By Chris Sweigart
Associated Press
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Life at the top of the state's Class 5A state high school football rankings can be tough. Just ask St. Paul's of Mobile and J.O. Johnson of Huntsville. The Saints began the season No. 1 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A state rankings but fell out following week two after losing to Williamson 40-7.Associated Press
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Stumble It!Replacing St. Paul's last week was Johnson - which quickly dropped a 30-20 decision to Decatur last Thursday. Moving to the top this week is Briarwood Christian (3-0), which has wins over Vestavia Hills, John Carroll and Benjamin Russell this season and is averaging 30.7 PPG.
The Lions, who head to Anniston Friday night in a key Region 5 contest, picked up 22 of the 34 first-place votes and amassed 363 points to edge out this week's second-ranked Russellville. The Tigers (3-0) will face J.O. Johnson (2-1), which fell to eighth this week, Friday night. Coach Doug Goodwin's team picked up seven first-place votes with third-ranked Fort Payne (3-0) and fourth-ranked McAdory (3-0) getting two each.
Unranked Chelsea (3-0) got the other first-place vote among a record 34 cast this week by the ASWA prep voting committee. Prattville (3-0), ranked seventh in the Student Sports Fab 50 national rankings, landed 32 first-place votes and continues to dominate Class 6A. The Lions blasted Jeff Davis 62-0 to win their 18th straight game.
Coach Bill Clark's squad faces a big test Friday night at unbeaten Wetumpka (3-0). Hoover (2-1), ranked 33rd in this week's Fab 50 national poll, got one first-place vote and Hueytown (3-0), which cracked the Top 10 for the first time this season at No. 10 this week, picked up the other.
Other leaders include North Jackson (3-0) in Class 4A, Pike County (3-0) in 3A, Leroy (3-0) in 2A, Sweet Water (3-0) in 1A and Bessemer Academy (4-0) in the AISA. The Rebels of coach Mark Freeman gathered all 34 first-place votes this week and set a poll record by accumulating 408 points. It marked the first time in the ASWA poll's 29-year history that a school received more than 400 points.
The complete poll, including all schools receiving votes and the panel of voters is listed below, with first-place votes and last year's record in parentheses. Class 6A
1. Prattville (32) (3-0) 398
2. Daphne (3-0) 296
3. Hoover (1) (2-1) 247
4. McGill-Toolen (3-0) 222
5. Foley (3-0) 209
6. Opelika (3-0) 177
7. Gadsden City (3-0) 115
8. Tuscaloosa Co. (3-0) 98
9. Vestavia Hills (2-1) 56
10. Hueytown (1) (3-0) 35
Others receiving votes: Enterprise (3-0) 17, Huntsville (3-0) 16, Spain Park (2-1) 16, Wetumpka (3-0) 9, Florence (3-0) 8, Pell City (2-1) 6, Pelham (2-1) 5, Oxford (3-0) 4, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (3-0) 2, Clay-Chalkville (2-1) 1, Stanhope Elmore (3-0) 1. Class 5A
1. Briarwood Chr. (22) (3-0) 363
2. Russellville (7) (3-0) 300
3. Ft. Payne (2) (3-0) 245
4. McAdory (2) (3-0) 242
5. Jess Lanier (3-0) 174
6. Vigor (3-0) 156
7. Eufaula (2-1) 96
8. J.O. Johnson (2-1) 74
9. Williamson (2-1) 71
10. St. Paul's (2-1) 59
Others receiving votes: Scottsboro (3-0) 25, Cullman (3-0) 20, Decatur (2-1) 19, Pleasant Grove (3-0) 15, Chelsea (1) (3-0) 14, Athens (2-1) 11, Etowah (2-1) 11, Fairfield (2-1) 9, Greenville (3-0) 9, Erwin (2-1) 7, Henderson-Troy (3-0) 6, Mortimer Jordan (2-1) 5, Demopolis (2-1) 4, Bibb Co. (3-0) 2, Benjamin Russell (2-1) 1. Class 4A
1. North Jackson (21) (3-0) 343
2. Central-Tuscaloosa (6) (3-0) 277
3. Alexandria (3) (3-0) 275
4. East Limestone (3) (3-0) 238
5. Thomasville (1) (2-1) 183
