By PAUL BEAUDRY
For The ASWA

In a season that saw 13 opponents fail to come within a touchdown of Hoover in 15 games, it should be no surprise that the third-annual Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 25 poll was also dominated by the Bucs.
For the second time in as many years, Hoover was named the No. 1 team in the state regardless of classification in the post-season poll of the state’s prep sports writers. The Bucs had 23 of 26 possible first place votes after winning the Class 6A championship with a 20-3 victory over Auburn, which finished third in the post-season picks.
Class 5A champion Spanish Fort staked two first-place votes after its 35-14 win over Muscle Shoals, while Class 3A champ Madison Academy picked up the other first-place vote and was fourth overall with a 31-14 win over Leeds.
The Super 25 attempts to reward teams for success within their own classification; Class 1A champ Pickens County – which was ninth overall – also finished undefeated and did everything it was asked to do playing a schedule of its peers. The poll takes into account a school’s record and class, but also measures the whole body of work, factoring how it did against schools its size or those larger.
All six champions from the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s classifications were in the top 10; Class 4A winner Oneonta was fourth and Class 2A champ Tanner was seventh. Two of the three champions in the Alabama Independent Schools Association also cracked the top 25 with AAA winner Monroe Academy at 24th and four-time Class AA champ Edgewood Academy at 20th.
In all, Class 6A had seven teams in the top 25, Class 5A had six schools, Class 3A and 4A had three each, and two each from Class 2A, 1A and the AISA.
ASWA SUPER 25 POLL

(First-place votes, class and final records in parentheses)

1. Hoover (23) (6A, 15-0)644

*Won Class 6A championship

2. Spanish Fort (2) (5A, 15-0)612

*Won Class 5A championship

3. Auburn (6A, 13-2)521

*Class 6A runner-up

4. Madison Acad. (1) (3A, 15-0)515

*Won Class 3A championship

5. Oneonta (4A, 14-1)478

*Won Class 4A championship

6. Muscle Shoals (5A, 13-2)454

*Class 5A runner-up

7. Tanner (2A, 13-1)404

*Won Class 2A championship

8. Vestavia Hills (6A, 11-3)401

*Class 6A semifinalist

9. Pickens Co. (1A, 15-0)399
*Won Class 1A championship

10. Charles Henderson (4A, 14-1)360

*Class 4A runner-up

11. McGill-Toolen (6A, 12-2)350

*Class 6A semifinalist

12. Leeds (3A, 12-3) 265

*Class 3A runner-up

13. Southside-Gadsden (5A, 13-1)246

*Class 5A semifinalist

14. Florence (6A, 9-4)244

*Class 6A quarterfinalist

15. Washington Co. (2A, 13-2)230

*Class 2A runner-up

16. Maplesville (1A, 14-1)220

*Class 1A runner-up

17. UMS-Wright (4A, 11-3)214

*Class 4A semfinalist

18. Saraland (5A, 12-2)162

*Class 5A semifinalist

19. Bob Jones (6A, 11-2)159

*Class 6A quarterfinalist

20. Edgewood Acad.(AISA, 14-0)152

*Won Class AA Championship

21. Clay-Chalkville (6A, 10-2)139

*Class 6A second-round

22. Jackson (5A, 12-1)131

*Class 5A quarterfinalist

23. Saks (3A, 13-1)115

*Class 3A semifinalist

24. Monroe Acad. (AISA, 13-0)106

*Won Class AAA championship

25. St. Paul’s (5A, 10-3)92

*Class 5A quarterfinalist

Also receiving votes: Smiths Station (6A, 10-3) 86, Carver-Montgomery (6A, 10-3) 84, Marengo Acad. (AISA, 13-0) 80, Munford (4A, 12-2) 76, Straughn (3A, 10-3) 47, Fyffe (2A, 12-2) 42, Oxford (6A, 9-3) 36, Sweet Water (2A, 10-4) 32, Piedmont (3A, 11-2) 31, Shades Valley (6A, 10-2) 31, Brantley (1A, 11-3) 29, Benjamin Russell (5A, 10-2) 26, McAdory (5A, 10-3) 25, T.R. Miller (3A, 12-1) 25, Dadeville (4A, 11-2) 24, Blount (6A, 9-2) 18, Lanett (2A, 11-1) 16, Calera (4A, 10-2) 15, Opelika (6A, 7-4) 15, Cullman (5A, 8-4) 13, Bessemer Acad. (AISA, 12-2) 10, Luverne (2A, 11-2) 10, Clarke Prep (AISA, 8-5) 9, Homewood (5A, 9-3) 8, Restoration Acad. (AISA, 12-2) 8, Bessemer City (6A, 10-2), 6, Hubbertville (1A, 11-3) 6, Briarwood Chr. (5A, 9-3) 4, Central-Clay Co. (4A, 10-3) 4, J.O. Johnson (4A, 11-2)4, Bibb Co. (4A, 10-2) 3, Linden (1A, 9-4) 3, 3, Walker (5A, 8-2) 3, Colbert Co. (3A, 11-2) 2, Dale Co. (3A, 11-1) 2, Fayette Co. (3A, 10-2) 2, Addison (1A, 9-2) 1, Bayside Acad. (3A, 8-5) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Josh Bean, AL.com; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Brandon Miller, Anniston Star; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Rob Ketcham, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Nick Johnston, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Journal Record; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.