Thompson remains atop softball rankings as county teams move around in second baseball, softball rankings

Published 5:01 am Thursday, March 28, 2024

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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

For the second week in a row, the Thompson Warriors sit atop the state as they earned the No. 1 spot in the Class 7A softball rankings.

In all, eight area schools earned places in the second edition of the ASWA’s baseball and softball rankings when they were released on Thursday, March 28, including Chelsea, Oak Mountain, Spain Park, Calera, Helena, Shelby County and Vincent.

Thompson’s 2-1 run through pool play at the Gulf Shores Classic helped ensure the Warriors remained in first place in the Class 7A softball rankings. A rainout of play on Tuesday prevented the bracket games from counting in this week’s rankings, but Thompson’s 23-3 record allowed them to stay No. 1.

The Warriors were joined in the Class 7A rankings by Spain Park, which sits at No. 8 following its own pool play results at the Gulf Coast Classic.

The Jags finished Monday with a 3-0 record in pool play behind wins over Olentangy Berlin, Community and Cocke County. Before leaving for spring break, Spain Park also defeated Chelsea 11-8 in a county battle.

The other county softball team to receive a ranking was Helena, which checks in at No. 2 in Class 6A for the second straight week. The Huskies did not play a game after Tuesday, March 19’s win over Moody and have the entire week of spring break off before playing Pelham on April 2.

As for the baseball rankings, four Shelby County teams make up the top 10 of Class 7A this week.

Thompson leads the pack after the Warriors rose to No. 4 in the latest rankings. The 19-7 Warriors added to their win column with victories over Lake Zurich, Siegel and Riverdale in tournament play in Tennessee after sweeping the season series with Oak Mountain.

Chelsea rocketed up the top 10 by earning the No. 6 ranking just a week after the Hornets were unranked. That is mainly because of Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Hoover along with their results form a Saturday doubleheader, a road win at Tuscaloosa County and a 1-0 loss to No. 2 Bob Jones.

Spain Park moved up one spot to No. 8 as the Jags improved to 15-6 with a doubleheader sweep of James Clemens on Saturday, March 23.

Both Chelsea and Spain Park will compete in the Buccaneer Classic over spring break in Hoover.

Oak Mountain moved down to No. 9 after suffering its second loss to Thompson in three days, but a 7-4 win over Thomas Worthington to start the Gulf Coast Classic restored the Eagles’ winning ways.

In Class 6A, Helena rose two spots to No. 7 thanks to a 2-1 week. The 13-10 Huskies downed rival Pelham 8-7 on the road before claiming a 12-10 victory over Class 7A’s Vestavia Hills with their lone loss of the week coming to No. 1 Hartselle.

Calera entered the rankings for the first time this season and now sits at No. 8 in Class 6A.

After polishing off an area series against Chilton County with a 2-1 win on the road, the Eagles went 1-1 in day one of the Gulf Coast Classic, beating Grove City before losing a one-run game to Richmond-Burton.

Moving down to Class 5A, Shelby County slid down one spot to No. 6 in the latest rankings.

The Wildcats bounced back from an area loss to Central-Clay to sweep both legs of a home doubleheader on Thursday, March 21, and their only loss of the week came to Normal West in the Gulf Coast Classic.

In Class 2A, Vincent’s 4-1 week was good enough to move the Jackets up to No. 2 this week.

Vincent boasted an 18-3 record after a pair of area wins over county foe Westminster OM and two tournament wins over White Plains and Deshler. The lone blemish of the week was an 11-2 loss to North Jackson in tournament play.

The only county team to drop from this week’s rankings was Briarwood baseball, which fell from No. 5 in Class 6A after losing to McAdory in area play.

The ASWA also announced that the rankings will take a one-week break next week, meaning this week’s results will hold until the next edition publishes on April 11.

To see the full rankings for each classification, read more below:

ASWA SOFTBALL RANKINGS

CLASS 7A

  1. Thompson (23-3)
  2. Hoover (18-3-1)
  3. Hewitt-Trussville (14-4)
  4. Central-Phenix City (21-3-1)
  5. Daphne (20-1)
  6. Tuscaloosa County (16-3)
  7. Vestavia Hills (12-5-2)
  8. Spain Park (15-8)
  9. Enterprise (13-6)
  10. Bob Jones (10-8)

Others nominated: Auburn (13-4), Austin (17-8-1), Dothan (12-6-1), Fairhope (13-8), Mary Montgomery (15-10), Prattville (8-8), Sparkman (8-10-1).

