Hoover, Leeds go wire-to-wire in ASWA poll
By PAUL BEAUDRY For the ASWA

In the final Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll of the season, only two teams that were ranked No. 1 in the preseason ended the regular season in the same spot.
Both Class 6A Hoover and Class 3A Leeds not only finished on top of their classes, but also were the only unanimous picks among the state’s voters.

In the five remaining classes, there was just one team that started the season outside the top 10 and finished No. 1 – the AISA’s Monroe Academy, which received votes to start the season but couldn’t crack the top 10.

Class 5A leader Hartselle started the season sixth, Class 4A’s Thomasville was third, Class 2A Leroy was second and Class 1A Maplesville was fifth. The ASWA tabbed Class 5A Russellville (currently fourth), Class 4A UMS-Wright (not ranked), Class 2A Reeltown (third), Class 1A Sweet Water (fourth) and the AISA’s Pike Liberal (fifth) as preseason No. 1 picks.

Only one class saw change at the top in the final poll. Class 2A Leroy’s 27-7 win over Class 1A Sweet Water allowed Leroy to take over the top spot in its class after then-No. 5 Cottonwood knocked off then-No. 1 Elba. Cottonwood has moved into the No. 2 spot.

The only matchups between ranked teams in the first round of postseason play comes in the AISA where No. 7 Springwood is at No. 10 Patrician and No. 5 Pike Liberal is at No. 6 Prattville Christian.

CLASS 6A
1. Hoover (35) (10-0) 420
2. Daphne (10-0) 314
3. Davidson (9-1) 260
4. Auburn (8-1) 233
5. Bob Jones (8-2) 195
6. Decatur (9-1) 178
7. Central-Phenix City (9-1) 144
8. Vestavia Hills (8-2) 91
9. Wetumpka (8-1) 79
10. Mountain Brook (8-2) 33

Others receiving votes: Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (9-1) 28, Prattville (7-3) 6, Tuscaloosa Co. (8-2) 5, Gadsden City (7-3) 4, Stanhope Elmore (8-2) 3, Hewitt-Trussville (8-2) 2.



The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are:; Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Freelance (Birmingham); Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Nick Birdsong, Anniston Star; Chandler Myers, Atmore Advance; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Justin Graves, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Jason Bowen, Daily Sentinel; Cody Whitlock, Decatur Daily; Jeremy Smith, Demopolis Times; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Program23.com / Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Scot Beard, Franklin County Times; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Brooke Johnson, Freelance (Madison); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer; Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times; Josh Bean, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Wesley Lyle, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; David Morrison, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Heather Baggett, Talladega Daily Home; Aaron Suttles, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald. Not voting: Jonathan Deal, Moulton Advertiser.