TRM football ranks seventh in final poll
Published 7:53 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011
By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA
Being No. 1 to start the football season didn’t mean finishing on top in the final week’s Alabama Sports Writers Association football poll.
All seven teams that began at No. 1 in their class were replaced during the season by this week’s final poll of the state’s high school football writers.
The latest change came in Class 6A where Mountain Brook became the third team this season to be ranked No. 1 in that class. Daphne had led the poll from preseason through Week Nine, when it lost to McGill-Toolen and was replaced by Clay-Chalkville.
Despite beating Spain Park to finish the season at 10-0 on the field, the Cougars had to forfeit nine games last week for using an ineligible player and, while still ranked fourth in the final poll, were replaced by Mountain Brook, which hadn’t been undefeated and No. 1 in the season’s final poll since 1999.
However, the Cougars won a temporary restraining order in Jefferson County Circuit Court on Tuesday after the voting had been tabulated to restore their nine lost wins and return to the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs. A hearing on the case, barring further developments, is set for Nov. 10. The ruling also affects the pairings in the North half of the 6A brackets.
Briarwood Christian also started the Class 5A season at No. 1, but a Week Five loss to Vestavia Hills dropped the Lions to third and the Hueytown had no problem taking over at No. 1.
Class 4A Thomasville held the top spot until a 28-9 Week Nine loss to Jackson, which finishes at No. 1. Class 3A preseason favorite Leeds, which has won two state titles in the last three years, finished 8-2 overall and sixth in the final poll, behind Region 3 rivals No. 2 Handley and No. 5 Clay County. Piedmont started the season second and finished at No. 1.
Class 2A Elba and 1A Linden finish as No. 1, replacing perennial favorites Leroy (not ranked in the final poll) and Sweet Water (No. 5), respectively. Preseason No. 4 Edgewood Academy tops the final AISA poll instead of Monroe Academy, first in the preseason poll and fourth in the final poll.
CLASS 6A
1. Mountain Brook (19) (10-0)
2. Hoover (9-1)
3. Daphne (9-1)
4. z-Clay-Chalkville (12) (10-0)
5. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-0)
6. Prattville (7-2)
7. McGill-Toolen (9-1)
8. Bob Jones (9-1)
9. Auburn (8-1)
10. Blount (9-1)
Others receiving votes: Oxford (8-2) 47, Fairhope (8-2) 10, Northridge (9-1) 9, Central-Phenix City (8-2) 6, y-Wetumpka (2-7) 1.
CLASS 5A
1. Hueytown (30) (10-0)
2. Hartselle (1) (10-0)
3. Briarwood Chr. (9-1)
4. St. Paul’s (9-1)
5. Muscle Shoals (9-1)
6. Vigor (8-2)
7. Fort Payne (9-1)
8. Fairfield (9-1)
9. Eufaula (9-1)
10. Center Point (9-1)
Others receiving votes: x-Etowah (9-1) 14, x-Greenville (10-0) 13, Valley (8-2) 9, Pinson Valley (8-2) 8.
CLASS 4A
1. Jackson (29) (10-0)
2. Dadeville (1) (10-0)
3. North Jackson (1) (10-0)
4. Thomasville (9-1)
5. Bibb Co. (10-0)
6. Andalusia (10-0)
7. Deshler (9-1)
8. Beauregard (9-1)
9. Guntersville (8-2)
10. Brooks (8-2)
Others receiving votes: Dora (8-2) 19, Anniston (6-4) 3, Oneonta (8-2) 3, Greene Co. (7-3) 2, Midfield (6-4) 2, UMS-Wright (6-4) 2, Fayette Co. (7-3) 1, y-Sumter Central (4-6) 1.
CLASS 3A
1. Piedmont (18) (10-0)
2. Handley (13) (10-0)
3. Bayside Acad. (10-0)
4. Hanceville (10-0)
5. Clay Co. (9-1)
6. Leeds (8-2)
7. T.R. Miller (8-2)
8. Lauderdale Co. (9-1)
9. Sardis (9-1)
10. Hamilton (8-2)
Others receiving votes: Madison Acad. (8-2) 16, Glencoe (8-2) 12, Gordo (7-3) 10, Sheffield (8-2) 4, Sylvania (8-2) 4, Rogers (8-2) 2.
CLASS 2A
1. Elba (28) (10-0)
2. Fyffe (1) (10-0)
3. Tanner (10-0)
4. American Chr. (2) (9-1)
5. N. Sand Mountain (9-1)
6. Flomaton (9-1)
7. G.W. Long (9-1)
8. Red Bay (9-1)
9. Vincent (8-2)
10. Lineville (7-3)
Others receiving votes: Fultondale (8-2) 26, Leroy (6-4) 23, Colbert Hts. (8-2) 14, Zion Chapel (8-2) 7, Reeltown (7-3) 6, Southern Choctaw (8-2) 1.
CLASS 1A
1. Linden (28) (9-1)
2. Maplesville (3) (10-0)
3. Ragland (9-0)
4. Brantley (8-1)
5. Sweet Water (7-3)
6. Pickens Co. (9-1)
7t. Collinsville (9-1)
7t. Marion Co. (9-1)
9. Addison (9-1)
10. Berry (9-1)
Others receiving votes: Winterboro (9-1) 25, St. Jude (8-1) 14, Lynn (8-2) 9, Donoho (7-2) 7, Shoals Chr. (7-3) 2, R.A. Hubbard (7-3) 1.
AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (10-0)
2. Bessemer Acad. (1) (9-1)
3. Crenshaw Chr. (10-0)
4. Monroe Acad. (10-1)
5. Springwood (9-1)
6. Jackson Acad. (9-1)
7. Tuscaloosa Acad. (9-1)
8. Autauga Acad. (10-1)
9. Patrician (8-2)
10. Evangel Chr.-Montgomery (8-2)
Others receiving votes: Lee-Scott (7-3) 4, Clarke Prep (6-4) 1, Escambia Acad. (7-4) 1, y-Morgan Acad. (7-3) 1, Pike Liberal Arts (6-4) 1.
x-Record reflects team has wins received by forfeit.
y-Record reflects team has games lost by forfeit
z-Record reflects nine wins returned to Clay-Chalkville by temporary restraining order
The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Freelance (Birmingham); Josh Bean, Co-Chairman, Mobile Press-Register; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Nick Birdsong, Anniston Star; Chandler Myers, Atmore Advance; Robert Ladnier, Baldwin Register; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Stan Veitch, 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; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Jonathan Deal, Moulton Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home. Alex Scarborough, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald.
