First regular-season poll features 2 top-five teams
Published 11:59 pm Tuesday, August 27, 2019
- The Thompson Warriors came in at No. 4 in the first regular-season poll of 2019. (For the Reporter/Neal Wagner)
By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor
While we’ve only made it through one week of the 2019 high school football season there has already been plenty of shake up among local teams in the first regular season ASWA football poll of the year.
Two teams, Thompson and Briarwood, still sit firmly inside their respective top 10 in the most recent poll, while Helena and Spain Park are gaining more respect and the Montevallo Bulldogs slid just outside of the Class 4A top 10.
The highest ranked team remained the only county team that has yet to play a game, as the Briarwood Lions sit at No. 1 in the 5A classification despite their first coaching change in 30 years.
After a county showdown with the Chelsea Hornets on Friday, Aug. 30, we should have a better feel for where the Lions are and if they truly are the No. 1 team in the classification.
Right now, the Lions sit ahead of region foe Ramsay, who started the season with a slim victory over Class 6A Minor.
The Thompson Warriors also still remain firmly inside the Class 7A top 10 thanks to a dominant win over Davidson on Saturday, Aug. 24.
The Warriors were ranked fourth in the preseason poll and are still in that same spot. There was some shakeup in the 7A poll with Hoover’s 17-14 win over Central-Phenix city.
With the victory, Hoover overtook the Red Devils for the top spot in the classification, while McGill-Toolen slid up to No. 2 with a dominant win of its own by a final of 37-7 over Spanish Fort.
The Red Devils fell to No. 3, one spot ahead of the Warriors who they beat handily in last year’s state championship game.
Thompson’s start, however, showed they’ll still be a difficult matchup for most teams thanks to a 40-14 victory that saw the starters play the first quarter and the first drive of the second half.
With Sawyer Pate’s four-touchdown performance and several offensive playmakers stepping up, the Warriors showed they’ll still light up the scoreboard, while plenty of young talent got experience on defense.
Aside from those two teams finding a spot in the top 10, the Helena Huskies, Spain Park Jaguars and Montevallo Bulldogs each received nominations for a spot in their respective classification’s top 10.
The Jags are coming off a 42-33 victory over 6A Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in which the offense totaled 637 yards behind 488 passing yards from Harrison Barker.
For the Huskies, they are coming off a dominant 38-14 win over McAdory to start the season, got more votes in the first regular season poll than the preseason poll as voters have now seen them play a game.
A matchup against No. 5 Hueytown will tell us more about how good this team can really be in 2019.
Montevallo started the season inside the Class 4A top 10, but with an opening 42-14 loss to 5A Marbury, the Bulldogs slipped out of the top 10. They still received the most votes of any team not in the top 10 and will have plenty of chances ahead to prove they’re still a team ready to compete for a championship this season.
CLASS 7A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Hoover (25); 1-0; 309
- McGill-Toolen (1); 1-0; 222
- Central-Phenix City; 0-1; 208
- Thompson; 1-0; 187
- Hewitt-Trussville; 1-0; 166
- Auburn; 1-0; 117
- Mountain Brook; 1-0; 98
- Theodore; 1-0; 81
- Lee-Montgomery; 1-0; 64
- Austin; 1-0; 15
Others receiving votes: Prattville (1-0) 9, Fairhope (0-1) 2, James Clemens (0-1) 2, Spain Park (1-0) 2.
CLASS 6A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Saraland (19); 1-0; 290
- Pinson Valley (5); 0-1; 223
- Muscle Shoals (1); 1-0; 209
- Clay-Chalkville (1); 1-0; 186
- Hueytown; 1-0; 149
- Wetumpka; 1-0; 148
- Oxford; 1-0; 98
- Blount; 1-0; 85
- Jackson-Olin; 1-0; 49
- Opelika; 1-0; 21
Others receiving votes: Spanish Fort (0-1) 16, Helena (1-0) 7, Stanhope Elmore (1-0) 1.