CLASS 6A

  1. Wetumpka (24-2)
  2. Helena (23-4)
  3. Saraland (23-3)
  4. Hazel Green (20-7-1)
  5. Hartselle (15-7-1)
  6. Athens (9-6)
  7. Muscle Shoals (18-4)
  8. Spanish Fort (16-11-1)
  9. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (16-6)
  10. Gardendale (13-4-1)

Others nominated: Brookwood (13-13-1), Calera (18-14), Chilton County (12-9-1), Cullman (15-9), Mortimer Jordan (10-7), Oxford (7-7), Pelham (13-8), Pell City (12-11).

CLASS 5A

  1. Springville (13-5)
  2. Alexandria (14-6-1)
  3. Jasper (13-5)
  4. Gulf Shores (18-4-1)
  5. Brewbaker Tech (11-7)
  6. Southside-Gadsden (18-6-1)
  7. Moody (12-11)
  8. Faith Academy (8-7)
  9. Rehobeth (10-5)
  10. Russellville (14-10-1)

Others nominated: Ardmore (9-9), Boaz (15-2-1), Brewer (10-7), Lawrence County (14-13), Leeds (11-3), Sardis (11-6), Scottsboro (9-8), West Point (10-7-1).

CLASS 4A

  1. Orange Beach (18-0)
  2. Curry (20-4-1)
  3. Houston Academy (15-1)
  4. Satsuma (21-4-1)
  5. West Limestone (20-5-2)
  6. Brooks (12-4-1)
  7. Hamilton (16-4)
  8. Madison County (16-4)
  9. North Jackson (17-2)
  10. Northside (12-12-1)

Others nominated: American Christian (11-3), Cherokee County (17-2), Etowah (13-9), Handley (11-3), Munford (15-2-1), Mobile Christian (11-11), New Hope (8-10), Prattville Christian (6-3), Priceville (19-7), Slocomb (12-3), T.R. Miller (18-4), White Plains (13-6).

CLASS 3A

  1. Plainview (11-3)
  2. St. James (16-1)
  3. Opp (18-2)
  4. Madison Academy (12-2)
  5. Winfield (11-1)
  6. Piedmont (9-4)
  7. Lauderdale County (12-6)
  8. Mars Hill Bible (6-7)
  9. Ohatchee (15-4-1)
  10. Danville (8-4)

Others nominated: Beulah (4-7), Carbon Hill (12-7), Glencoe (10-16), Hokes Bluff (10-7-1), Randolph County (11-5-2), Straughn (6-3).

CLASS 2A

  1. Wicksburg (18-8)
  2. West End (11-4-1)
  3. Zion Chapel (20-2)
  4. Winston County (14-4)
  5. Pleasant Valley (7-9)
  6. Sumiton Christian (8-8)
  7. Sulligent (12-6-1)
  8. Hatton (5-15)
  9. Sand Rock (5-9)
  10. North Sand Mountain (7-6)

Others nominated: Ariton (13-8), G.W. Long (11-7), Horseshoe Bend (7-3), Ider (7-5-1), Lamar County (10-10), Pisgah (8-7), Vincent (9-9-1).

CLASS 1A

  1. Skyline (15-2)
  2. Brantley (11-7)
  3. Leroy (12-9)
  4. Waterloo (15-4-1)
  5. Spring Garden (11-5)
  6. Kinston (12-6)
  7. Hackleburg (10-7-1)
  8. Athens Bible (7-4)
  9. Sweet Water (10-10)
  10. Verbena (11-6)

Others nominated: Cherokee (10-8), Decatur Heritage (8-8-1), Meek (11-6), Red Level (9-4).

AISA

  1. Edgewood (22-6)
  2. Lee-Scott (16-8)
  3. Bessemer Academy (22-5)
  4. Macon East (16-9-1)
  5. Clarke Prep (17-3-1)
  6. Hooper Academy (15-5)
  7. Glenwood (15-15)
  8. Lowndes Academy (9-9)
  9. Abbeville Christian (8-6)
  10. South Choctaw (14-6)

Others nominated: Patrician Academy (10-4-2).

 

ASWA BASEBALL RANKINGS

CLASS 7A

  1. Central-Phenix City (21-1)
  2. Bob Jones (23-4)
  3. Hewitt-Trussville (19-5)
  4. Thompson (19-7)
  5. Baker (16-3)
  6. Chelsea (16-7)
  7. Mary G. Montgomery (15-4)
  8. Spain Park (15-6)
  9. Oak Mountain (18-7)
  10. Sparkman (18-4)

Others nominated: Auburn (12-5), Enterprise (14-4), Fairhope (15-9), Grissom (12-8), Hoover (11-12), Huntsville (12-10), James Clemens (18-8), Tuscaloosa County (11-11), Vestavia Hills (9-10).

