By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

The Thompson Warriors continued to be the only local team ranked when the latest ASWA high school football poll was released on Tuesday, Oct. 8, but two other teams are right on the verge of breaking through.

While the Warriors are the clear No. 1 and highlighted the standings, the Helena Huskies and Briarwood Lions continued to gain more votes and recognition in the latest poll.

Following their win over the Chelsea Hornets, the Huskies became the first team left out of the Class 6A standings this week. Now having won four games in a row and sitting at 5-1 (3-0), Helena received 14 points and is just behind No. 10 Gardendale with 20 points in the 6A classification.

With the rest of the bulk of their difficult games behind them, the Huskies should have a great chance to win out. The combined record of the rest of their opponents is 5-16 with none having more than two wins this season.

Thompson continued to receive a ton of recognition in the latest 7A poll with 274 points, which was 53 more than second ranked McGill-Toolen. The Warriors received 20 first place votes.

While they’ve already played an extremely difficult schedule to this point in the season, the Warriors have games against 5-1 Vestavia Hills and 6-0 Mountain Brook. The Rebels are currently ranked ninth and the Spartans fifth.

Those two games will be the deciding factor of who wins the region crown this season in Class 7A, Region 3 with No. 4 Hoover also in the mix with the lone region loss to Thompson.

Both Vestavia and Mountain Brook offer difficult tests for the Warriors because of their defensive presence with both giving up less than 18 points per game. But the Warriors have yet to score less than 40 points in a game this season, while also putting a defense on the field that is giving up less than 20 points per game.

Briarwood was the final team gaining recognition, as the Lions received seven points in the 5A classification.

The former No. 1 team to start the season is currently 13th when it comes to voting, but continues to climb after putting together a four-game winning streak.

Now 4-2 overall this season and 3-1 in region play, the Lions still have some tough tests ahead, specifically a matchup with No. 2 Ramsay on Oct. 18.

Complete ASWA rankings:

CLASS 7A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Thompson (20); 6-0; 274
2. McGill-Toolen (3); 6-0; 221
3. Central-Phenix City (1); 6-1; 194
4. Hoover; 5-1; 175
5. Mountain Brook; 6-0; 141
6. Theodore; 6-0; 122
7. Sparkman; 6-0; 87
8. Prattville; 5-1; 49
9. Vestavia Hills; 5-1; 41
10. Austin; 5-1; 33

Others receiving votes: Lee-Montgomery (6-1) 24, James Clemens (4-2) 6, Auburn (4-2) 1.

CLASS 6A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Saraland (24); 7-0; 288
2. Muscle Shoals; 7-0; 213
3. Oxford; 6-0; 193
4. Hueytown; 6-0; 166
5. Pinson Valley; 4-2; 138
6. Blount; 5-1; 96
7. Bessemer City; 6-0; 90
8. Opelika; 5-1; 75
9. St. Paul’s; 4-1; 47
10. Gardendale; 6-1; 20

Others receiving votes: Helena (5-1) 14, Stanhope Elmore (6-1) 10, Clay-Chalkville (4-2) 6, Athens (5-1) 5, Fort Payne (5-1) 5, Dothan (5-2) 2.

CLASS 5A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Jasper (22); 6-0; 281
2. Ramsay (2); 6-1; 219
3. Russellville; 6-0; 176
4. Bibb Co.; 7-0; 150
5. Madison Aca.; 5-1; 146
6. Center Point; 6-1; 107
7. Pleasant Grove; 5-1; 81
8. Central-Clay Co.; 4-2; 58
9. Alexandria; 5-0; 56
10. Etowah; 6-1; 49

Others receiving votes: Faith-Mobile (6-0) 18, Mortimer Jordan (5-2) 13, Briarwood (4-2) 7, Jackson (5-1) 6, Rehobeth (6-1) 1.

CLASS 4A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. UMS-Wright (24); 6-0; 288
2. American Chr.; 6-0; 215
3. Catholic-Montgomery; 7-0; 193
4. Northside; 6-1; 141
5. Jacksonville; 5-2; 140
6. Deshler; 5-2; 113
7. Brooks; 4-2; 89
8. Good Hope; 5-1; 62
9. Andalusia; 4-3; 31
10. Oneonta; 4-2; 26

Others receiving votes: Williamson (4-2) 23, Hokes Bluff (4-2) 12, Fayette Co. (5-2) 9, Anniston (3-3) 6, Escambia Co. (4-2) 6, Handley (4-2) 4, Hillcrest-Evergreen (3-4) 3, Fairview (4-2) 2, Lincoln (4-2) 2, Priceville (4-2) 2, Talladega (4-2) 1.

CLASS 3A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Piedmont (21); 6-0; 275
2. Gordo (3); 6-0; 218
3. Pike Co.; 6-0; 196
4. Randolph Co.; 5-1; 150
5. Flomaton; 5-1; 141
6. Walter Wellborn; 7-0; 123
7. Pike Road; 7-0; 101
8. Providence Chr.; 6-1; 50
9. Midfield; 4-1; 41
10. Susan Moore; 7-0; 31

Others receiving votes: St. James (5-1) 22, Fultondale (5-1) 10, Geraldine (5-2) 5, Lauderdale Co. (6-1) 5.

CLASS 2A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Fyffe (23); 6-0; 285
2. Luverne; 6-0; 214
3. Ohatchee (1); 6-0; 182
4. Reeltown; 7-0; 162
5. Leroy; 5-1; 138
6. Aliceville; 5-1; 101
7. Collinsville; 5-1; 82
8. Red Bay; 6-0; 74
9. G.W. Long; 6-0; 37
10. Addison; 5-2; 21

Others receiving votes: Ranburne (6-0) 19, Highland Home (5-1) 16, Abbeville (4-2) 10, J.U. Blacksher (6-1) 9, Colbert Co. (5-2) 5, Cottage Hill (5-1) 5, Goshen (5-1) 4, Ariton (5-2) 2, Cedar Bluff (5-1) 2.

CLASS 1A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Mars Hill Bible (23); 6-0; 285
2. Sweet Water (1); 5-0; 213
3. Lanett; 6-0; 188
4. Maplesville; 5-1; 159
5. Spring Garden; 5-1; 121
6. Decatur Heritage; 7-0; 108
7. Pickens Co.; 5-1; 101
8. Brantley; 5-1; 85
9. Isabella; 6-0; 45
10. South Lamar; 5-1; 41

Others receiving votes: Millry (5-1) 15, Appalachian (6-1) 3, Waterloo (6-1) 2, Donoho (4-1) 1, Valley Head (5-1) 1.

AISA

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

1. Wilcox Aca. (16); 6-0; 252
2. Chambers Aca. (2); 7-0; 212
3. Autauga Aca. (5); 3-2; 180
4. Edgewood (1); 6-0; 173
5. Glenwood; 6-1; 148
6. Macon-East; 4-1; 110
7. Crenshaw Chr.; 6-0; 109
8. Bessemer Aca.; 5-3; 88
9. Southern Aca.; 4-1; 45
10. Monroe Aca.; 5-2; 24

Others receiving votes: Tuscaloosa Aca. (4-3) 22, Lee-Scott (4-2) 5