By Dennis Victory
The Birmingham News

Madison Academy should feel comfortable atop the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 3A girls high school basketball rankings.

The Mustangs were selected No. 1 in the first poll of the 2008-09 season and they’ve been there since. This week’s release marks the 22nd straight No. 1 ranking for the Mustangs.

During the streak, the Mustangs won to the championship game each of the past two seasons, twice losing by scores of 53-50. T.R. Miller won the 2009 title while Sumter County downed the Mustangs in 2010.

This year’s squad hopes to get past the final hurdle with the school’s first girls basketball title. They’ve lost only twice. Class 6A second-ranked Hoover downed the Mustangs, again 53-50, to open the season on the road and Class 6A top-ranked Sparkman won by three points on Dec. 7.

The Mustangs avenged the earlier loss to Sparkman, handing the Senators their first loss of the season, and also beat Class 6A third-ranked Bob Jones. They’ll get another shot at Hoover in the last regular-season game, hosting the defending champion Bucs on Feb. 8.

There were no changes in the boys rankings as Class 6A Homewood, Class 5A Wenonah, Class 4A Butler, Class 3A Sumter County, Class 2A Barbour County, Class 1A Pickens County and AISA Restoration all retained the top spot.

ASWA prep basketball poll
GIRLS
CLASS 6A
1. Sparkman (18-1)
2. Hoover (16-2)
3. Bob Jones (14-4)
4. Jeff Davis (11-2)
5. Central-Phenix City (15-3)
6. Davidson (15-4)
7. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (15-2)
8. Austin (8-4)
9. Hazel Green (11-3)
10. Enterprise (17-2)
CLASS 5A
1. Erwin (19-2)
2. Fort Payne (13-2)
3. Selma (15-3)
4. Faith Academy (13-7)
5. LeFlore (16-1)
6. Ramsay (7-7)
7. Woodlawn (13-2)
8. Boaz (14-4)
9. Fairfield (10-7)
10. Cullman (10-4)
CLASS 4A
1. Good Hope (18-1)
2. Brewbaker Tech (13-5)
3. DAR (14-5)
4. Cherokee County (13-0)
5. Deshler (13-3)
6. Anniston (13-2)
7. Midfield (8-10)
8. Priceville (13-6)
9. Andalusia (13-4)
10. Oneonta (11-3)
CLASS 3A
1. Madison Academy (18-2)
2. Danville (17-3)
3. Clements (18-2)
4. Lauderdale Co. (14-3)
5. West Morgan (12-5)
6. Holly Pond (14-5)
7. Geneva (15-3)
8. Montgomery Academy (12-0)
9. Ashville (14-3)
10. Sumter County (11-6)
CLASS 2A
1. North Sand Mountain (19-1)
2. Tanner (14-2)
3. Barbour Co. (11-1)
4. Ider (14-1)
5. Woodland (12-4)
6. Cold Springs (12-6)
7. Red Bay (9-4)
8. Providence Christian (9-3)
9. Hatton (11-4)
10. Section (10-5)
CLASS 1A
1. J.F. Shields (12-0)
2. Brantley (12-2)
3. Spring Garden (11-5)
4. St. Jude (10-1)
5. McIntosh (9-1)
6. Akron (10-1)
7. Lynn (14-1)
8. Addison (8-2)
9. Holy Spirit (13-4)
10. Ragland (11-3)
AISA
1. Lakeside (19-0)
2. Lee-Scott (14-2)
3. Wilcox Academy (10-1)
4. Sparta Academy (10-2)
5. Glenwood (9-2)
6. Fort Dale Academy (8-5)
7. Autauga Academy (11-2)
8. Southern Academy (11-1)
9. Tuscaloosa Academy (13-6)
10. Patrician Academy (10-7)
BOYS
CLASS 6A
1. Homewood (14-2)
2. Gadsden City (14-1)
3. Mountain Brook (17-1)
4. Carver-Montgomery (15-1)
5. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (14-3)
6. Murphy (12-2)
7. Sparkman (9-5)
8. Bob Jones (12-7)
9. Baker (16-3)
10. Hoover (14-3)

CLASS 5A
1. Wenonah (14-3)
2. Lee-Huntsville (16-5)
3. Woodlawn (15-4)
4. Parker (16-3)
5. Selma (13-4)
6. Talladega (14-1)
7. Pleasant Grove (11-4)
8. Columbia (13-6)
9. Briarwood (15-4)
10. Albertville (15-5)

CLASS 4A
1. Butler (17-1)
2. Andalusia (17-2)
3. Calera (13-3)
4. Hillcrest-Evergreen (14-3)
5. Dallas County (15-4)
6. Midfield (9-6)
7. Anniston (9-6)
8. Oneonta (14-3)
9. UMS-Wright (10-4)
10. Jackson (12-2)

CLASS 3A
1. Sumter County (16-2)
2. Lauderdale County (15-1)
3. Carbon Hill (14-0)
4. Glencoe (13-4)
5. Clarke County (12-0)
6. Holly Pond (14-3)
7. Trinity (9-2)
8. Sardis (18-6)
9. Handley (10-2)
10. B.B. Comer (12-2)

CLASS 2A
1. Barbour County (15-1)
2. Section (14-3)
3. Central-Hayneville (10-7)
4. R.C. Hatch (9-6)
5. Cold Springs (14-5)
6. Holy Family (9-6)
7. Tanner (13-3)
8. Mars Hill Bible (12-5)
9. Vincent (13-5)
10. North Sand Mountain (10-6)

CLASS 1A
1. Pickens County (12-0)
2. Cedar Bluff (12-1)
3. Skyline (13-3)
4. J.F. Shields (8-6)
5. Holy Spirit (12-3)
6. Belgreen (13-2)
7. Collinsville (10-5)
8. Meek (12-3)
9. Georgiana (14-3)
10. St. Jude (11-2)

AISA
1. Restoration (13-0)
2. Evangel Christian (12-2)
3. Lee-Scott (13-3)
4. Prattville Christian (16-5)
5. Hooper (11-3)
6. Edgewood (9-2)
7. Pickens Academy (6-3)
8. Escambia Academy (8-0)
9. Crenshaw Christian (8-4)
10. Dixie Academy (13-3)