 

CLASS 6A

  1. Hartselle (17-4)
  2. Oxford (14-7)
  3. Saraland (19-4)
  4. Mountain Brook (17-3)
  5. Homewood (14-7)
  6. Faith Academy (14-5)
  7. Helena (13-10)
  8. Calera (13-8)
  9. Gardendale (14-7)
  10. Spanish Fort (14-9)

Others nominated: Athens (14-7), Benjamin Russell (11-6), Briarwood Christian (9-7), Decatur (15-5), Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (12-8), Hueytown (13-12), Mortimer Jordan (11-12), Northridge (7-6), Pike Road (13-6).

 

CLASS 5A

  1. Gulf Shores (19-7)
  2. Boaz (13-3)
  3. Sardis (13-6)
  4. Russellville (16-7)
  5. Mobile Christian (12-6)
  6. Shelby County (15-6)
  7. Alexandria (13-8)
  8. Elmore County (14-2)
  9. Springville (15-6)
  10. St. Paul’s (13-8)

Others nominated: Ardmore (13-7), Demopolis (8-5), East Limestone (12-9), Fairview (17-6), Headland (9-8), John Carroll (11-10), Leeds (11-8), Rehobeth (12-7), Southside-Gadsden (17-10), Sylacauga (15-6), Valley (15-3).

 

CLASS 4A

  1. Bibb County (19-2)
  2. Bayside Academy (12-5)
  3. Etowah (12-10)
  4. Corner (15-5)
  5. Orange Beach (18-4)
  6. Deshler (16-5)
  7. Hanceville (12-3)
  8. Westminster Christian (12-5)
  9. American Christian (10-10)
  10. North Jackson (17-5)

Others nominated: Brooks (8-8), Cherokee County (15-7), Dale County (12-5), Cleburne County (9-2), Jacksonville (10-11), Madison County (17-4), Munford (13-5), Northside (10-6), Priceville (11-7), Satsuma (15-4), Trinity (11-10), Wilson (15-6).

 

CLASS 3A

  1. Piedmont (12-6)
  2. St. James (12-4)
  3. Thomasville (11-4)
  4. Providence Christian (10-6)
  5. Decatur Heritage (11-6)
  6. Prattville Christian (12-5)
  7. Hokes Bluff (12-6)
  8. Gordo (9-7)
  9. Vinemont (17-3)
  10. Westbrook Christian (8-5)

Others nominated: Glencoe (11-10), Houston Academy (7-9), Lauderdale County (8-4), New Brockton (13-8), Northside Methodist (8-8), Oakman (11-5), Opp (11-5), Straughn (10-8).

 

CLASS 2A

  1. Ariton (13-4)
  2. Pike Liberal Arts (15-3)
  3. Vincent (18-3)
  4. G.W. Long (10-5)
  5. Collinsville (15-3)
  6. Wicksburg (13-3)
  7. Hatton (18-5)
  8. Lindsay Lane (14-6)
  9. Fyffe (13-5)
  10. Mars Hill Bible (12-6)

Others nominated: Bayshore Christian (8-7), Donoho (5-8), North Sand Mountain (11-6), Pleasant Valley (12-7), Reeltown (14-5), St. Luke’s (8-9), Tuscaloosa Academy (10-8).

 

CLASS 1A

  1. Millry (19-0)
  2. Sumiton Christian (11-3)
  3. Appalachian (11-2)
  4. Brantley (10-3)
  5. Hackleburg (12-5)
  6. Sweet Water (12-6)
  7. Florala (10-1)
  8. Leroy (11-7)
  9. Gaylesville (10-4)
  10. Billingsley (9-5)

Others nominated: Covenant Christian (4-8), Lynn (7-3), Red Level (5-5), Spring Garden (7-5), South Lamar (9-8).

 

AISA

  1. Glenwood (12-5)
  2. Lowndes Academy (16-6)
  3. Lee-Scott (14-6)
  4. Clarke Prep (12-4)
  5. Macon-East (17-6)
  6. Autauga Academy (12-7)
  7. Edgewood Academy (17-9)
  8. Bessemer Academy (17-8)
  9. Patrician (7-5)
  10. Crenshaw Christian (10-6)

Others nominated: Cornerstone Christian (9-6), Escambia Academy (7-6).