, points allowed per game and margin of victory through five weeks of play, per an AHSAA press release on Sept. 22. Among the teams leading the state in one or more of these categories are Spain Park, Thompson, Chelsea, Helena, Calera, Shelby County and Montevallo.

Spain Park is allowing just 16.0 points per game through Sept. 19, which is tied for the 8^th-best mark in the state in class 7A while Thompson is giving up just 17.2 points per game, good enough for 12^th-best in 7A. The Jaguars’ low points per game average is particularly impressive in light of the 38 points they gave up in the home opener triple overtime loss to Austin.

Chelsea is one of two teams that is a state leader in points allowed per game and points scored per game. The Hornets have averaged 39 points per game so far this season, good enough for 8^th-best in the state in class 6A, and have only given up 12.5 points per game to this point in the year, good enough for 8^th-best as well. That 26.5-point margin of victory is the sixth-highest in the state in the class and highest in the county. The 39 points per game, 12.5 points allowed per game and 26.5-point margin of victory are all top marks across the county as well.

All three 5A schools are among the state leaders in one of the lists as well to date. Helena has allowed 16.5 points per game, which is good for the 13^th-fewest points per game in the state in the class. Calera has averaged 32.3 points per game so far, which comes in as the 18^th-best mark in the state. Shelby County, fresh off a 69-point performance against Marbury on Sept. 19, are averaging 35.8 points per game, which is tied for the 10^th-best mark in the state so far.

Montevallo is the only other team besides Chelsea to be a state leader in both categories at the halfway point. The Bulldogs have averaged 36.8 points per game to date, second best in the county and 10^th-best across the state in 4A while also relinquishing just 12.8 points per game, fourth-best in the state in the class, which works out to a margin of victory average of 24 points per game.