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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

After one week of the new high school football season, one local team continues to gain high praise.

As the preseason No. 1 team in Class 7A, the Thompson Warriors held firm at that spot following a 56-34 victory over defending Class 6A State Champion and current 6A No. 2 team Oxford.

Thompson not only hold that ranking in the first regular-season poll of 2020 after last year’s state championship, but received all 23 of the first place votes with every member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association voting for the Warriors.

A big reason for that was the opening performance they were able to put together offensively behind both Conner Harrell and Jarrett Crockett.

Replacing back-to-back Class 7A Backs of the Year, Harrell stepped in and filled their shoes.

He threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns on 15-for-18 passing, while also adding nine carries for 35 yards and two touchdowns in the run game.

It was a solid first start for the junior quarterback, while Crockett joined him with a strong performance reeling off 132 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries with an additional 30-yard touchdown reception.

Those two in addition to receivers Tre Roberson and J.B. Mitchell and athletes Ryan Peppins and Sam Reynolds are going to make the Warriors a dangerous threat offensively yet again this season.

Those playmakers make this year’s offense possibly even more dangerous than the last two, which have been two of the best in school history. Combine that with a defense that is going to get better than it played in the opener, and you’ve got an overwhelming No. 1 in the 7A classification.

Just behind, however, are two other region foes the Warriors will have to square off with, including the only team that beat them last year—Hewitt-Trussville.

The Huskies came in at No. 2 in the standings after an opening win against Pinson Valley, while rival Hoover was just behind at No. 3 after beating now No. 4 Central-Phenix City in the opener.

Auburn closed out the Class 7A top five.

Beyond that, two other local teams received recognition and inched closer to a spot inside the top 10.

Spain Park received 20 points in the voting, which made them the No. 11 team just outside of the top 10, while Oak Mountain earned six points for the 13th spot.

The Jaguars opened the season with a 52-21 win over Huntsville and looked sharp in doing so, while the Eagles opened with a dominant 38-2 win over Chelsea, playing well on both sides of the ball.

In the 6A classification, Mountain Brook took over the No. 1 spot after Oxford’s loss, while the Yellow Jackets slipped down to No. 2. Blount, Opelika and McGill-Toolen closed out the top five.

The Briarwood Lions earned recognition with five points in the voting after their season-opening 28-20 win over Fort Payne on the road to start 6A play with a 1-0 record. With that success, the Lions are considered the 13th best team in Class 6A.

The Warriors, Jags, Eagles and Lions were the only county teams recognized, but Pelham and Helena also got off to strong starts as well with wins against Mortimer Jordan and Dallas County, respectively.

Other No. 1 teams include Central-Clay County, American Christian, Piedmont, Leroy, Brantley and Autauga Academy.

See the entire ASWA rankings below:

CLASS 7A

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

1. Thompson (23); 1-0; 276
2. Hewitt-Trussville; 1-0; 196
3. Hoover; 1-0; 195
4. Central-Phenix City; 0-1; 143
5. Auburn; 1-0; 141
6. Fairhope; 1-0; 120
7. Prattville; 1-0; 62
8. Dothan; 0-0; 56
9. James Clemens; 0-1; 39
10. Austin; 1-0; 32

Others receiving votes: Spain Park (1-0) 20, Daphne (1-0) 16, Oak Mountain (1-0) 6, Theodore (0-1) 3, Vestavia Hills (0-1) 3, Enterprise (0-0) 2, Gadsden City (1-0) 1.

CLASS 6A

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

1. Mountain Brook (14); 1-0; 248
2. Oxford (7); 0-1; 214
3. Blount (1); 0-1; 159
4. Opelika; 0-0; 150
5. McGill-Toolen (1); 0-0; 135
6. Pinson Valley; 0-1; 113
7. Eufaula; 1-0; 97
8. Clay-Chalkville; 1-0; 75
9. Gardendale; 1-0; 51
10. Saraland; 1-0; 44

Others receiving votes: Muscle Shoals (0-0) 10, Spanish Fort (0-1) 6, Briarwood (1-0) 5, Park Crossing (0-1) 2, Stanhope Elmore (1-0) 2.

