By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

With their performance on Sept. 2, the Thompson Warriors have broken into the ASWA rankings for the first time in 27 years. The Warriors, who beat Tuscaloosa County 10-3 last Friday to move to 2-0 (1-0) on the season, are ranked No. 9 in this week’s 7A poll, marking their first ranking since Oct. 3, 1989, when Thompson pulled in the No. 10 ranking in the 6A class. Along with Thompson’s appearance in the Week 3 poll, both Spain Park and Montevallo remained highly ranked, while Chelsea and Calera received votes as well.

The Jags remained steady at No. 2 in the 7A class a week after beating Vestavia Hills 28-14. Spain Park will face its biggest test of the young season this Friday when the Jaguars travel across town to the Hoover Met to take on rival Hoover, ranked as the fourth-best team in the class this week. Newly ranked Thompson will travel to Mountain Brook to play a much-improved Spartan team as the Warriors try to move to 3-0 for the second time since 2013.

Montevallo remained steady at No. 4 in the 3A rankings after squeezing past American Christian Academy at home on Sept. 2. The Bulldogs scored just 14 points against ACA, which was their lowest regular season point total in more than a year. The Bulldogs are on the road for the first time this season this week as they travel to take on a BB Comer team they will be favored to beat. If Montevallo can move to 3-0 this weekend, the meat of its region lineup will become one of the more interesting sagas to watch unfold.

Calera, fresh off a thrilling, last-second win over Dallas County on Sept. 2, moved to 3-0 and just missed out on the 5A rankings this week. The Eagles (3-0, 1-0) pulled in 28 total votes in the poll, which placed them 11^th overall in the 5A class, six votes behind No. 10 Scottsboro. Calera has been one of the surprise teams in the early going this season, as the Eagles have averaged 33 points per game behind the strong play of Jermaine Ross and a host of running backs. Calera plays winless Central-Tuscaloosa this week before the Eagles will turn their attention to rival Demopolis.

The only other team to receive votes in the Week 3 poll was undefeated Chelsea, which beat Wetumpka 35-28 on Sept. 2. The Hornets are notorious for starting strong under head coach Chris Elmore, and are 9-0 through the first three games of the season over the last three years of Elmore’s tenure. The Hornets received 11 votes in the Week 3 poll, which placed them as the No. 13 team in the highly competitive 6A class.

 

Class 7A
1. McGill-Toolen (27) (3-0) <ws>324
2. Spain Park (3-0) <ws>230
3. Hewitt-Trussville (3-0) <ws>212
4. Hoover (2-1) <ws>193
5. Central-Phenix City (2-1) <ws>153
6. Bob Jones (2-1) <ws>111
7. Lee-Montgomery (2-0) <ws>108
8. Murphy (1-1) <ws>50
9. Thompson (2-0) <ws>40
10. James Clemens (0-2) <ws>32
Others receiving votes: Davidson (2-1) 21, Enterprise (3-0) 21, Mary Montgomery (2-1) 14, Vestavia Hills (1-1) 11, Mountain Brook (2-1) 5, Auburn (1-2) 3, Tuscaloosa Co. (2-1) 3, Baker (2-1) 2, Fairhope (0-3) 2, Gadsden City (0-3) 2, Foley (2-1) 1, Sparkman (2-0) 1.

 

Class 6A
1. Clay-Chalkville (24) (3-0) <ws>314
2. Blount (1) (3-0) <ws>222
3. Spanish Fort (1) (2-1) <ws>198
4. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (3-0) <ws>192
5. Opelika (1) (3-0) <ws>177
6. Oxford (3-0) <ws>132
7. Gardendale (3-0) <ws>99
8. Park Crossing (2-1) <ws>58
9. Bessemer City (2-1) <ws>55
10. Hartselle (3-0) <ws>31
Others receiving votes: Minor (3-0) 15, Saraland (2-1) 15, Chelsea (3-0) 11, Benjamin Russell (1-1) 4, Austin (2-1) 3, Parker (2-0) 3, Southside-Gadsden (3-0) 3, Selma (0-2) 2, Wetumpka (2-1) 2, Albertville (3-0) 1, Hazel Green (1-1) 1, Hueytown (3-0) 1.

 

Class 5A
1. Jackson (17) (2-0) <ws>289
2. St. Paul’s (10) (2-1) <ws>270
3. Russellville (2-0) <ws>207
4. Mortimer Jordan (2-1) <ws>177
5. Beauregard (1-0) <ws>134
6. Etowah (2-1) <ws>111
7. Guntersville (2-0) <ws>110
8. Central-Clay Co. (3-0)<ws>65
9. Brooks (2-1) <ws>62
10. Scottsboro (2-0) <ws>34
Others receiving votes:  Calera (3-0) 28, Alexandria (0-2) 13, Sylacauga (3-0) 11, Wenonah (2-0) 8, Eufaula (2-1) 7, Cleburne Co. (1-1) 4, Corner (3-0) 4, Carroll (2-0) 3, Demopolis (2-1) 1, Mae Jemison-Huntsville (2-1) 1.

