By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

After spending four straight weeks as the No. 2 team in class 7A, Spain Park ends the season as the top team in the largest classification in the state. After beating Bessemer City, a playoff-bound 6A school, handily in the last game of the regular season on Oct. 30, the Jaguars received 24 out of 28 first place votes to claim the school’s first-ever No. 1 ranking. Bob Jones, the previous No. 1 team and last undefeated team in class 7A, lost on Oct. 30 to Austin, the same team that beat Spain Park in the first week of the season in triple overtime, to open the door for the Jaguars to become the new top-ranked team.

Chelsea, Helena and Montevallo also received votes in the final poll of the year as well, but none cracked the top 10. The Hornets, who finished the regular season 7-3, received three votes in the 6A poll a week after being beaten handily by Thompson, 56-21.

Helena finished with six votes in the 5A poll, tied for 11^th in the state with East Limestone. The Huskies were still well outside of the actual top 10 however, as the No. 10 team in the final poll, Alexandria, pulled in 52 votes. The Huskies finished the regular season 8-2 and handily beat Pleasant Grove in the final week of the regular season. The Spartans had been ranked as high as No. 2 in 5A earlier this season and were ranked sixth two weeks before playing Helena. Helena will host Sidney Lanier in the first round of the 5A playoffs this Friday.

Montevallo also received three votes in the 4A poll a week after blowing a late lead and losing to 1A Billingsley on the road in the final game of the regular season. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 1-2 after starting white hot at 7-0, but still will host a first round playoff game for the first time in 20 years this Thursday when Saint James comes to play.