The ASWA weekly rankings were shaken up when 4A Calera and 2A Washington County were knocked out of the top spots after suffering defeats in week seven of the high school football season.

Calera fell to No. 4 Bibb County 16-15 dropping them six spots to No. 7 in this week’s poll.  UMS-Wright is the new No. 1 in Class 4A.  

Washington County lost to Sweet Water 35-32 and fell to No. 6 in Class 2A.  Mobile Christian assumed the top spot in Class 2A. 

The other four leaders remained the same.  Class 6A Hoover and 3A Madison Academy were unanimous picks by the Alabama Sports Writers while Class 5A Spanish Fort and Class 1A Pickens County retained their “best in class” status.    

Area teams in the top 10 include Southside-Gadsden.  The Panthers moved up three spots to No. 7 in Class 5A. Oneonta held on to the No. 5 position in Class 4A.   In Class 3A, no one budged leaving the Piedmont Bulldogs a solid No. 2 and Saks No. 7.   In Class 2A, it’s Fyffe and Ranburne at No. 4 and No. 10 respectively.  In Class 1A, Valley Head gains two spots this week to finish at No. 8.

Week 8 of the high school season starts tonight. 

Cherokee County will get a jump start on the rest of 4A, Region 5 when the Warriors travel to Jacksonville State University tonight to face Munford.  Munford is coached by former Cherokee County assistant Will Wagnon.  It will be a 7 o’clock kick-off tonight on Burgess-Snow Field for the Warriors and the Lions.

On Friday, Cleburne County hosts Jacksonville, Lincoln entertains Alexandria and Hokes Bluff goes to Anniston.

In Class 1A, Region 7 Collinsville (6-1,5-1) hosts Gaylesville (5-2,5-1), unbeaten Valley Head is at winless Woodville, Donoho (5-2,5-1) travels to Spring Garden (3-4,3-3) and Cedar Bluff has an open week.

In Class 2A, Region 7 No. 4 Fyffe hosts North Sand Mountain (6-1, 4-1),   Gaston (4-3, 2-3) entertains Ider, and Sand Rock (4-3, 2-3) welcomes West End Walnut Grove.

Class 3A features one of the marquee games being played in the state when Class 3A, No. 2 Piedmont (7-0, 6-0) invades No. 7 Saks (7-0, 6-0) with a region crown awaiting the victor. 

In Class 5A, No. 7 Southside-Gadsden hosts one-loss Etowah (6-1) while Fort Payne (4-3, 3-2) entertains Brewer. 

Rounding out Friday night’s local ball games, Class 6A, Gadsden City travels to Grissom.

Class 6A
1. Hoover (31) (7-0) 372
2. Smiths Station (7-0) 261
3. Bob Jones (7-0) 236
4. Vestavia Hills (6-1) 200
5t. Auburn (6-1) 139
5t. Shades Valley (7-0) 139
7. Opelika (6-1) 133
8. Clay-Chalkville (6-1) 112
9. McGill-Toolen (6-1) 77
10. Spain Park (7-0) 38
Others receiving votes: Blount (6-1) 35, Tuscaloosa Co. (6-1) 12, Oxford (5-2) 5, Murphy (6-1) 3, Daphne (5-2) 1, Fairhope (6-1) 1, Florence (5-2) 1, Gadsden City (3-4) 1, Prattville (4-2) 1.

Class 5A
1. Spanish Fort (29) (7-0) 366
2. Jackson (2) (7-0) 281
3. Muscle Shoals (7-0) 249
4. Homewood (6-1) 204
5. Benjamin Russell (6-1) 172
6. McAdory (6-1) 170
7. Southside-Gadsden (7-0) 114
8. Center Point (6-1) 63
9. Cullman (6-1) 62
10. Saraland (6-1) 34
Others receiving votes: St. Paul’s (5-2) 23, Etowah (6-1) 13, Pleasant Grove (6-1) 9, Briarwood Chr. (5-2) 2, Hartselle (5-2) 2, Vigor (5-2) 2, Walker (5-2) 1.

Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (17) (6-1) 322
2. Charles Henderson (9) (7-0) 297
3. Central-Clay Co. (2) (7-0) 248
4. Bibb Co. (1) (7-0) 202
5. Oneonta (6-1) 176
6. Andalusia (1) (7-0) 160
7. Calera (1) (6-1) 156
8. Tallassee (6-1) 72
9. Dadeville (6-1) 71
10. J.O. Johnson (6-1) 33
Others receiving votes: Munford (6-1) 12, Guntersville (6-1) 7, Beauregard (5-2) 4, Central-Florence (6-1) 3, Jemison (6-1) 2, Haleyville (6-1) 1, Hillcrest-Evergreen (4-3) 1.

Class 3A
1. Madison Acad. (31) (7-0) 372
2. Piedmont (7-0) 278
3. T.R. Miller (7-0) 248
4. Fayette Co. (6-1) 182
5. Straughn (6-1) 158
6. Trinity (6-1) 146
7. Saks (7-0) 128
8. Colbert Co. (7-0) 123
9. Leeds (5-2) 63
10. Dale Co. (7-0) 55
Others receiving votes: Hamilton (6-1) 10, Lauderdale Co. (5-2) 3, Hanceville (6-1) 1.

Class 2A
1. Mobile Chr. (18) (7-0) 330
2. Tanner (10) (6-1) 294
3. Lanett (1) (7-0) 241
4. Fyffe (6-1) 182
5. Fultondale (7-0) 170
6. Washington Co. (1) (6-1) 167
7. Luverne (1) (7-0) 142
8. Oakman (6-1) 89
9. Sweet Water (5-2) 43
10. Ranburne (7-0) 41
Others receiving votes: G.W. Long (6-1) 36, Houston Acad. (6-1) 9, Lexington (6-1) 7, Lamar Co. (6-1) 5, Reeltown (4-3) 4, Aliceville (5-2) 2, Isabella (6-1) 2, Red Bay (5-2) 2, Montgomery Acad. (6-1) 1.

Class 1A
1. Pickens Co. (27) (7-0) 360
2. Maplesville (4) (7-0) 289
3. Brantley (6-1) 244
4. Addison (7-0) 218
5. Marion Co. (6-1) 181
6. Falkville (6-0) 143
7. Linden (5-2) 93
8. Valley Head (7-0) 91
9. Loachapoka (6-1) 88
10. McKenzie (6-1) 34
Others receiving votes: Ragland (5-1) 8, Berry (4-3) 5, R.A. Hubbard (5-2) 4, Collinsville (6-1) 3, Fayetteville (5-2) 3, Autaugaville (5-2) 2, Geneva Co. (5-2) 1.

AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (27) (8-0) 356
2. Restoration (7-1) 269
3. Monroe Acad. (4) (7-0) 267
4. Marengo Acad. (7-0) 217
5. Bessemer Acad. (7-1) 181
6. Fort Dale Acad. (6-1) 137
7. Kingwood Chr. (7-1) 93
8. Pickens Acad. (6-1) 88
9. Tuscaloosa Acad. (5-2) 73
10. Autauga Acad. (5-2) 48
Others receiving votes: Patrician (6-2) 13, Escambia Acad. (6-2) 11, Wilcox Acad. (5-2) 7, Macon-East (3-4) 5, Abbeville Chr. (6-2) 1, Clarke Prep (4-3) 1.

The Alabama Sportswriters Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Josh Bean, AL.com; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Jonathan Deal, Athens News Courier; Brandon Miller, Anniston Star; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Rob Ketcham, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Nick Johnston, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Journal Record; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.