6. Deshler (2-1) 160
7. Andalusia (2-1) 133
8. Beauregard (3-0) 99
9. Brooks (2-1) 55
10. Cleburne Co. (3-0) 36
Others receiving votes: Guntersville (1-2) 32, Cherokee Co. (2-1) 29, Fayette Co. (3-0) 20, Tarrant (2-1) 18, Escambia Co. (3-0) 15, Central-Coosa (3-0) 12, Madison Co. (3-0) 5, Trinity (2-1) 5, Elmore Co. 1-2) 4, Rogers (3-0) 3, Oneonta (2-1) 2, W.S. Neal (2-1) 1. Class 3A
1. Pike County (30) (3-0) 395
2. Clay County (2) (3-0) 294
3. Cordova (1) (3-0) 261
4. Calera (1) (3-0) 235
5. Clarke Co. (3-0) 184
6. Winfield (3-0) 165
7. Colbert County (2-1) 106
8. Colbert Heights (3-0) 88
9. Geneva (2-1) 57
10. Hokes Bluff (3-0) 40
Others receiving votes: Aliceville (3-0) 27, Gordo (2-1) 23, Marbury (3-0) 20, Lincoln (3-0) 13, Sumiton Chr. (3-0) 9, Washington Co. (3-0) 8, Munford (3-0) 5, Good Hope (2-1) 3, Slocomb (2-1) 3, Elba (2-1), Montgomery Acad. (1-2) 1. Class 2A
1. Leroy (32) (3-0) 398
2. Fyffe (1) (3-0) 294
3. Houston Acad. (3-0) 251
4. Lanett (1) (3-0) 240
5. American Chr. (3-0) 185
6. Wicksburg (3-0) 149
7. Woodland (3-0) 127
8. Addison (2-1) 83
9. Section (3-0) 58
10. Flomaton (3-0) 41
Others receiving votes: Fultondale (3-0) 25, Loachapoka (3-0) 21, Tanner (2-1) 21, Red Bay (3-0) 18, Cottonwood (3-0) 13, Cleveland (3-0) 8, Pickens Co. (2-1) 7, Highland Home (3-0) 5, Lineville (1-2) 3, Sand Rock (2-1) 3, Georgiana (2-1) 2. Class 1A
1. Sweet Water (30) (3-0) 395
2. Brantley (3-0) 278
3. Talladega Co.-Cent. (3-0) 238
4. Maplesville (1) (2-0) 237
5. Hazlewood (1) (3-0) 198
6. Linden (3-0) 163
7. Florala (3-0) 123
8. Donoho (3-0) 107
9. Ragland (2-1) 50
10. McKenzie (2) (3-0) 46
Others receiving votes: South Lamar (3-0) 43, Wadley (3-0) 18, Gaston (3-0) 14, Cedar Bluff (2-1) 7, Millry (3-0) 7, R.A. Hubbard (2-1) 7, J.U. Blacksher (2-1) 5, McIntosh (2-1) 4, Brilliant (3-0) 3, Speake (2-1) 2, Lynn (2-1) 1, Marengo (3-0) 1, Valley Head (3-0) 1. AISA
1. Bessemer Acad. (34) (4-0) 408
2. Clarke Prep (4-0) 276
3. Southern Acad. (3-0) 270
4. Glenwood (3-1) 208
5. South Choctaw Acad. (4-0) 188
6. Fort Dale Acad. (3-1) 163
7. Cottage Hill Chr. (4-0) 123
8. Faith Acad. (1-3) 73
9. Meadowview Chr. (4-0) 65
10. Macon-East (3-1) 60
Others receiving votes: Lakeside (3-1) 27, Kingwood Chr. (4-1) 23, Patrician Acad. (3-1) 17, Shelby Acad. (2-1) 17, Lowndes Acad. (2-2) 12, Crenshaw Chr. (4-0) 6, Escambia Acad. (1-3) 2.
ASWA state rankings committee: Ron Ingram, Birmingham News (chairman); Ross Wood, Clarke County Democrat (co-chairman); Kevin Taylor, Alex City Outlook; Matthew Nascone, Atmore Advance; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Chris McCarthy, Cherokee County Herald; Chris Henley, Citronelle Call-Leader; Brandon Shields, Cullman Times; Justin Graves, Cullman Times; Brooke Milam, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg DeWalt, Florence Times Daily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Paul Beaudry, Freelance (Birmingham); Graham Dunn, Freelance (Montgomery); Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Michael Rodgers, Greenville Advocate; Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times; Jonathan Bentley, Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle; Mike Herndon, Mobile Press-Register; Robert Ladnier, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Wesley Lyle, Montgomery Advertiser; Charles Prince, North Jefferson News; Tom Peavy, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Austin Phillips, Shelby County Reporter; Mike Pruitt, Sports Preview; Will Heath, Talladega Daily Home; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Peggy Blackburn, Wetumpka Herald
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
