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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

We are slightly more than a month into the 2021-2022 basketball season, and with that came the first rankings of the year on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

A total of seven local teams were either ranked inside their respective classification’s top 10 or received nominations for a spot after impressive starts to the season.

The ranked teams included Spain Park’s boys, Oak Mountain’s boys and Chelsea’s girls, while the Briarwood boys, Pelham boys and girls and Thompson boys all received nominations.

The highest-ranked team in the first standings was Spain Park in Class 7a. The Jaguars, who made the Final Four last year, are off to a 7-2 start to the season with their lone losses by one to No. 1 Grissom in overtime and by five to No. 4 Hoover.

They also have wins against Chelsea, Anniston, Homewood, Clay-Chalkville, No. 10 Oak Mountain and Jacksonville.

Joining the Jags in the Class 7A standings was defending state champion Oak Mountain.

The Eagles came in at No. 10 after going 8-2 through their first 10 games amid one of the state’s most difficult stretches.

Oak Mountain’s only losses are by two to Spain Park in overtime and by nine to Class 6A No. 4 Eufala. Beyond that, the Eagles have beaten Clay-Chalkville, Auburn, Mae Jemison, Ramsay, Hewitt-Trussville, Helena, Huffman and Pelham. Five of those eight wins have come against teams either ranked or nominated in the first poll.

Thompson’s boys received nominations for a spot after a 6-5 start. The Warriors have played a difficult schedule, showing promise with new faces on the floor.

A team that has lived and died by the three at times, Thompson has beaten Chilton County, Brookwood, Chickasaw, Carver Montgomery, Calera and Chelsea.

Their losses include 6A No. 1 Mountain Brook by four, 6A No. 2 Northridge by three, 7A No. 8 Enterprise by five in overtime, Chilton County by 10 and 7A No. 5 Spain Park by 10.

Chelsea’s girls in the 6A classification were the only other team to receive a spot in the top 10 of their class after a 7-3 start.

The Hornets, who made the Final Four last season, have beaten Brookwood, Clay-Chalkville, Calera, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa and Helena, twice.

Their losses have come to Class 7A No. 2 Vestavia Hills, twice, and Class 7A No. 6 Hewitt-Trussville.

Pelham’s girls have also put together an impressive start to the season and were nominated in 6A after the Panthers won their first seven games.

The Panthers have beaten Tarrant, Shelby County, Brookwood, Huffman, Briarwood, Homewood and Oak Mountain early in the season.

The Pelham boys also received recognition after a 7-2 start to the season. The Panthers have beaten Homewood, John Carroll, Pell City, Shelby County (twice), Brookwood and Tarrant.

Their only losses are to 7A teams, falling to Oak Mountain and Hewitt-Trussville.

Briarwood joined Pelham as a nominated team in Class 6A after a 5-3 start to the season.

The Lions have wins against Calera, Childersburg, Chickasaw, Bessemer City and John Carroll, while they have fallen to Benjamin Russell by seven, Carver Montgomery in overtime by 11 and Childersburg by eight.

GIRLS

CLASS 7A

1. Hoover (8-1)
2. Vestavia Hills (10-0)
3. Davidson (12-0)
4. Bob Jones (10-1)
5. Sparkman (6-3)
6. Hewitt-Trussville (9-2)
7. Foley (7-2)
8. Fairhope (6-1)
9. Auburn (7-1)
10. Theodore (9-3)

Others nominated: Daphne (9-3), Gadsden City (9-4).

CLASS 6A

1. Hazel Green (13-0)
2. Park Crossing (10-1)
3. Mortimer Jordan (7-2)
4. Hartselle (6-4)
5. Cullman (9-2)
6. Chelsea (7-3)
7. Gulf Shores (7-4)
8. Northridge (6-3)
9. Mountain Brook (6-3)
10. Oxford (7-1)

Others nominated: Carver-Montgomery (3-2), Chilton County (6-8), Eufaula (8-2), Homewood (8-4), Jasper (8-0), McAdory (5-6), McGill-Toolen (7-5), Muscle Shoals (6-2), Pelham (7-0) Stanhope Elmore (6-1).

CLASS 5A

1. Charles Henderson (4-0)
2. Central-Tuscaloosa (7-1)
3. Lee-Huntsville (9-3)
4. Fairview (9-0)
5. Fairfield (7-3)
6. Guntersville (8-3)
7. Pleasant Grove (6-1)
8. Brewbaker Tech (7-6)
9. Sardis (8-1)
10. Pike Road (4-2)

Others nominated: Carver-Birmingham (6-5), Holtville (4-1), Lawrence County (5-2), Parker (6-4), Ramsay (5-4), Wenonah (7-5).

CLASS 4A

1. Deshler (9-0)
2. Good Hope (7-2)
3. Priceville (7-1)
4. New Hope (9-2)
5. Rogers (7-3)
6. Jackson (8-1)
7. Williamson (6-2)
8. Fultondale (7-2)
9. Anniston (4-2)
10. St. James (8-2)

Others nominated: Cherokee County (5-1), Escambia County (8-0), Geneva (5-4), Hamilton (3-4), Handley (3-1).

CLASS 3A

1. Prattville Christian (12-0)
2. Lauderdale County (7-0)
3. Susan Moore (8-2)
4. Montgomery Academy (3-3)
5. Trinity (8-1)
6. Plainview (7-3)
7. Montgomery Catholic (7-1)
8. Collinsville (5-3)
9. T.R. Miller (2-2)
10. Clements (9-4)

Others nominated: Elkmont (8-5), Geraldine (7-2), Hillcrest-Evergreen (2-1), Sylvania (5-3).

