4 in the poll
- Updated: September 27, 2016
With inclusion of Jacksonville for first time, Calhoun County has four teams in this year’s statewide football poll — J’ville, Ohatchee, Oxford, Piedmont
By East Alabama Sports Today
Four Calhoun County teams are ranked in the statewide football poll this week with the inclusion of undefeated Jacksonville for the first time this season.
The Golden Eagles (5-0) were idle last week, but broke into the Class 4A poll this week at No. 9 and are ranked for the first time since 2014.
They are currently tied for first in Class 4A Region 5 with unranked Cherokee County; the teams play in Centre 21. They are the highest scoring team in the region, averaging 38 points a game. They’ve scored at least 30 in four of their five wins.
The Golden Eagles don’t have much of a poll history, but a good bit of what they have has come in the last three seasons. This week’s inclusion marks only the 23rd time the program has been ranked in school history — and nine of those weeks came in 2014. They had been ranked only three times before their sixth game prior to that.
“We don’t sit and stare at the polls; we don’t really worry too much about it,” Jacksonville coach Clint Smith said. “I believe the polls are a reflection of respect. When the polls come out there are certain teams that are going to be there, so it’s always nice to be considered, but we understand the only poll that really matters is the one at the end of the year.
“It’s a respect thing. I’m happy for our kids. They’ve worked hard all year long and if they want to put us in there I know our kids deserve that, but at the same time we’re not going to focus on it, harp on it, because we understand it doesn’t determine who’s going to win it all. We just have to stay focused and continue to work and get better every week to make sure we’re peaking at the right time.”
Oxford and Ohatchee also moved up spots in their respective polls, while Piedmont (6-0) maintained its No. 1 ranking in Class 3A after its handling of defending 4A state champion Leeds. The Bulldogs picked up 30 of 31 first-place votes.
Oxford, 6-0 for the first time since 1993, is No. 4 in Class 6A. It is the Yellow Jackets’ highest ranking since Sept. 24, 2008 (No. 4). They did, however, lose the first-place vote they received the week before.
Ohatchee, 6-0 for the first time since 2000, is No. 7 in Class 3A. It is the Indians’ highest ranking since their preseason No. 6 ranking in 2002, the last time they were ranked before this season.
STATEWIDE PREP FOOTBALL POLL
(First-place votes and record in parentheses)
Class 7A
1. McGill-Toolen (31) (5-0)
2. Hoover (4-1)
3. Hewitt-Trussville (6-0)
4. Central-Phenix City (4-1)
5. Bob Jones (5-1)
6. Lee-Montgomery (5-0)
7. Davidson (4-1)
8. Enterprise (6-0)
9. James Clemens (3-2)
10. Mountain Brook (4-1)
Others receiving votes: Spain Park (3-2) 8, Vestavia Hills (3-2) 1.
Class 6A
1. Spanish Fort (13) (5-1)
2. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11) (6-0)
3. Blount (7) (5-1)
4. Oxford (6-0)
5. Opelika (5-1)
6. Minor (5-0)
7. Park Crossing (5-1)
8. Hartselle (6-0)
9. Clay-Chalkville (4-2)
10. Chelsea (5-1)
Others receiving votes: Wetumpka (5-1) 15, Ramsay (4-1) 7, Gardendale (4-2) 2, Pinson Valley (4-2) 2, Decatur (4-1) 1.
Class 5A
1. Jackson (23) (5-0)
2. St. Paul’s (8) (4-1)
3. Beauregard (4-0)
4. Etowah (5-1)
5. Scottsboro (5-0)
6. Russellville (4-1)
7. Carroll (5-0)
8. Demopolis (4-1)
9. Mortimer Jordan (4-2)
10. Central-Clay Co. (4-1)
Others receiving votes: Briarwood Chr. (4-1) 20, Sylacauga (4-1) 6, Guntersville (3-2) 5, Vigor (4-2) 4, Eufaula (3-2) 1.
Class 4A
1. UMS-Wright (28) (4-1)
2. Madison Acad. (1) (4-1)
3. Haleyville (2) (5-0)
4. Andalusia (5-1)
5. Cordova (5-1)
6. Munford (4-1)
7. Rogers (6-0)
8. Leeds (4-2)
9. Jacksonville (5-0)
10. Thomasville (3-1)
Others receiving votes: Handley (3-2) 16, West Limestone (5-1) 13, North Jackson (3-2) 12, Cherokee Co. (4-2) 2, Montgomery Catholic (4-1) 2, West Blocton (5-1) 1.
Class 3A
1. Piedmont (30) (6-0)
2. Gordo (1) (5-0)
3. Montevallo (5-0)
4. Mobile Chr. (4-1)
5. Opp (4-1)
6. Colbert Co. (4-1)
7. Ohatchee (6-0)
8. Oakman (4-1)
9. T.R. Miller (3-2)
10. Daleville (4-1)
Others receiving votes: Lexington (4-1) 9, Straughn (3-1) 8, Bayside (3-2) 5, Colbert Hts. (3-3) 4, Lauderdale Co. (3-2) 3, Weaver (4-1) 3, Pike Co. (4-1) 2, American Chr. (4-2) 1.
Class 2A
1. Fyffe (24) (5-0)
2. G.W. Long (2) (4-0)
3. Elba (5) (4-1)
4. LaFayette (5-0)
5. Cleveland (5-0)
6. Lanett (5-1)
7. Red Bay (5-0)
8. Tanner (2-3)
9. Aliceville (4-1)
10. Sheffield (5-1)
Others receiving votes: New Brockton (2-3) 32, Washington Co. (3-2) 22, Sand Rock (4-1) 6, Leroy (3-2) 3, Goshen (4-1) 1.
Class 1A
1. Maplesville (24) (4-0)
2. Linden (7) (5-0)
3. Spring Garden (5-0)
4. Addison (6-0)
5. Sweet Water (3-1)
6. Decatur Heritage (4-1)
7. Wadley (5-0)
8. Georgiana (6-0)
9. Cedar Bluff (3-2)
10t. Hubbertville (4-0)
10t. Pickens Co. (3-2)
Others receiving votes: Notasulga (3-2) 7, Isabella (5-0) 6, McKenzie (5-1) 4, South Lamar (4-2) 3, Brantley (2-3) 1.
AISA
1. Bessemer Acad. (31) (6-0)
2. Autauga Acad. (5-0)
3. Monroe Acad. (5-1)
4. S. Choctaw Acad. (5-0)
5. Marengo Acad. (4-1)
6. Chambers Acad. (5-0)
7. Escambia Acad. (4-2)
8. Fort Dale Acad. (4-1)
9. Lowndes Acad. (3-1)
10. Pike Liberal (3-2)
Others receiving votes: Lee-Scott Acad. (3-2) 13, Morgan Acad. (4-2) 12, Springwood (4-1) 9, Edgewood Acad. (0-6) 5, Glenwood (4-1) 4, Cornerstone Chr. (4-1) 1.
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