 

Class 4A
1. Cordova (23) (3-0) <ws>310
2. Andalusia (1) (3-0) <ws>224
3. Leeds (2) (3-0)  <ws>203
4. UMS-Wright (2-1) <ws>180
5. Madison Acad. (1) (1-1) <ws>165
6. West Limestone (3-0) <ws>120
7. Munford (1-1) <ws>102
8. Thomasville (2-0) <ws>83
9. Haleyville (3-0) <ws>53
10. North Jackson (1-1) <ws>33
Others receiving votes: Jacksonville (3-0) 21, Tallassee (3-0) 12, Madison Co. (1-1) 9, Randolph (3-0) 8, Fayette CO. (1-2) 6, Cherokee CO. (1-2) 5, Rogers (3-0) 3, Hale Co. (0-2) 1, Montgomery Catholic (2-1) 1.

 

Class 3A
1. Piedmont (26) (3-0) <ws>321
2. Gordo (1) (2-0) <ws>245
3. Opp (2-0) <ws>211
4. Montevallo (2-0) <ws>169
5. T.R. Miller (1-1) <ws>145
6. Oakman (2-0) <ws>122
7. Bayside Acad. (2-1) <ws>119
8. Hillcrest-Evergreen (1-1) <ws>71
9. Colbert Co. (1-1) <ws>42
10. Mobile Chr. (1-1) <ws>23
Others receiving votes: Ohatchee (3-0) 17, Lexington (2-0) 9, Walter Wellborn (2-0) 9, Lauderdale Co. (1-1) 6, Weaver (2-0) 6, Daleville (1-1) 5, Glencoe (2-1) 5, J.B. Pennington (3-0) 4, Locust Fork (3-0), 3, Straughn (1-1) 3, American Chr. (1-2) 1, Clarke Co. (0-2) 1, Flomaton (2-1) 1, North Sand Mountain (2-1) 1.

 

Class 2A
1. Elba (27) (2-0) <ws>324
2. Fyffe (2-0) <ws>232
3. G.W. Long (2-0) <ws>205
4. Lanett (3-0) <ws>186
5. LaFayette (3-0) <ws>137
6. Cleveland (2-0) <ws>112
7. Washington Co. (1-1) <ws>93
8. Tanner (1-2) <ws>61
9. Leroy (2-0) <ws>56
10t. New Brockton (1-1) <ws>55
10t. Red Bay (3-0) <ws>55
Others receiving votes: Aliceville (1-1) 8, Sheffield (2-1) 7, Goshen (2-0) 2, Southern Choctaw (2-0) 2, Tarrant (0-2) 2, Fayetteville (1-1) 1, Luverne (2-0) 1.

 

Class 1A
1. Maplesville (22) (1-0) <ws>309
2. Linden (5) (2-0) <ws>251
3. Pickens Co. (2-0) <ws>205
4. Spring Garden (2-0) <ws>158
5. Brantley (1-1) <ws>153
6. Cedar Bluff (1-1) <ws>115
7. Berry (3-0) <ws>108
8. Addison (3-0) <ws>66
9. Sweet Water (1-1) <ws>62
10. Decatur Heritage (1-1) <ws>48
Others receiving votes: Wadley (2-0) 21, Notasulga (1-2) 12, Georgiana (2-1) 9, Houston Co. (3-0) 7, Hubbertville (2-0) 7, Marengo (2-0) 7, Woodville (1-1) 1.

 

AISA
1. Bessemer Acad. (27) (3-0) <ws>324
2. Autauga Acad. (2-0) <ws>234
3. Monroe Acad.  (2-1) <ws>196
4. Escambia Acad. (2-1) <ws>191
5. Lowndes Acad. (2-0) <ws>133
6. Fort Dale Acad. (2-0) <ws>121
7. S. Choctaw Acad. (3-0) <ws>87
7. Marengo Acad. (1-1) <ws>86
9. Chambers Acad.  (2-0) <ws>67
10. Pike Liberal (2-0) <ws>29
Others receiving votes: Springwood (2-0) 15, Abbeville Chr. (0-3) 12, Hooper Acad. (2-0) 10, Glenwood (2-0) 8, Lee-Scott (1-1) 8, Jackson Acad. (2-1) 7, Northside Methodist (2-1) 6, Edgewood Acad. (0-3) 3, Clarke Prep (0-2) 1, Morgan Acad. (2-1) 1