CLASS 5A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Briarwood (17); 0-0; 280
- Ramsay (8); 1-0; 254
- Jasper (1); 1-0; 214
- Demopolis; 1-0; 161
- Central-Clay Co.; 0-0; 156
- Etowah; 1-0; 129
- Russellville; 0-0; 74
- Madison Aca.; 0-1; 64
- Center Point; 1-0; 50
- Mortimer Jordan; 0-1; 22
Others receiving votes: Pleasant Grove (1-0) 21, Greenville (1-0) 18, Vigor (0-1) 17, Alexandria (0-0) 13, Sylacauga (1-0) 6, Parker (1-0) 2, East Limestone (0-0) 1.
CLASS 4A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- UMS-Wright (26); 1-0; 312
- Hokes Bluff; 0-0; 216
- American Chr.; 1-0; 196
- Catholic-Montgomery; 1-0; 160
- Jacksonville; 1-0; 143
- Hillcrest-Evergreen; 0-1; 138
- Andalusia; 0-1; 136
- Headland; 1-0; 73
- North Jackson; 0-0; 45
- Brooks; 1-0; 18
Others receiving votes: Montevallo (0-1) 12, Deshler (0-1) 10, Holtville (0-0) 9, Good Hope (1-0) 3, Lincoln (1-0) 3, Sipsey Valley (1-0) 3, St. John Paul II (1-0) 2, Williamson (0-0) 2, Ashville (1-0) 1.
CLASS 3A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Flomaton (24); 0-0; 306
- Piedmont (1); 0-0; 221
- Gordo (1); 1-0; 211
- Randolph Co.; 0-0; 173
- Pike Co.; 0-0; 158
- Providence Chr.; 1-0; 136
- Geraldine; 1-0; 93
- Midfield; 0-0; 55
- Mobile Chr.; 0-1; 50
- St. James; 1-0; 29
Others receiving votes: Saks (0-1) 12, Winfield (1-0) 11, Westminster-Huntsville (1-0) 5, Montgomery Aca. (1-0) 4, Prattville Chr. (0-0) 4, Fultondale (0-1) 3, Pisgah (0-0) 3, T.R. Miller (0-0) 2, Thomasville (0-0) 2, Walter Wellborn (1-0) 2, Excel (1-0) 1, Oakman (0-0) 1.
CLASS 2A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Fyffe (26); 0-0; 312
- Leroy; 0-0; 219
- Addison; 1-0; 203
- Luverne; 0-0; 177
- Ohatchee; 0-0; 129
- Abbeville; 0-0; 105
- Collinsville; 1-0; 94
- Aliceville; 0-0; 91
- Reeltown; 1-0; 49
- Colbert Co.; 1-0; 35
Others receiving votes: Daleville (1-0) 20, Cottage Hill (0-0) 14, Red Bay (1-0) 12, LaFayette (0-0) 7, Highland Home (0-0) 6, Thorsby (0-1) 3, North Sand Mountain (0-0) 2, Winston Co. (1-0) 2, J.U. Blacksher (1-0) 1, Sulligent (1-0) 1.
CLASS 1A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Mars Hill Bible (19); 0-0; 288
- Maplesville (7); 1-0; 250
- Sweet Water; 0-0; 194
- Brantley; 0-0; 174
- Lanett; 1-0; 151
- Spring Garden; 0-0; 130
- Pickens Co.; 1-0; 92
- South Lamar; 1-0; 70
- Georgiana; 1-0; 44
- Linden; 0-1; 35
Others receiving votes: Elba (0-1) 19, Millry (0-0) 10, Falkville (1-0) 9, R.A. Hubbard (1-0) 6, Decatur Heritage (1-0) 4, Donoho (0-0) 2, Marion Co. (1-0) 2, Florala (1-0) 1, Winterboro (1-0) 1.
AISA
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts
- Autauga Aca. (25); 1-0; 309
- Glenwood; 2-0; 233
- Wilcox Aca.; 1-0; 184
- Chambers Aca. (1); 1-0; 172
- Monroe Aca.; 0-1; 160
- Escambia Aca.; 0-1; 148
- Macon-East; 0-0; 102
- Morgan Aca.; 0-1; 50
- Edgewood; 1-0; 45
- Pike Liberal Arts; 1-0; 31
Others receiving votes: Tuscaloosa Aca. (1-0) 23, Bessemer Aca. (0-2) 8, Lee-Scott (0-1) 6, Southern Aca. (1-0) 5, Lakeside (0-0) 2, South Choctaw Aca. (1-0) 2, Sparta (1-0) 1, Springwood (1-0) 1.