Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

The latest football rankings released by the Alabama Sports Writers Association featured many different changes after a chaotic week of high school football that saw several upsets among ranked teams.

The Thompson Warriors are the only county team still ranked inside their respective top 10, but even the Warriors dropped down a spot after Opelika pulled off an upset of No. 1 Central-Phenix City to jump up to No. 3, just ahead of the Red Devils.

Thompson is now at No. 7 and continues to be one of the state’s top teams off three consecutive state championships.

The Warriors have won two games in a row to get to 2-2 overall this season, beating Spain Park 35-14 and Vestavia Hills 34-14. Those two victories came fresh off a 0-2 start that saw Thompson lose to nationally-ranked opponents Buford and Lipscomb Academy.

Since then, however, the Warriors have continued to showcase that they are still one of the state’s top teams with commanding and consistent victories.

Thompson’s offense started the season slowly with the task of replacing several starters on that side of the ball, but they’ve bounced back to total more than 300 yards each of the last two weeks, while they have scored 34 or more in each.

The defense continues to be one of the best in the country. Even though Thompson allowed 38 and 24 in the two losses, it was turnovers that ultimately led to the majority of those points, while the defense has given up 14 or less points in each game so far this season.

Auburn currently holds the No. 1 spot in Class 7A, while Fairhope is just behind at No. 2. Opelika closes out the top three, while Central-Phenix City, Hewitt-Trussville and Hoover are all still ahead of the Warriors.

With matchups against Hewitt and Hoover still left, Thompson will have the opportunity to settle those debates on the field, while the Warriors still have plenty of time to climb in the top 10 with the ultimate goal of a state championship still very much a realistic expectation.

Outside of the Warriors, Briarwood and Helena have both been inside the top 10 at different times this season, but the Lions fell out of the top 10 for the first time this week, while Helena is also just on the outside looking in.

Briarwood is now the first team outside of the Class 6A top 10 at No. 11 in the standings with seven points in the voting, while Helena is in a tie for 14th.

The Lions fell to Pelham in the final minutes in their last outing despite leading 34-14 going to the final quarter. That ultimately led to their fall in the standings.

Helena is now 3-1 overall, but the Huskies fell from the No. 10 spot after a 24-15 loss to Homewood.

They did bounce back with a thrilling comeback victory against Chilton County last week in a 35-28 overtime win that helped them improve to 1-1 in region play.

In the 2A classification, the Vincent Yellow Jackets also started to receive some love from voters after a 4-0 start, which is their best since 2001.

The Jackets have also posted three shutouts in a row for the first time since 1997, while the offense has scored 40 or more in every game and 50 or more in the last three in a row.

They still have important matchups ahead that will decide their fate, including a bout with B.B. Comer this week, but with 10 points, they are now considered 13th in the 2A standings.

The full list of rankings for each classification is below:

CLASS 7A

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

1. Auburn (18); 4-0; 233
2. Fairhope (1); 4-0; 155
3. Opelika; 4-0; 145
4. Central-Phenix City; 3-1; 126
5. Hewitt-Trussville; 3-1; 124
6. Hoover; 3-1; 119
7. Thompson (1); 2-2; 116
8. Bob Jones; 3-1; 55
9. Enterprise; 2-2; 41
10. Dothan; 3-1; 18

Others receiving votes: Tuscaloosa Co. (3-1) 5, Foley (2-2) 2, Sparkman (3-1) 1.

CLASS 6A

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

1. Clay-Chalkville (20); 4-0; 240
2. Mountain Brook; 4-0; 176
3. Saraland; 4-0; 161
4. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; 4-0; 137
5. Theodore; 4-0; 121
6. Hartselle; 4-0; 86
7. Gardendale; 2-1; 74
8. Pinson Valley; 1-2; 54
9. Muscle Shoals; 4-0; 35
10. Benjamin Russell; 3-0; 19

Others receiving votes: Briarwood (2-2) 7, Carver-Montgomery (3-0) 6, Center Point (4-0) 6, Decatur (4-0) 3, Helena (3-1) 3, Homewood (3-1) 3, Oxford (3-1) 3, Spanish Fort (2-2) 3, McGill-Toolen (1-2) 2, Pike Road (2-2) 1.

