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By LAUREN SEXTON | Sports Reporter

Basketball season is fully underway and we are slightly more than a month into the 2022-2023 basketball season, and with that came the first rankings of the year on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Twelve local teams were ranked inside their respective classification’s top 10 or received nominations for a spot after an impressive way of kicking off the latest season.

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

The highest-ranked teams in the first standings were Spain Park’s boys and Chelsea’s girls in Class 7A. Ranked No. 2, the Jaguars are off to a 10-1 start to the season with their lone loss to Homewood on Friday, Dec. 9 48-44, but they took down No. 4 Hoover 54-50. The Hornets are 8-2 with their two losses against No.3 Vestavia Hills and Homewood but took down No. 7 in the 6A classification prior to Thanksgiving.

Spain Park also has wins against No. 4 Hoover, No. 9 Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Clay-Chalkville, No. 10 Oak Mountain and Jacksonville. While Chelsea has taken down Homewood, Thompson and Mountain Brook.

Oak Mountain, Chelsea and Thompson’s boys all received nominations in the 7A classification. The Warriors are currently 8-4 for the season with losses to No. 8 Enterprise and Auburn. The Hornets are 6-5 for the season with losses to No. 9 Vestavia Hills and Benjamin Russel.

The Hornets are 6-5 for the season and have had some tough games with a 79-78 loss to No. 9 Vestavia Hills, a 58-47 loss to Thompson and a 71-70 loss to Central-Phenix. However, Chelsea has defeated Homewood and had two wins against Sylacauga. 

Oak Mountain has played some tough teams this season as Chelsea and Thompson have. The Eagles are currently 11-2 with losses to No. 9 Vestavia Hills and No. 8 Enterprise. 

Briarwood boys and girls and Pelham boys and girls were all nominated for the 6A classification. Briarwood’s girls are currently 9-2 with big wins against Homewood and Clay-Chalkville, however, the Lions fell to No. 7 Mountain Brook and Guntersville. Briarwood’s boys’ team has won six out of the 11 games they played so far this season. The Lions took down teams such as Homewood and Woodlawn this season, with losses to Childersburg and Thompson.

Pelham boys and girls have done well in the early part of the season, having taken on several ranked 7A teams. The girls’ team is currently 5-5 with wins against Tuscaloosa County, Calera, Hueytown and Huffman. The Panthers fell to schools such as No. 6 Hillcrest, No. 1 Hoover and Homewood so far.

The Panthers boys team has had some difficult adversaries this season with losses to schools such as No. 4 Hoover and two losses to No. 3 in the 7A classification Tuscaloosa County. Pelham has taken down Homewood and No. 6 in the 4A classification Montevallo. They are currently 7-4.

Aside from its losses to Pelham and Marbury, Montevallo’s boys are ranked No. 6 in the 4A classification. The Bulldogs have had some serious wins against Calera, defeating them twice this season. Montevallo is currently 10-2. 

Vincent boys and girls have found success this season in their 2A classification. The girls’ team is currently 4-2 with losses to No. 9 in the 3A classification Childersburg and Moody. The Yellow Jackets have taken down schools such as Shelby County and Winterboro. The boys are currently 4-2 with losses to Childersburg and Moody.

 

STATE RANKINGS

The Alabama Sports Writers Association high school basketball rankings, the first of the season, began with teams reporting results to their local sports writers, who nominated teams for consideration. The next rankings will be in January.

GIRLS

CLASS 7A

1. Hoover (13-0)
2. Sparkman (10-3)
3. Vestavia Hills (12-0)
4. Hewitt-Trussville (10-5)
5. Bob Jones (8-2)
6. Davidson (10-3)
7. Foley (12-2)
8. Auburn (3-3)
9. Chelsea (9-2)
10. Huntsville (11-3)

Others nominated: Central-Phenix City (5-3), Daphne (11-2), Fairhope (7-4), Prattville (10-3), Tuscaloosa Co. (13-2).

