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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

As the Thompson Warriors continue to win each week, there will be little change among the top of the 7A standings and that held true on Tuesday, Sept. 29 when the latest ASWA football poll was released with the Warriors ranked No. 1 in the classification yet again.

They also remained the unanimous top-ranked team, receiving all 23 of the voters’ No. 1 nomination thanks to their 6-0 start to the season.

But, the Pelham Panthers and Briarwood Lions are soon hoping to crack the top 10 in a classification lower, which could come with one more win each.

Competing in the 6A classification, Pelham has been rolling along and is off to its best start since 2013 at 5-1, which garnered seven points in the latest rankings, which was an increase from the previous week.

That puts the Panthers in 13th in the voting, keeping them just outside of the top 10 with a matchup against Wetumpka likely the only game separating them from a region title.

Just one spot behind them with six points in the voting was Briarwood in 14th, also with a 5-1 record.

Briarwood is technically coming off a 41-21 loss to James Clemens, but the game didn’t count with the Lions’ originally matchup against Mortimer Jordan was canceled due to COVID-19.

So far this season, Briarwood has only lost two games to two 7A teams. The Lions fell 21-14 to Spain Park in the second game of the season and then 41-21 to the Jets in a game that didn’t matter and was scheduled the week of.

With their defense, the Lions are considered to be a strong contender for a region title now and possibly a deep playoff run in their first season back in Class 6A. A region showdown on Oct. 9 with Mountain Brook, who is No. 3 in the standings now, will likely determine the region champ.

The Panthers have seen their success in a different way, largely thanks to a dynamic offense that has scored 49, 35 and 47 in its last three games.

Quarterback Will Lankford and running back Dylan Peterson are big reasons why with what they’ve been able to do on the ground this season.

Should the Panthers beat Wetumpka this Friday, then they’ll likely go on to win the region championship with games against sub-.500 teams left on the region schedule.

As for the Warriors, they continue trucking along in region play and are still undefeated this season. Thompson takes on Vestavia Hills this Friday and then closes the regular season out with Gadsden City, Oak Mountain and Hoover in region play.

Other No. 1 teams in the standings included Oxford (6A), Pleasant Grove (5A), American Christian (4A), Piedmont (3A), Randolph County (2A), Brantley (1A) and Glenwood (AISA).

See the entire rankings below:

CLASS 7A

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

1. Thompson (23); 6-0; 276
2. Hoover; 6-0; 205
3. Auburn; 6-0; 185
4. Hewitt-Trussville; 5-1; 158
5. Central-Phenix City; 4-2; 142
6. Fairhope; 3-1; 91
7. Daphne; 4-1; 75
8. Theodore; 4-1; 74
9. Austin; 4-1; 39
10. Prattville; 4-2; 38

Others receiving votes: Enterprise (4-1) 12, James Clemens (4-2) 11, Sparkman (3-2) 5.

CLASS 6A

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

1. Oxford (23); 5-1; 276
2. Saraland; 5-1; 190
3. Mountain Brook; 4-1; 181
4. Clay-Chalkville; 5-0; 164
5. Pinson Valley; 4-2; 128
6. Lee-Montgomery; 4-1; 102
7. Opelika; 3-2; 86
8. Blount; 4-2; 77
9. McGill-Toolen; 3-1; 58
10. Muscle Shoals; 4-1; 14

Others receiving votes: Northridge (6-0) 11, Cullman (5-1) 8, Pelham (5-1) 7, Briarwood (5-1) 6, Eufaula (4-2) 3.

CLASS 5A

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

1. Pleasant Grove (10); 4-1; 227
2. St. Paul’s (7); 5-0; 217
3. Ramsay (6); 5-0; 215
4. Central-Clay Co.; 5-1; 155
5. Guntersville; 5-0; 137
6. Alexandria; 5-0; 121
7. Pike Road; 6-0; 89
8. Faith-Mobile; 4-1; 70
9. Demopolis; 6-0; 41
10. UMS-Wright; 3-2; 27

Others receiving votes: Fairview (4-1) 6, Sylacauga (4-1) 3, Greenville (4-1) 1, Leeds (5-1) 1, Russellville (5-1) 1.

CLASS 4A

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

1. American Chr. (23); 5-0; 276
2. Madison Aca.; 4-0; 188
3. Mobile Chr.; 4-0; 173
4. Gordo; 5-1; 158
5. Good Hope; 6-0; 137
6. Madison Co.; 5-1; 100
7. Jacksonville; 4-2; 92
8. Handley; 3-0; 64
9. Bibb Co.; 4-2; 37
10. Etowah; 3-2; 19

Others receiving votes: Alabama Chr. (4-1) 15, Williamson (4-2) 14, West Limestone (4-1) 12, Cherokee Co. (5-1) 5, Jackson (4-2) 5, Northside (4-1) 5, Central-Florence (5-1) 3, Oneonta (3-1) 3, Priceville (4-1) 3, Vigor (2-2) 2.

CLASS 3A

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

1. Piedmont (22); 5-0; 273
2. Fyffe (1); 5-0; 209
3. Walter Wellborn; 5-0; 181
4. Flomaton; 5-0; 159
5. Montgomery Aca.; 6-0; 118
6. Ohatchee; 4-1; 111
7. T.R. Miller; 4-2; 86
8. Thomasville; 5-0; 80
9. Catholic-Montgomery; 4-2; 34
10. Opp; 5-1; 31

Others receiving votes: Trinity (4-1) 16, Bayside Aca. (5-1) 9, Reeltown (3-2) 3, Hillcrest-Evergreen (4-2) 1.

CLASS 2A

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

1. Randolph Co. (12); 5-0; 240
2. Mars Hill Bible (9); 4-1; 228
3. Red Bay (2); 4-0; 187
4. Leroy; 4-1; 158
5. G.W. Long; 4-0; 129
6. Lanett; 4-2; 114
7. North Sand Mountain; 5-0; 68
8. Spring Garden; 4-1; 55
9. Falkville; 5-0; 45
10. Clarke Co.; 4-1; 39

Others receiving votes: Geneva Co. (5-0) 22, Westbrook Chr. (5-0) 14, Colbert Co. (6-0) 7, Elba (4-2) 3, B.B. Comer (4-1) 2.

CLASS 1A

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

1. Brantley (23); 5-0; 276
2. Linden; 4-0; 207
3. Maplesville; 5-1; 180
4. Notasulga; 4-0; 148
5. Sweet Water; 2-2; 124
6. Pickens Co.; 4-1; 118
7. Decatur Heritage; 4-2; 93
8. Millry; 5-0; 84
9. Florala; 5-0; 54
10. Valley Head; 5-1; 17

Others receiving votes: Winterboro (5-1) 8, Autaugaville (4-1) 1, Marengo (3-2) 1.

AISA

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

1. Glenwood (23); 5-0; 276
2. Chambers Aca.; 6-0; 203
3. Bessemer Aca.; 3-1; 185
4. Escambia Aca.; 4-1; 161
5. Jackson Aca.; 6-0; 127
6. Patrician; 4-1; 107
7. Pike Liberal Arts; 4-1; 105
8. Macon-East; 5-1; 41
9. Abbeville Chr.; 4-1; 31
10. Morgan Aca.; 4-1; 25

Others receiving votes: Edgewood (3-2) 13, Monroe Aca. (3-2) 12, Autauga Aca. (1-3) 9, Sparta (3-2) 8, Pickens Aca. (4-1) 5, Crenshaw Chr. (4-2) 3.