Staff Reports

With the 2022 high school football season just days away from kicking off, the Alabama Sports Writers Association released its first rankings of the new season on Sunday morning. Three teams within the WEIS radio coverage area find themselves in the top 10, while two others received votes.

Class 3A defending state champion Piedmont (13-2 in 2021) begins the new season at No. 1. The Bulldogs received all 21 first-place votes. Gordo (9-3), Mars Hill (10-4), Opp (9-3) and Alabama Christian (7-4) round out the top five.

Two area teams are ranked in Class 1A: No. 2 Spring Garden (12-1), which moves down from Class 2A, and No. 10 Cedar Bluff (6-5). The No. 2 ranking for Spring Garden is its highest in school history.

The Panthers received three first-place votes and only trail top-ranked Brantley (12-1) by three points. Defending 1A champion Sweet Water (14-0), Leroy (2-8), and defending state runner-up Wadley (13-2) round out the top five.

Defending Region 7 champion Cedar Bluff begins its second season under head coach Alan Beckett.

Two other area teams received consideration for the preseason poll: Class 4A Cherokee County (7-4) and Class 2A Sand Rock (7-4).

The complete preseason ASWA high school football rankings are listed below, with first-place votes, last year’s win-loss record and total poll points (*- team played in a different classification last year).

CLASS 7A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Thompson (21); 13-1; 252
2. Central-Phenix City; 13-1; 177
3. Auburn; 10-3; 152
4. Hewitt-Trussville; 9-3; 148
5. Hoover; 12-1; 140
6. James Clemens; 10-1; 99
7. Fairhope; 9-2; 84
8. Enterprise; 8-4; 52
9. Baker; 7-4; 32
10. Opelika*; 9-4; 22
Others receiving votes: Prattville (7-4) 20, Bob Jones (5-6) 9, Florence (5-6) 4, Oak Mountain (7-5) 4, Daphne (5-5) 2.
 
CLASS 6A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Clay-Chalkville (21); 15-0; 252
2. Mountain Brook; 12-2; 172
3. Saraland; 10-3; 143
4. Briarwood; 10-2; 121
5. Hueytown; 13-2; 98
6. Pike Road*; 14-0; 93
7. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; 11-3; 92
8. Spanish Fort; 10-2; 60
9. Gardendale; 10-3; 26
10. Pinson Valley; 9-4; 25
Others receiving votes: Theodore* (10-2) 23, Hartselle (10-1) 21, Gadsden City* (5-5) 20, Helena (9-2) 14, Carver-Montgomery (5-6) 13, Fort Payne (6-5) 7, Parker* (11-2) 5, Baldwin Co. (8-4) 4, Calera (7-4) 3, Muscle Shoals (9-2) 2, Oxford (7-5) 2, Homewood (6-6) 1.
 
CLASS 5A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. UMS-Wright (12); 11-2; 222
2. Vigor* (7); 14-1; 202
3. Ramsay; 6-5; 126
4. Pleasant Grove (1); 12-2; 102
5. Alexandria (1); 11-1; 76
6. Leeds; 10-2; 75
7. Guntersville; 9-2; 72
8. Gulf Shores*; 6-4; 69
9. Russellville; 9-3; 63
10. Central-Clay Co.; 9-3; 45
Others receiving votes: Fairview (12-2) 30, Arab* (8-3) 29, Eufaula* (5-6) 26, Greenville (8-4) 14, Moody (6-4) 13, Faith-Mobile (7-5) 12, Demopolis (7-5) 7, Southside-Gadsden* (5-6) 7, Williamson* (5-6) 6, Citronelle* (3-7) 1.
 
CLASS 4A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Catholic-Montgomery* (8); 13-1; 167
2. Handley (4); 9-3; 161
3. Andalusia* (2); 9-5; 145
4. Jacksonville (1); 7-4; 122
5. Northside (3); 10-2; 112
6. Montgomery Aca.* (1); 11-4; 103
7. Jackson; 11-3; 95
8. Oneonta (2); 13-2; 77
9. Etowah; 6-5; 47
10. Anniston; 5-5; 44
Others receiving votes: Randolph (10-2) 26, T.R. Miller* (10-3) 21, Cherokee Co. (7-4) 18, American Chr. (11-2) 13, Priceville (10-2) 12, Bayside Aca.* (9-3) 11, Brooks (12-1) 11, Good Hope (9-4) 7, Orange Beach* (9-2) 5.
 