 

CLASS 6A

1. Hazel Green (10-0)
2. Mortimer Jordan (8-3)
3. Oxford (8-4)
4. McGill-Toolen (12-2)
5. Carver-Montgomery (8-1)
6. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (8-4)
7. Mountain Brook (6-4)
8. Parker (7-1)
9. Blount (9-3)
10. Mae Jemison (7-5)

Others nominated: Buckhorn (8-3), Briarwood (9-2), Central-Tuscaloosa (12-4), Clay-Chalkville (8-3), Cullman (8-6), Fort Payne (7-3), Hartselle (8-5), Homewood (12-3), Hueytown (3-5), Huffman (8-3), Northridge (11-3), Paul Bryant (10-2), Pelham (5-5), Pell City (7-6), Pike Road (6-5).

 

CLASS 5A

1. Guntersville (12-2)
2. Eufaula (9-0)
3. Pleasant Grove (10-1)
4. Jasper (11-1)
5. Madison Academy (9-4)
6. Ramsay (5-1)
7. Wenonah (9-2)
8. Sardis (10-2)
9. St. Paul’s (7-4)
10. Marbury (11-3)

Others nominated: Brewbaker Tech (7-5), Carroll (9-2), Charles Henderson (2-4), East Limestone (9-4), Headland (8-3), Holtville (10-0), Lawrence Co. (6-2), Scottsboro (6-2), Springville (8-4), Williamson (5-3).

 

CLASS 4A

1. Good Hope (11-0)
2. Deshler (9-1)
3. Prattville Christian (11-1)
4. St. John Paul II (13-0)
5. Jackson (8-2)
6. UMS-Wright (14-2)
7. T.R. Miller (7-0)
8. New Hope (5-4)
9. Geneva (13-2)
10. Montgomery Catholic (11-4)

Others nominated: Anniston (5-4), Cherokee Co. (5-2), Dora (10-1), Hale Co. (8-5), Hamilton (10-2), Handley (5-3), Priceville (6-2), St. Michael (9-1), West Limestone (8-4).

 

CLASS 3A

1. Trinity (11-1)
2. Susan Moore (10-1)
3. Plainview (10-1)
4. St. James (9-3)
5. Lauderdale Co. (7-3)
6. Southside-Selma (10-0)
7. Clements (10-1)
8. Ohatchee (7-0)
9. Childersburg (7-3)
10. Midfield (6-5)

Others nominated: Danville (6-2), Glencoe (7-3), Hillcrest-Evergreen (1-0), Sylvania (7-2).

 

CLASS 2A

1. Cold Springs (11-0)
2. Pisgah (6-2)
3. Mars Hill Bible (5-1)
4. Sulligent (7-1)
5. Sand Rock (6-4)
6. Ider (7-4)
7. Geneva Co. (9-2)
8. Washington Co. (4-2)
9. Hatton (6-2)
10. St. Luke’s (0-3)

Others nominated: Collinsville (2-3), Decatur Heritage (9-4), Fyffe (2-6), G.W. Long (10-3), J.U. Blacksher (7-1), Lexington (4-6), Locust Fork (5-2), Ranburne (8-3), Samson (8-2), Tuscaloosa Academy (4-4), Vincent (4-2).

 

CLASS 1A

1. Spring Garden (10-0)
2. Skyline (9-2)
3. Marion Co. (5-4)
4. Loachapoka (7-7)
5. A.L. Johnson (7-2)
6. University Charter (6-2)
7. Brilliant (10-2)
8. Elba (5-2)
9. Hackleburg (7-1)
10. Addison (6-4)

Others nominated: Cedar Bluff (6-1), Linden (2-3), Red Level (3-1), Valley Head (3-4).

 

AISA

1. Edgewood (9-0)
2. Lakeside (4-4)
3. Lee-Scott (NA)
4. Lowndes Academy (4-1)
5. Sparta (12-1)
6. Fort Dale Academy (4-2)
7. Glenwood (6-4)
8. Southern Academy (5-1)
9. Clarke Prep (NA)
10. Morgan Academy (7-3)

Others nominated: Abbeville Christian (6-3).

 

 

BOYS

CLASS 7A

1. Grissom (10-3)
2. Spain Park (10-1)
3. Tuscaloosa Co. (14-1)
4. Hoover (9-2)
5. Fairhope (12-1)
6. Sparkman (9-3)
7. Baker (8-4)
8. Enterprise (6-2)
9. Vestavia Hills (7-3)
10. Huntsville (10-4)

Others nominated: Auburn (12-1), Austin (6-6), Chelsea (6-5), Dothan (7-3), Hewitt-Trussville (9-4), Jeff Davis (13-3), Lee-Montgomery (7-1), Mary Montgomery (7-3), Oak Mountain (11-2), Thompson (8-4).

