ASWA POLL: Garden cracks top 10 for first time in school history

By KURT DURYEA

Spring Garden (5-0), off to their best start in team history, established another benchmark for the Panther football program when they entered the Alabama Sports Writers state high school football rankings. Spring Garden’s No. 10 position in this week’s poll marks the first time in program history that the Panthers have been grouped with the state’s elite 1A squads. Spring Garden faces Woodville this week before a three-game stretch of fellow Region 7 leaders Collinsville, Donoho and Cedar Bluff. 

Cedar Bluff (5-0) got a boost this week to No. 6 in Class 1A while Collinsville (5-0) remained locked in at No. 8.  The Tigers and Panthers hold the 1A prep spotlight Friday night when they meet at L.D. Bruce Field in Cedar Bluff.  Collinsville has won the last three games in the series and captured the last two region titles. Cedar Bluff’s offense currently leads all schools in the state with a 55-point-per-game scoring average. Collinsville averages 42.8 points per game. 

The Piedmont Bulldogs (5-0) strengthened their hold on the Class 3A, No. 1 position with a 7-0 victory over Leeds.  The Bulldogs defense ranks as the 18^th best in the state in points allowed per game (8.2). Piedmont received all but two first place votes this week. Those two were cast to No. 2 T.R. Miller. Leeds dropped to No. 3. Piedmont is at White Plains (2-3) on Friday. 

Fort Payne’s (5-0) road win over the Lovett School of Georgia propped the Wildcats up a spot to No. 6 in Class 5A.  Boaz (5-0) will be looking to trip up Fort Payne this week as they two teams meet in a key 5A Region 7 contest. 

Gadsden City suffered a 49-24 loss to No. 3 Auburn but lost just two spots in this week’s 6A poll. The No. 9 Titans return to Region 7 play at Pell City on Friday.  

Hoover remained No. 1 in Class 6A. Decatur upset 5A, No. 1 Hartselle last week, 21-14, dropping them to No. 4.  The new No. 1, Muscle Shoals, will clash with Hartselle on Friday. Oneonta pulled all but one first place vote in Class 4A. Tanner (2A) and Linden (1A) grabbed all first place votes to remain atop their respective classifications.  

The complete ASWA Week 5 Poll is listed below.

Class 6A

1. Hoover (32) (5-0) 384

2. Clay-Chalkville (5-0) 269

3. Auburn (5-0) 266

4. McGill-Toolen (5-0) 230

5. Austin (5-0) 193

6. Mountain Brook (5-0) 125

7. Carver-MGY (4-1) 116

8. Vestavia Hills (4-1) 110

9. Gadsden City (4-1) 39

10. Daphne (3-2) 17

Others receiving votes: Central-Phenix City (4-1) 16, Fairhope (4-1) 16, Spain Park (4-1) 15, Davidson (4-1) 12, Tuscaloosa Co. (4-1) 8, Pelham (4-1) 5, Hazel Green (4-1) 1, Oak Mountain (4-1) 1, Stanhope Elmore (4-1) 1.

Class 5A

1. Muscle Shoals (24) (5-0) 356

2. Jackson (3) (5-0) 285

3. Spanish Fort (4) (5-0) 269

4. Hartselle (1) (4-1) 184

5. St. Paul’s (4-1) 161

6. Fort Payne (5-0) 152

7. Demopolis (5-0) 124

8. Homewood (4-1) 114

9. Eufaula (4-1) 61

10. Cullman (4-1) 55

Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (5-0) 23, McAdory (5-0) 10, Sylacauga (5-0) 10, Wenonah (5-0) 9, Vigor (4-1) 7, Boaz (5-0) 3, Russellville (4-1) 1.

Class 4A

1. Oneonta (29) (5-0) 374

2t. Central-Clay Co. (2) (5-0) 272

2t. Dadeville (1) (5-0) 272

4. UMS-Wright (4-1) 223

5. Handley (4-1) 173

6. Beauregard (4-1) 141

7. Thomasville (3-2) 93

8. Madison Co. (4-1) 77

9. Andalusia (4-1) 68

10. Tallassee (4-1) 32

Others receiving votes: Dora (4-1) 24, Sardis (4-1) 20, Jemison (4-1) 11, Brooks (4-1) 10, Fairview (4-1) 8, Calera (4-1) 6, J.O. Johnson (4-1) 6, St. James (4-1) 5, Ardmore (4-1) 4, Jacksonville (4-1) 3, Monroe Co. (3-2) 2.

Class 3A

1. Piedmont (30) (5-0) 378

2. T.R. Miller (2) (5-0) 285

3. Leeds (4-1) 223

4. Hamilton (5-0) 222

5. Lauderdale Co. (4-1) 165

6. Sylvania (5-0) 164

7. Colbert Co. (5-0) 129

8. Madison Acad. (3-2) 79

9. Fayette Co. (4-1) 63

10. Daleville (5-0) 56

Others receiving votes: Straughn (4-1) 23, Bayside (2-3) 20, B.B. Comer (4-1) 3, Barbour Co. (4-1) 3, Dale Co. (3-2) 3, Saks (4-1) 3, W.S. Neal (4-1) 3, Deshler (2-3) 2.

Class 2A

1. Tanner (30) (5-0) 375

2. Washington Co. (2) (5-0) 289

3. Fyffe (5-0) 257

4. Sweet Water (4-1) 224

5. Reeltown (4-1) 174

6. Woodland (4-1) 143

7. Walter Wellborn (4-1) 86

8. Elba (3-2) 85

9. Mobile Chr. (5-0) 60

10. G.W. Long (4-1) 47

Others receiving votes: Vincent (4-1) 38, N. Sand Mountain (4-1) 19, Oakman (4-1) 10, Lanett (4-1) 5, Fultondale (3-2) 3, Samson (4-1) 3, Ider (4-1) 2, Horseshoe Bend (4-1) 1, Millry (4-1) 1, Montgomery Acad. (2-3) 1, Sheffield (3-2) 1.

Class 1A

1. Marion Co. (30) (5-0) 377

2. Linden (1) (5-0) 289

3. Brantley (1) (5-0) 250

4. Ragland (4-0) 207

5. Pickens Co. (5-0) 199

6. Cedar Bluff (5-0) 142

7. Maplesville (4-1) 141

8. Collinsville (5-0) 110

9. Keith (5-0) 53

10. Spring Garden (5-0) 19

Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (4-1) 18, Lynn (4-1) 9, Falkville (5-0) 5, Geneva Co. (4-1) 4, Shoals Chr. (3-2) 1.

AISA

1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (7-0) 378

2. Monroe Acad. (1) (6-0) 284

3. Tuscaloosa Acad. (1) (6-0) 262

4. Clarke Prep (6-0) 223

5. Lee-Scott (5-1) 177

6. Pickens Acad. (6-0) 158

7. Autauga Acad. (5-1) 130

8. Restoration (6-1) 94

9. Fort Dale Acad. (4-2) 56

10. Macon-East (5-1) 41

Others receiving votes: Patrician (4-2) 12, Glenwood (4-2) 7, Escambia Acad. (3-3) 1, Jackson Acad. (3-3) 1.