By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

Little change was spotted in the most recent Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football rankings as the same three county teams remain ranked in their respective top 10 that have been there all season.

Briarwood, Thompson and Spain Park are the only three county teams that have been ranked in the top 10 in all seven of the 2017 polls.

Two of those three teams have been in the same spot for several weeks now as Thompson remained No. 3 in the 7A classification and Briarwood remained No. 1 in the 5A classification, but the Spain Park Jaguars continue jumping up and down.

Coming off a bye week, the Jags were able to move up one spot from No. 9 last week to No. 8 in the most recent standings. The 3-2 Jags had lost two straight heartbreakers going into their much-needed bye week to No. 2 Hoover and No. 9 Mountain Brook.

SPHS lost to Hoover by three points, 27-24, in the final two minutes, while they fell to Mountain Brook, 51-50, in double overtime when the Spartans converted a 2-point conversion to win the game.

Spain Park couldn’t have asked for better scheduling as they not only got a bye week to recoup, but also get a region matchup with a struggling 1-2 Huffman team, before fully diving back into region play with a tilt against No. 3 Thompson.

The Warriors have been one of the strongest teams so far this season, in large part because of their offense. It’s an offense that is scoring 44.8 points per game after scoring 63, 40, 49 and 51 in its last four games.

Thompson has a matchup with Vestavia looming on the schedule, which will give us a true feel for how good the Warriors are considering the Rebels’ defense is only giving up 10.2 points per game.

The true test for Thompson, however, is going to come in two of the next four weeks as the Warriors travel to No. 8 Spain Park and to No. 2 Hoover for two of the biggest high school football games of the year in the state.

A win against Vestavia should all but guarantee the Warriors a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Briarwood came into the season with one thing on its mind; getting back to the semifinals of the 5A playoffs and punching a ticket to state. It’s evident that’s something that is on the Lions’ players’ minds each and every time they take the field.

The players haven’t just talked about it, but have proven it on the field having won several big games in the first half of the season, earning their No. 1 ranking in the classification.

Briarwood is off to its first 5-0 start since 2007, when it made a run to the state championship, and has wins over No. 5 Wenonah as well as a very good Mortimer Jordan team.

The defense is giving up a jaw-dropping 8.8 points per game, while the offense is improving each week. After a bout with St. Clair County, the Lions will have a fairly reasonable schedule in their last four as they look to finish the regular season undefeated.

 Class 7A
1. Central-Phenix City (23) (5-0) <ws>319
2. Hoover (3) (4-1) <ws>257
3. Thompson (1) (5-0) <ws>223
4. Hewitt-Trussville (1) (5-0) <ws>195
5. McGill-Toolen (5-0) <ws>173
6. Auburn (5-1) <ws>139
7. Fairhope (4-1) <ws>112
8. Spain Park (3-2) <ws>62
9. Mountain Brook (3-2) <ws>51
10. Bob Jones (4-2) <ws>20
Others receiving votes: Sparkman (4-1) 15, Jeff Davis (4-2) 10, Grissom (2-3) 8, Davidson (3-2) 6, Lee-Montgomery (4-1) 6.

Class 6A
1. Austin (23) (5-0) <ws>319
2. Oxford (3) (6-0) <ws>245
3. Pinson Valley (2) (6-0) <ws>244
4. Wetumpka (6-0) <ws>194
5. Spanish Fort (4-1) <ws>152
6. Homewood (5-0) <ws>135
7. Saraland (5-1) <ws>78
8. Ramsay (3-2) <ws>69
9. Sidney Lanier (4-2) <ws>60
10. Benjamin Russell (4-1) <ws>27
Others receiving votes: Blount (4-2) 24 Clay-Chalkville (5-1) 15, Muscle Shoals (4-1) 15, Park Crossing (5-1) 10, Daphne (3-2) 5, Minor (3-2) 3, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (4-2) 1.

Class 5A
1. Briarwood Chr. (25) (5-0) <ws>327
2. St. Paul’s (3) (5-0) <ws>260
3. Carroll (5-0) <ws>221
4. Beauregard (3-1) <ws>195
5. Wenonah (4-1) <ws>153
6. Alexandria (5-1) <ws>110
7. Etowah (5-1)<ws>99
8. Mae Jemison-Huntsville (5-1) <ws>97
9. Jackson (4-1) <ws>61
10. Demopolis  (4-1) <ws>31
Others receiving votes:  Brooks (3-1) 21, St. Clair Co. (4-1) 13, Mortimer Jordan (4-2) 4, Eufaula (3-2) 2, Central-Clay Co. (3-2) 1, Sylacauga (4-1) 1.

