Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

In the final media poll before the playoffs, the Vincent Yellow Jackets reclaimed a spot in the top 10 while the Thompson Warriors and Spain Park Jaguars maintained their places in the pecking order ahead of the postseason.

In addition, the Helena Huskies and Briarwood Christian Lions both received votes in the final poll released on Wednesday, Nov. 6 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Vincent retook the No. 10 spot in Class 2A by receiving 26 votes, six more than the first team out of the rankings, Goshen, and one vote behind Clarke County for the No. 9 spot.

The Jackets closed out the regular season with a 21-19 win over county rival Montevallo, its first victory over a Class 5A side since 2001.

After finishing with an 8-2 record, Vincent will host Sand Rock on Nov. 8 in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.

The other two teams in the top 10 from last week’s rankings stayed put ahead of the postseason.

Thompson maintained its No. 5 spot in the Class 7A rankings while receiving 103 votes. The Warriors had a bye week in Week 11 and finished the regular season 7-3.

Coach Mark Freeman’s quest for a seventh straight state championship game appearance begins in the first round on Nov. 8 when Thompson hosts Daphne at Warrior Stadium.

Spain Park remained at No. 4 in Class 6A with 136 votes. The Jags finished off their first undefeated regular season in school history with a 35-12 win on the road at Gardendale.

Spain Park enters the playoffs as one of three undefeated teams in Class 6A, joining No. 1 Saraland and No. 3 Oxford. 9-1 Parker secured the No. 2 spot as its only loss is to nationally-ranked Carrollton out of Georgia.

The Jags will start their first playoff appearance since 2017 when they host the McGill-Toolen Catholic Yellow Jackets on Nov. 8 at Jaguar Stadium in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Like Week 10, two other county teams received votes in the final media rankings: Helena and Briarwood.

The Huskies secured five votes from the media, the 13th-most of any team in Class 6A. That total was the same as Week 10 after Helena took a bye week in Week 11 following a 6-3 regular season that ended with a four-game win streak.

Also, the Huskies’ first-round opponent St. Paul’s Episcopal received nine votes, putting the Saints just above Helena in the poll. The two will clash in Helena on Nov. 8 for a spot in the second round.

The Briarwood Christian Lions earned two votes in the final Class 5A rankings, up from one a week ago.

While the Lions finished the regular season 5-5 and will miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, they ended the year on a five-game win streak capped off by a 55-35 victory over McAdory, a Class 6A playoff team, in Week 11.

Across the state, only Class 2A saw a shakeup at the top of the poll after former No. 1 Pisgah lost for the first time all season and sanctions on Coosa Christian dropped it from challenging for the top spot. Highland Home claimed the No. 1 spot in the classification ahead of the playoffs.

To see the full rankings, read more below:

The Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football rankings, the last of the season, with first-place votes, win-loss record and total poll points:

CLASS 7A

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

1. Auburn (18); 9-0; 216
2. Hoover; 8-2; 158
3. Mary Montgomery; 9-1; 136
4. Central-Phenix City; 7-2; 118
5. Thompson; 7-3; 103
6. Opelika; 8-2; 88
7. Hewitt-Trussville; 8-2; 73
8. Baker; 8-2; 57
9. Austin; 9-1; 40
10. Carver-Montgomery; 6-3; 22

Others receiving votes: Daphne (7-3) 7, Enterprise (6-4) 4, Vestavia Hills (5-5) 4.

 

CLASS 6A

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

1. Saraland (16); 9-0; 209
2. Parker (2); 9-1; 157
3. Oxford; 10-0; 146
4. Spain Park; 10-0; 136
5. Mountain Brook; 7-3; 83
6. Clay-Chalkville; 8-2; 75
7. Homewood; 8-2; 73
8. Muscle Shoals; 7-2; 62
9. Spanish Fort; 8-2; 26
10. Hartselle; 8-2; 24

Others receiving votes: Fort Payne (8-2) 15, St. Paul’s (8-2) 9, Helena (6-3) 5, Russell Co. (8-2) 4, Athens (8-2) 1, Hueytown (7-3) 1.

 

CLASS 5A

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

1. Catholic-Montgomery (15); 9-0; 207
2. Central-Clay Co. (3); 10-0; 169
3. Fairview; 9-0; 133
4. Moody; 7-2; 117
5. Vigor; 9-1; 111
6. Guntersville; 9-1; 98
7. Corner; 9-1; 59
8. Williamson; 9-1; 55
9. Leeds; 8-2; 39
10. Scottsboro; 8-2; 26

Others receiving votes: Citronelle (8-2) 3, Ramsay (6-3) 3, Russellville (7-3) 3, Briarwood (5-5) 2, Boaz (8-2) 1.

 

CLASS 4A

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

1. Jackson (18); 9-1; 216
2. Pleasant Grove; 8-1; 156
3. Cherokee Co.; 9-1; 143
4. West Morgan; 10-0; 129
5. St. Michael; 9-1; 111
6. Good Hope; 9-1; 69
7. Dale Co.; 8-2; 68
8. North Jackson; 8-2; 54
9. Bibb Co.; 7-3; 37
10. Tallassee; 7-2-1; 12

Others receiving votes: Oak Grove (8-2) 9, Hokes Bluff (8-2) 7, Handley (7-3) 4, Opp (7-3) 4, Brooks (8-2) 3, Madison Aca. (6-4) 2, Randolph (7-3) 2.

 

CLASS 3A

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

1. T.R. Miller (14); 10-0; 204
2. Piedmont (3); 10-0; 155
3. Thomasville; 10-0; 134
4. Mars Hill Bible (1); 9-1; 129
5. Fyffe; 7-2; 113
6. Gordo; 9-1; 88
7. Glenwood; 9-0; 78
8. Winfield; 9-1; 53
9. Montgomery Aca.; 9-1; 35
10. Houston Aca.; 9-1; 22

Others receiving votes: Sylvania (8-2) 9, Geraldine (8-2) 3, Trinity (7-3) 2, Southside-Selma (8-2) 1.

 

CLASS 2A

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

1. Highland Home (13); 10-0; 201
2. Pisgah (5); 9-1; 164
3. Cottonwood; 10-0; 147
4. Reeltown; 9-1; 123
5. Winston Co.; 10-0; 108
6. Tuscaloosa Aca.; 8-2; 80
7. $-Coosa Chr.; 4-6; 49
8. Decatur Heritage; 7-2; 46
9. Clarke Co.; 7-3; 27
10. Vincent; 8-2; 26

Others receiving votes: Goshen (7-2) 20, Providence Chr. (8-2) 19, Pleasant Valley (8-2) 12, Southeastern-Blount (8-2) 4.

$-Record includes five forfeit losses.

 

CLASS 1A

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

1. Wadley (15); 8-0; 207
2. Leroy (3); 9-1; 169
3. Spring Garden; 10-0; 138
4. Elba; 8-2; 115
5. Sweet Water; 8-2; 103
6. Hackleburg; 9-1; 85
7. Lynn; 9-1; 65
8. McKenzie; 9-1; 52
9. Maplesville; 8-2; 35
10. Autauga Aca.; 9-1; 30

Others receiving votes: Linden (7-2) 14, Berry (9-1) 7, Hubbertville (8-2) 5, Brantley (6-4) 1.

 

AISA (top five)

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

1. Chambers Aca. (15); 8-1; 206
2. Lowndes Aca. (2); 9-0; 166
3. South Choctaw Aca. (1); 10-0; 149
4. Fort Dale Aca.; 8-2; 127
5. Monroe Aca.; 8-2; 60

Others receiving votes: Patrician (8-2) 42, Banks Aca. (4-4) 6.