CLASS 3A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Piedmont (21); 13-2; 252
2. Gordo*; 9-3; 112
3. Mars Hill Bible*; 10-4; 106
4. Opp; 9-3; 100
5. Alabama Chr.*; 7-4; 87
6. St. James*; 10-2; 86
7. Mobile Chr.*; 5-6; 85
8. Hillcrest-Evergreen; 7-6; 83
9. Winfield; 12-1; 69
10. Madison Aca.*; 12-2; 68
Others receiving votes: Saks (12-2) 44, Flomaton (6-4) 23, Ohatchee (9-3) 21, Straughn* (7-4) 20, Houston Aca. (6-5) 12, Walter Wellborn (5-5) 9, Excel (6-4) 6, Lauderdale Co. (10-2) 6, Sylvania (8-3) 6, Geraldine (7-4) 2.
 
CLASS 2A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Fyffe* (14); 10-2; 230
2. Clarke Co. (6); 13-2; 202
3. Lanett; 10-3; 143
4. Ariton; 10-2; 142
5. Highland Home (1); 8-6; 115
6. B.B. Comer; 10-3; 75
7. Aliceville; 8-4; 69
8. G.W. Long; 8-2; 53
9. Pisgah; 7-4; 52
10. Cleveland; 12-3; 44
Others receiving votes: Wicksburg* (7-4) 31, Tanner (8-4) 26, J.U. Blacksher (4-7) 13, Sand Rock (7-4) 2.
 
CLASS 1A
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Brantley (7); 12-1; 170
2. Spring Garden* (3); 12-1; 167
3. Sweet Water (6); 14-0; 153
4. Leroy* (3); 2-8; 151
5. Wadley (1); 13-2; 129
6. Elba*; 10-2; 108
7. Pickens Co.; 11-3; 107
8. Decatur Heritage; 10-3; 63
9. Linden (1); 5-5; 56
10. Cedar Bluff; 6-5; 27
Others receiving votes: Valley Head (5-6) 23, Kinston (8-4) 18, Millry (8-4) 12, Maplesville (11-2) 8, Hackleburg (6-5) 3, Keith (10-2) 2.
 
AISA
Team (first-place); W-L; Pts.
1. Glenwood (20); 6-5; 249
2. Autauga Aca.; 13-0; 172
3. Patrician; 8-3; 152
4. Chambers Aca. (1); 10-2; 142
5. Macon-East; 7-5; 113
6. Edgewood; 5-6; 85
7. Jackson Aca.; 10-2; 84
8. Lowndes Aca.; 11-3; 83
9. Escambia Aca.; 11-2; 57
10. Bessemer Aca.; 3-7; 24
Others receiving votes: Abbeville Chr. (2-8) 14, Monroe Aca. (3-7) 13, Crenshaw Chr. (7-4) 6, Clarke Prep (2-9) 1, Lee-Scott (8-3) 1, Sparta (9-2) 1.
 
VOTERS
Alec Etheredge, Shelby Co. Reporter
Andrew Garner, Atmore Advance
Ben Thomas, AL.com
Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger
David Elwell, Decatur Daily
David Mundee, Dothan Eagle
Dennis Victory, AL.com
Ehsan Kassim, Gadsden Times
Hayden Flatt, Florence TimesDaily
Jacob Shames, Montgomery Advertiser
Jake Winfrey, Cullman Times
Jason Bowen, Jackson Co. Sentinel
James Jones, Selma Times-Journal
Jerell Rushin, Tuscaloosa News
Joe Medley, Anniston Star
Kyle Parmley, Starnes Media
Lee Peacock, Monroe Journal
Marcus Gates, South Alabamian
Shannon Fagan, WEIS Radio
Stacy Long, Florence TimesDaily
Tripp Norris, Opp News