CLASS 5A

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

1. Central-Clay Co. (18); 1-0; 259
2. Pleasant Grove (4); 0-0; 213
3. St. Paul’s (1); 1-0; 188
4. Ramsay; 1-0; 165
5. UMS-Wright; 1-0; 126
6. Faith-Mobile; 1-0; 103
7. Guntersville; 0-0; 92
8. Alexandria; 0-0; 52
9. Fairview; 1-0; 43
10. Andalusia; 0-1; 30

Others receiving votes: Pike Road (1-0) 24, Center Point (1-0) 10, Fairfield (0-0) 6.

CLASS 4A

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

1. American Chr. (16); 1-0; 251
2. Bibb Co. (5); 1-0; 210
3. Vigor (1); 1-0; 181
4. Jacksonville (1); 1-0; 152
5. Deshler; 0-0; 130
6. Gordo; 1-0; 107
7. Madison Co.; 1-0; 96
8. Madison Aca.; 0-0; 60
9. Etowah; 0-1; 53
10. Williamson; 1-0; 28

Others receiving votes: Good Hope (1-0) 15, Cherokee Co. (1-0) 9, Anniston (0-1) 7, Jackson (1-0) 3, Mobile Chr. (0-0) 3, Geneva (0-1) 2, Priceville (0-0) 2, St. James (0-1) 1, Wilson (1-0) 1.

CLASS 3A

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

1. Piedmont (21); 0-0; 270
2. Fyffe (2); 1-0; 213
3. Walter Wellborn; 1-0; 166
4. Reeltown; 1-0; 144
5. Pike Co.; 0-0; 128
6. Flomaton; 1-0; 81
7. T.R. Miller; 0-1; 76
8. Catholic-Montgomery; 0-1; 61
9. Hillcrest-Evergreen; 0-1; 58
10. Ohatchee; 1-0; 42

Others receiving votes: Providence Chr. (0-1) 30, Opp (1-0) 24, Collinsville (1-0) 7, Montgomery Aca. (1-0) 5, Bayside Aca. (1-0) 4, New Brockton (0-0) 1, Thomasville (0-0) 1.

CLASS 2A

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

1. Leroy (18); 0-0; 260
2. Lanett (4); 1-0; 216
3. Randolph Co. (1); 0-0; 175
4. Red Bay; 1-0; 138
5. Mars Hill Bible; 0-1; 129
6. Ariton; 1-0; 118
7. Luverne; 1-0; 82
8. G.W. Long; 0-0; 81
9. Spring Garden; 0-0; 50
10. Elba; 1-0; 23

Others receiving votes: Clarke Co. (0-0) 22, North Sand Mountain (0-0) 6, Addison (0-1) 4, Falkville (1-0) 4, Westbrook Chr. (1-0) 2, Aliceville (0-0) 1.

CLASS 1A

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

1. Brantley (18); 0-0; 259
2. Sweet Water (3); 0-0; 210

3 (tie). Maplesville (2); 1-0; 177

3 (tie). Pickens Co.; 0-0; 177

5. Linden; 0-0; 133
6. Cedar Bluff; 0-0; 106
7. Decatur Heritage; 0-1; 93
8. Notasulga; 0-0; 79
9. Marengo; 0-0; 42
10. Fruitdale; 0-0; 18

Others receiving votes: Donoho (0-0) 7, Valley Head (1-0) 7, Hubbertville (0-0) 1, Winterboro (1-0) 1, Woodland (1-0) 1.

AISA

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

1. Autauga Aca. (21); 0-0; 270
2. Glenwood (1); 1-0; 209
3. Chambers Aca.; 1-0; 172
4. Bessemer Aca.; 0-1; 151
5. Pike Liberal Arts; 0-0; 120
6. Escambia Aca.; 1-0; 113
7. Tuscaloosa Aca.; 0-0; 91
8. Monroe Aca. (1); 0-0; 83
9. Edgewood; 1-0; 70
10. Jackson Aca.; 1-0; 27

Others receiving votes: Crenshaw Chr. (0-0) 4, Sparta (0-0) 1.