CLASS 2A

1. Pisgah (7-2)
2. Spring Garden (6-1)
3. G.W. Long (5-0)
4. Sand Rock (9-0)
5. Midfield (7-1)
6. Winston County (10-0)
7. St. Luke’s (3-2)
8. Ider (6-3)
9. Locust Fork (5-1)
10. Tanner (5-2)

Others nominated: Geneva County (9-5), Hatton (3-5), Highland Home (4-2), Westbrook Christian (6-1).

CLASS 1A

1. Skyline (8-3)
2. Marion County (6-2)
3. Loachapoka (6-4)
4. Talladega County Central (7-2)
5. J.F. Shields (5-0)
6. Florala (7-2)
7. R.A. Hubbard (3-1)
8. Decatur Heritage (6-4)
9. Red Level (6-1)
10. Georgiana (4-2)

Others nominated: Brantley (3-2), Pleasant Home (5-2), Vina (5-5).

AISA

1. Lee-Scott (8-0)
2. Fort Dale Academy (4-2)
3. Edgewood Academy (4-3)
4. Tuscaloosa Academy (5-1)
5. Clarke Prep (7-1)
6. Glenwood (5-0)
7. Pike Liberal Arts (NA)
8. Lowndes Academy (NA)
9. Lakeside (4-0)
10. Springwood (3-1)

Others nominated: Chambers Academy (2-3), Southern Academy (3-1), Sparta Academy (7-2).

BOYS

Class 7A

1. Grissom (10-1)
2. Sparkman (10-1)
3. Vestavia Hills (8-0)
4. Hoover (9-1)
5. Spain Park (7-2)
6. James Clemens (7-4)
7. Baker (8-2)
8. Enterprise (7-1)
9. Jeff Davis (9-2)
10. Oak Mountain (8-2)

Others nominated: Austin (6-4), Dothan (5-7), Florence (6-1), Huntsville (6-6), Thompson (6-5).

Class 6A

1. Mountain Brook (9-1)
2. Northridge (9-2)
3. McGill-Toolen (10-2)
4. Eufaula (8-1)
5. Huffman (11-3)
6. Pinson Valley (7-1)
7. Spanish Fort (7-3)
8. Hueytown (6-2)
9. Cullman (7-0)
10. McAdory (6-2)

Others nominated: Blount (8-2), Briarwood (5-3), Buckhorn (3-4), Hartselle (4-4), Homewood (6-4), Lee-Montgomery (2-1), Muscle Shoals (6-2), Park Crossing (9-3), Pelham (7-2), Robertsdale (10-2), Scottsboro (7-3), Stanhope Elmore (5-0), Wetumpka (5-4).

Class 5A

1. Lee-Huntsville (6-1)
2. Wenonah (7-4)
3. Pleasant Grove (1-0)
4. Sylacauga (5-1)
5. Charles Henderson (5-3)
6. Ramsay (6-4)
7. Leeds (4-1)
8. John Carroll (5-2)
9. Carroll-Ozark (5-3)
10. Douglas (6-1)

Others nominated: Andalusia (4-2), Elmore Co. (5-3), Guntersville (6-3), Holtville (6-1), Jemison-Huntsville (6-5), Pike Road (5-1), Sardis (6-2), Tallassee (2-2).

Class 4A

1. Williamson (6-2)
2. Sumter Central (6-0)
3. Escambia Co. (6-2)
4. Fultondale (6-3)
5. Brooks (4-1)
6. Hanceville (9-2)
7. Haleyville (6-2)
8. Westminster-Huntsville (5-5)
9. Priceville (6-2)
10. Cherokee Co. (4-2)

Others nominated: St. James (3-1), Straughn (4-2), West Morgan (5-5).

Class 3A

1. Cottage Hill (11-3)
2. Plainview (6-3)
3. Catholic-Montgomery (3-1)
4. Hokes Bluff (7-1)
5. Lauderdale Co. (7-0)
6. Danville (7-1)
7. Clements (12-0)
8. Geraldine (5-2)
9. Collinsville (3-4)
10. Excel (5-2)

Others nominated: Hillcrest-Evergreen (2-1), Opp (1-1).

Class 2A

1. Midfield (7-3)
2. Section (8-0)
3. North Sand Mountain (7-1)
4. St. Luke’s (4-2)
5. Geneva Co. (7-2)
6. Red Bay (6-3)
7. Zion Chapel (8-3)
8. Falkville (8-3)
9. Elba (2-0)
10. Sand Rock (6-4)

Others nominated: Spring Garden (1-0).

Class 1A

1. Decatur Heritage (4-1)
2. Georgiana (5-0)
3. Autaugaville (7-2)
4. Skyline (7-2)
5. Belgreen (6-1)
6. Covenant Christian (6-2)
7. J.F. Shields (4-3)
8. Red Level (6-0)
9. Athens Bible (4-3)
10. Pickens Co. (NR)

Others nominated: None.

AISA

1. Pike Liberal Arts (5-0)
2. Macon-East (6-2)
3. Autauga Academy (4-0)
4. Southern Academy (3-1)
5. Tuscaloosa Academy (NR)
6. Glenwood (NR)
7. Lee-Scott (NR)
8. Heritage Christian (NR)
9. North River Christian (NR)
10. Bessemer Academy (NR)

Others nominated: None.

NOMINATIONS RECEIVED FROM

AL.com

Atmore Advance

Clarke Co. Democrat

Cullman Times

Decatur Daily

Dothan Eagle

Elba Clipper

Evergreen Courant

Florence TimesDaily

Gadsden Messenger

Gadsden Times

Jackson Co. Sentinel

Montgomery Advertiser

Opp News

Sand Mountain Reporter

Shelby Co. Reporter

Southeast Sun

Starnes Publishing

Talladega Daily Home

WEIS radio

Wetumpka Herald