Class 4A
1. Andalusia (20) (5-1) <ws>310
2. Rogers (7) (6-0) <ws>263
3. UMS-Wright (4-1) <ws>213
4. Thomasville (1) (5-0) <ws>193
5. Leeds (5-1) <ws>166
6. Deshler (5-0) <ws>128
7. Wilson (5-0) <ws>93
8. Fayette Co. (4-1) <ws>73
9. Hokes Bluff (4-1) <ws>47
10. Tallassee (5-1) <ws>40
Others receiving votes: Saks (5-0) 33, Alabama Chr. (6-0) 20, Munford (4-1) 12, Bibb Co. (5-1) 2, Dale Co. (5-1) 2, Madison Acad. (3-2) 1.

Class 3A
1. Mobile Chr. (17) (5-0) <ws>303
2. Piedmont (11) (5-1) <ws>283
3. Gordo (4-1) <ws>214
4. Randolph Co. (4-1) <ws>178
5. Ohatchee (5-1) <ws>157
6. Weaver (4-1) <ws>99
T7. Oakman (4-1) <ws>93
T7. Wicksburg (5-0) <ws>93
9. Fultondale (5-0) <ws>55
10. Plainview. (5-1) <ws>37
Others receiving votes: T.R. Miller (3-2) 26, Sylvania (5-0) 22, American Chr. (5-1) 13, Hillcrest-Evergreen (4-1) 8, Montgomery Acad. (5-1) 5, Clarke Co. (3-2) 3, West Morgan (5-1) 3, Colbert Heights (5-1) 2, Lauderdale Co. (3-2) 2.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (26) (5-0) <ws>330
2. Lanett (2) (6-0) <ws>257
3. Elba (4-1) <ws>221
4. LaFayette (4-1) <ws>187
5. Leroy (4-1) <ws>133
6. Goshen (4-1) <ws>119
7. Aliceville (3-2) <ws>103
8. J.U. Blacksher (5-0) <ws>67
9. Sulligent (4-1) <ws>43
10. Thorsby (5-0) <ws>42
Others receiving votes: St. Luke’s (3-1) 38, Sand Rock (4-1) 24, Abbeville (4-1) 18, Tarrant (4-1) 12, Lamar Co. (4-2) 2.

Class 1A
1. Maplesville (28) (5-0) <ws>336
T2. Georgiana (6-0) <ws>233
T2. Sweet Water (3-1) <ws>233
4. Houston Co. (6-0) <ws>174
5. Pickens Co. (4-1) <ws>163
6. Isabella (5-0) <ws>132
7. Wadley (5-0) <ws>115
8. Lynn (6-0) <ws>56
9. Decatur Heritage (5-0) <ws>46
10. Brantley (3-2) <ws>41
Others receiving votes: Marengo (3-2) 22, South Lamar (5-1) 14, Linden (3-2) 12, Addison (4-2) 7, Cedar Bluff (3-2) 5, Notasulga (3-2) 3, Florala (3-2) 1, Hackleburg (4-1) 1, Spring Garden (4-1) 1, Winterboro (4-1) 1.

AISA
1. Autauga Acad. (27) (6-0) <ws>333
2. Escambia Acad. (7-0) <ws>249
3. Monroe Acad. (1) (7-0) <ws>222
4. Chambers Acad. (6-0) <ws>196
5. South Choctaw Acad.  (5-1) <ws>158
6. Bessemer Acad. (4-3) <ws>129
7. Tuscaloosa Acad. (4-1) <ws>101
8. Pike Liberal (5-2) <ws>89
9. Fort Dale Acad. (5-1) <ws>47
10. Lee-Scott (4-2) <ws>37
Others receiving votes: Jackson Acad. (5-2) 19, Morgan Acad. (3-3) 8, Glenwood (3-4) 4, Macon-East (5-1) 2, Abbeville Chr. (3-4) 1, Crenshaw Chr. (5-2) 1.