By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

Last week, in the Week 5 ASWA poll, only one county team, Montevallo, found a spot in their respective top 10. In the Week 6 poll Montevallo remains ranked while a newcomer, Chelsea, has cracked the rankings for the first time this season. Spain Park and Briarwood Christian also received votes in the AHSAA polls while Cornerstone Christian (4-1, 2-0) pulled in a vote in the AISA poll as well.

After beating Bibb County on the road for the first time in 17 years, Montevallo moved up to the No. 3 spot in the 3A class, behind only Gordo and Piedmont, receiving 235 total points in the vote. The Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0) will face Gordo in a few weeks’ time on Oct. 14 in a game that could likely decide the 3A Region 4 champion. Through five games this year Montevallo is averaging 38 points per game and is giving up an average of 22 points per game while Gordo is giving up less than seven points per game while scoring 37. That impending matchup is one to circle on the calendar.

Chelsea, fresh off a win over then-6A No. 10 Gardendale, leapt into the 6A top 10 this week, as the Hornets earned their first ranking of Chris Elmore’s tenure and the first overall since Sept. 28, 2011. The Hornets pulled in 25 points in the vote, which puts them a far cry away from No. 9 Clay-Chalkville (68 points), but still lands them in the top 10 of the toughest football class in the state from top to bottom. The Hornets are averaging 42 points per game, the most in the county. Chelsea’s Oct. 7 matchup with 6A No. 5 Opelika will serve as a litmus test for this Hornet team.

Spain Park, which was on a bye last week, received eight points in the 7A poll, placing them 11^th overall in the class. Cornerstone Christian, which has reeled off four consecutive wins to move to 4-1 after losing to Bessemer Academy in the first game of the season, received a vote in the AISA poll as well. The Chargers have not been ranked since the 2009 season, and Tim Smith’s bunch are facing another challenge this week when they welcome in ACSC opponent Evangel, which is riding a 17-game win streak.

 

Class 7A
1. McGill-Toolen (31) (5-0) <ws>372
2. Hoover (4-1) <ws>268
3. Hewitt-Trussville (6-0) <ws>256
4. Central-Phenix City (4-1) <ws>212
5. Bob Jones (5-1) <ws>177
6. Lee-Montgomery (5-0) <ws>159
7. Davidson (4-1) <ws>108
8. Enterprise (6-0) <ws>101
9. James Clemens (3-2) <ws>59
10. Mountain Brook (4-1) <ws>46
Others receiving votes: Spain Park (3-2) 8, Vestavia Hills (3-2) 1.

Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (13) (5-1) <ws>312
2. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11) (6-0) <ws>303
3. Blount (7) (5-1) <ws>262
4. Oxford (6-0) <ws>217
5. Opelika (5-1) <ws>176
6. Minor (5-0) <ws>156
7. Park Crossing (5-1) <ws>116
8. Hartselle (6-0) <ws>105
9. Clay-Chalkville (4-2) <ws>68
10. Chelsea (5-1) <ws>25
Others receiving votes: Wetumpka (5-1) 15, Ramsay (4-1) 7, Gardendale (4-2) 2, Pinson Valley (4-2) 2, Decatur (4-1) 1.

Class 5A
1. Jackson (23) (5-0) <ws>348
2. St. Paul’s (8) (4-1) <ws>303
3. Beauregard (4-0) <ws>239
4. Etowah (5-1) <ws>190
5. Scottsboro (5-0) <ws>184
6. Russellville (4-1) <ws>152
7. Carroll (5-0) <ws>121
8. Demopolis (4-1) <ws>95
9. Mortimer Jordan (4-2) <ws>52
10. Central-Clay Co. (4-1)<ws>47
Others receiving votes:  Briarwood Chr. (4-1) 20, Sylacauga (4-1) 6, Guntersville (3-2) 5, Vigor (4-2) 4, Eufaula (3-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (28) (4-1) <ws>361
2. Madison Acad. (1) (4-1) <ws>270
3. Haleyville (2) (5-0) <ws>258
4. Andalusia (5-1) <ws>214
5. Cordova (5-1) <ws>173
6. Munford (4-1) <ws>158
7. Rogers (6-0) <ws>112
8. Leeds (4-2)  <ws>70
9. Jacksonville (5-0) <ws>58
10. Thomasville (3-1) <ws>47
Others receiving votes: Handley (3-2) 16, West Limestone (5-1) 13, North Jackson (3-2) 12, Cherokee Co. (4-2) 2, Montgomery Catholic (4-1) 2, West Blocton (5-1) 1.

Class 3A
1. Piedmont (30) (6-0) <ws>369
2. Gordo (1) (5-0) <ws>282
3. Montevallo (5-0) <ws>235
4. Mobile Chr. (4-1) <ws>204
5. Opp (4-1) <ws>154
6. Colbert Co. (4-1) <ws>146
7. Ohatchee (6-0) <ws>139
8. Oakman (4-1) <ws>84
9. T.R. Miller (3-2) <ws>81
10. Daleville (4-1) <ws>38
Others receiving votes: Lexington (4-1) 9, Straughn (3-1) 8, Bayside (3-2) 5, Colbert Hts. (3-3) 4, Lauderdale Co. (3-2) 3 Weaver (4-1) 3, Pike Co. (4-1) 2, American Chr. (4-2) 1.

Class 2A
1. Fyffe (24) (5-0) <ws>351
2. G.W. Long (2) (4-0) <ws>274
3. Elba (5) (4-1) <ws>253
4. LaFayette (5-0) <ws>216
5. Cleveland (5-0) <ws>193
6. Lanett (5-1) <ws>134
7. Red Bay (5-0) <ws>119
8. Tanner (2-3) <ws>57
9. Aliceville (4-1) <ws>56
10. Sheffield (5-1) <ws>50
Others receiving votes: New Brockton (2-3) 32, Washington Co. (3-2) 22, Sand Rock (4-1) 6, Leroy (3-2) 3, Goshen (4-1) 1.

Class 1A
1. Maplesville (24) (4-0) <ws>351
2. Linden (7) (5-0) <ws>300
3. Spring Garden (5-0) <ws>238
4. Addison (6-0) <ws>202
5. Sweet Water (3-1) <ws>165
6. Decatur Heritage (4-1) <ws>133
7. Wadley (5-0) <ws>117
8. Georgiana (6-0) <ws>103
9. Cedar Bluff (3-2) <ws>69
10t. Hubbertville (4-0) <ws>34
10t. Pickens Co. (3-2) <ws>34
Others receiving votes: Notasulga (3-2) 7, Isabella (5-0) 6, McKenzie (5-1) 4, South Lamar (4-2) 3, Brantley (2-3) 1.

AISA
1. Bessemer Acad. (31) (6-0) <ws>372
2. Autauga Acad. (5-0) <ws>274
3. Monroe Acad.  (5-1) <ws>246
4. S. Choctaw Acad. (5-0) <ws>191
5. Marengo Acad. (4-1) <ws>177
6. Chambers Acad.  (5-0) <ws>161
7. Escambia Acad. (4-2) <ws>111
8. Fort Dale Acad. (4-1) <ws>96
9. Lowndes Acad. (3-1) <ws>68
10. Pike Liberal (3-2) <ws>27
Others receiving votes: Lee-Scott Acad. (3-2) 13, Morgan Acad. (4-2) 12, Springwood (4-1) 9, Edgewood Acad. (0-6) 5, Glenwood (4-1) 4, Cornerstone Chr. (4-1) 1.