 

CLASS 6A

1. Pinson Valley (10-0)
2. Buckhorn (8-3)
3. Mountain Brook (8-2)
4. Cullman (11-1)
5. McGill-Toolen (9-4)
6. Blount (8-3)
7. Huffman (8-6)
8. Hartselle (6-5)
9. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-2)
10. Athens (8-0)

Others nominated: Briarwood (6-5), Columbia (7-4), Fort Payne (4-7), Homewood (7-8), McAdory (7-4), Minor (6-5), Northridge (7-6), Paul Bryant (4-4), Pelham (7-4), Pike Road (6-3), Robertsdale (11-3), Sidney Lanier (8-5), Wetumpka (6-2).

 

CLASS 5A

1. Ramsay (5-3)
2. Guntersville (9-2)
3. Faith-Mobile (10-4)
4. Wenonah (9-5)
5. Carroll-Ozark (11-1)
6. Arab (9-1)
7. John Carroll (11-0)
8. Scottsboro (7-2)
9. Headland (8-3)
10. Jasper (10-1)

Others nominated: Brewbaker Tech (5-6), Charles Henderson (5-4), Crossville (5-6), East Limestone (4-4), Eufaula (2-5), Sardis (9-2).

 

CLASS 4A

1. Jacksonville (6-3)
2. UMS-Wright (9-4)
3. Westminster-Huntsville (10-2)
4. Anniston (5-2)
5. Hanceville (12-1)
6. Montevallo (10-2)
7. Deshler (6-0)
8. Escambia Co. (9-2)
9. Haleyville (5-4)
10. Handley (5-1)

Others nominated: American Christian (6-4), Catholic-Montgomery (3-3), Cordova (7-3), Corner (9-4), Dora (7-3), Geneva (10-3), Good Hope (8-3), Hale Co. (4-3), Holt (9-5), Jackson (6-1), New Hope (9-4), Prattville Christian (5-5), Priceville (5-3), T.R. Miller (7-1), West Morgan (5-2).

 

CLASS 3A

1. Plainview (8-3)
2. Midfield (7-3)
3. Cottage Hill (10-1)
4. Houston Academy (12-1)
5. Sumter Central (8-3)
6. Piedmont (4-0)
7. Trinity (8-2)
8. Hillcrest-Evergreen (4-1)
9. Westbrook Christian (6-2)
10. Providence Christian (7-3)

Others nominated: Geraldine (5-4), Montgomery Academy (5-4), Opp (4-3), Phil Campbell (8-2), St. James (1-1), Sylvania (1-7), Winfield (5-6).

 

CLASS 2A

1. Holly Pond (10-2)
2. Sulligent (7-2)
3. Abbeville (8-3)
4. Decatur Heritage (8-3)
5. Mars Hill Bible (5-1)
6. Tuscaloosa Academy (8-1)
7. Ariton (8-3)
8. Tanner (6-2)
9. North Sand Mountain (10-2)
10. Hatton (8-0)

Others nominated: Barbour Co. (6-3), Collinsville (3-3), Fyffe (6-5), Red Bay (7-1), Sand Rock (6-3), Vincent (4-2), Whitesburg Christian (9-3).

 

CLASS 1A

1. Covenant Christian (8-1)
2. Autaugaville (7-5)
3. Georgiana (6-2)
4. Meek (9-2)
5. Spring Garden (5-2)
6. Skyline (7-3)
7. Red Level (6-2)
8. Faith-Anniston (8-3)
9. Cedar Bluff (6-1)
10. Shoals Christian (6-1)

Others nominated: Athens Bible (4-3), Donoho (3-1), Elba (6-3), Florala (5-4), Valley Head (3-4).

 

AISA

1. Lee-Scott (8-0)
2. Heritage Christian (11-0)
3. Glenwood (8-2)
4. Macon-East (8-2)
5. Edgewood (6-3)
6. Abbeville Christian (6-3)
7. Southern Academy (6-0)
8. Banks Academy (4-2)
9. Snook (8-2)
10. Lowndes Academy (3-1)

Others nominated: Bessemer Academy (5-2), Morgan Academy (3-3).