CLASS 5A

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

1. UMS-Wright (20); 4-0; 240
2. Leeds; 4-0; 162
3. Ramsay; 3-1; 147
4. Guntersville; 4-0; 143
5. Moody; 4-0; 100
6. Pleasant Grove; 2-1; 99
7. Gulf Shores; 3-1; 79
8. Vigor; 3-1; 63
9. Eufaula; 3-0; 59
10. Arab; 4-0; 35

Others receiving votes: Central-Clay Co. (2-1) 4, Headland (3-1) 4, Beauregard (4-0) 2, Alexandria (1-2) 1, Demopolis (3-1) 1, Faith-Mobile (2-1) 1.

CLASS 4A

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

1. Catholic-Montgomery (16); 4-0; 223
2. Handley (4); 4-0; 183
3. Andalusia; 4-0; 158
4. Northside; 4-0; 135
5. Oneonta; 4-0; 117
6. Anniston; 4-0; 111
7. Montgomery Aca.; 3-1; 62
8. Orange Beach; 2-0; 48
9. Jacksonville; 2-2; 26
10. Priceville; 4-0; 20

Others receiving votes: Cherokee Co. (3-1) 18, Bayside Aca. (4-0) 8, Deshler (4-0) 8, Etowah (3-1) 8, T.R. Miller (3-1) 6, West Morgan (4-0) 5, Rogers (4-0) 3, American Chr. (3-1) 1.

CLASS 3A

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

1. Piedmont (16); 2-1; 220
2. Mars Hill Bible (2); 3-1; 165
3. St. James; 3-1; 144
4. Gordo (1); 3-1; 133
5. Opp; 3-1; 110
6. Mobile Chr.; 3-1; 102
7. Winfield; 2-1; 78
8. Straughn; 3-0; 71
9. Houston Aca.; 3-0; 52
10. Thomasville; 3-0; 26

Others receiving votes: Dadeville (1 first-place vote) (3-0) 14, Fayette Co. (4-0) 11, Excel (2-1) 4, Trinity (3-1) 4, Lauderdale Co. (3-1) 3, Walter Wellborn (2-1) 2, Alabama Chr. (1-2) 1.

CLASS 2A

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

1. Fyffe (20); 3-0; 240
2. Highland Home; 4-0; 180
3. Ariton; 3-1; 155
4. Pisgah; 3-0; 132
5. B.B. Comer; 3-1; 86
6. Aliceville; 3-1; 81
7. G.W. Long; 2-1; 71
8. Lanett; 2-2; 49
9. Clarke Co.; 1-2; 45
10. J.U. Blacksher; 3-1; 44

Others receiving votes: Isabella (3-0) 17, Cleveland (2-1) 11, Vincent (4-0) 10, Reeltown (2-1) 6, Tanner (3-1) 6, Hatton (3-0) 5, Lamar Co. (3-1) 2.

CLASS 1A

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

1. Elba (13); 4-0; 219
2. Leroy (7); 3-0; 201
3. Linden; 4-0; 142
4. Brantley; 3-1; 137
5. Sweet Water; 2-1; 112
6. Valley Head; 3-0; 89
7. Pickens Co.; 3-1; 82
8. Spring Garden; 3-1; 71
9. Meek; 4-0; 39
10. Loachapoka; 4-0; 15

Others receiving votes: Georgiana (4-0) 10, Millry (3-1) 8, Cedar Bluff (3-1) 7, Wadley (2-2) 6, Decatur Heritage (2-2) 1, Lynn (2-1) 1.

AISA

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

1. Autauga Aca. (17); 3-0; 230
2. Patrician (1); 3-0; 176
3. Macon-East; 4-0; 155
4. Jackson Aca. (1); 4-0; 131
5. Lee-Scott (1); 3-0; 129
6. Glenwood; 2-2; 112
7. Lowndes Aca.; 2-1; 81
8. Clarke Prep; 2-1; 52
9. Chambers Aca.; 2-2; 47
10. Crenshaw Chr.; 2-1; 15

Others receiving votes: Banks Aca. (2-1) 6, Edgewood (1-2) 5, Monroe Aca. (2-2) 1.