Sports

Elba Tigers to kick off 2012 football season ranked #1 in Class 2A poll

Three high school teams that finished the 2011 football season as state champions will be among the teams to beat, according to the staff of the Alabama Sports Writers Association, which released its preseason high school football poll last week.
Class 5A Hartselle, Class 2A Elba, and Class 1A Marion County will all start the season ranked No. 1 in their respective classes.
“This is a great honor and a great thing for our program,” stated Elba’s Coach Scott Rials, “but it really doesn’t mean that much as far as the new season goes. You still have to go out and win your games on the field.”
“I am a little surprised for the team to be ranked number one,” added Rials, “with so many good teams in our class in the state. Sweet Water and Washington County are coming to 2A this season, and there are so many other really good teams all across the state. Our players do know what to expect and they know what it takes from day one to become a champion.”
Of the favorites, Marion County had the tightest race for the #1 spot with a 297-285 advantage over Linden, the team it defeated in the Class 1A championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in December.  
It was not the tightest margin; however, as Leeds, which finished 10-3 in advancing to the quarterfinals last season but forfeited its 10 wins in March due to an ineligible player, held a 297-293 lead over Deshler. The Tigers were also a quarterfinalist in Class 4A last year, but dropped to Class 3A this season. The team that beat Deshler - Oneonta - will start the season ranked No. 1 in 4A after finishing runner-up to Jackson in the championship game.  
The only unanimous choice for No. 1 among the state’s sports writers was Hoover. The Bucs advanced to the Class 6A title game for the 11th time in 12 seasons, but fell to Prattville, 35-34, in the third title-game meeting in four seasons between the two schools.  
The complete poll, including all schools receiving votes and the panel of voters is listed below, with first-place votes and the 2011 record in parentheses.  
Class 6A  
1. Hoover (31) (13-2) 372
2. Clay-Chalkville & (1-9) 247
3. Auburn (8-2) 189
4. McGill-Toolen (11-2) 181
5. Spain Park (5-6) 155
6. Daphne (10-2) 102
7. Oxford (12-2) 82
8. Carver-Montgomery (7-4) 80
9t. Vestavia Hills (7-5) 77
9t. Northridge (10-2) 77
Others receiving votes: Prattville (12-2) 47, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (12-1) 41, Gadsden City (6-5) 33, Hueytown-* (13-1) 24, Mountain Brook (12-1) 21, Austin (7-4) 15, Fairhope (10-3) 8, Bob Jones (10-2) 7, Davidson (7-4) 4, Central-Phenix City (11-3) 2, Huntsville (8-4) 2, Florence (7-3) 1.
* Class 5A in 2011; & Forfeited nine games in 2011 due to an ineligible player.
 
Class 5A
1. Hartselle (19) (15-0) 316
2. Muscle Shoals (5) (11-2) 262
3. Pinson Valley (3) (9-3) 245
4. St. Paul’s (2) (11-2) 217
5. Homewood * (1) (5-5) 19
6. Jackson ** (15-0) 188
7. Vigor (1) (12-3) 70
8. Eufaula (10-2) 60
9. Briarwood Chr. (12-2) 46
10. Center Point (11-2) 44        
Others receiving votes: Cullman (8-4) 34, Spanish Fort (9-4) 24, Fort Payne (10-2) 24, Demopolis (6-5) 16, Etowah (10-2) 9, Valley (9-3) 7, Athens (4-7) 6, Walker (6-5) 3, Greenville (11-1) 1, Russellville (5-6) 1.
* Class 6A in 2011; ** Class 4A in 2011
 
Class 4A
1. Oneonta (20) (12-3) 327
2. Handley ** (5) (15-0) 250
3. Dadeville (2) (12-1) 234
4. UMS-Wright (1) (9-5) 184
5. N. Jackson (1) (11-1) 174
6. Thomasville (2) (10-2) 173
7. Bibb Co. (12-1) 84
8. Central-Clay Co. *** 74
9. Anniston (9-5) 73
10. Beauregard (10-2) 42  
 
Others receiving votes: Andalusia (10-1) 33, Sardis-** (9-2) 24, Brooks (8-3) 20, Rogers-** (11-3) 16, Fairview (7-4) 10, Madison Co.-* (4-6) 10, Charles Henderson-* (6-6) 9, Calera (4-6) 8, Tallassee-* (4-7) 6, Guntersville (8-3) 5, J.O. Johnson-&* (0-10) 5, Hillcrest-Evergreen (5-5) 4, St. James (8-3) 2.
* Class 5A in 2011; ** Class 3A in 2011; *** New school; & Forfeited five games in 2011 due to ineligible player.
 
Class 3A
1. Leeds & (11) (0-13) 297
2. Deshler * (13) (11-2) 293
3. Piedmont (1) (12-1) 242 
4. Madison Acad. (6) (12-3) 233
5. Bayside Acad. (11-1) 129
6. Abbeville (9-2) 121
7. Midfield-* (6-5) 112
8. Lauderdale Co. (11-2) 105
9. T.R. Miller (9-3) 78
10. Hamilton (8-3) 37
Others receiving votes: Fayette Co. * (9-4) 25, Gordo (9-3) 25, Hanceville (10-1) 23, American Chr. ** (12-2) 16, Elkmont (7-5) 8, Straughn * (6-5) 7, Trinity (6-5) 5, Excel (3-7) 3, Greene Co. * (7-4) 3, Geraldine (5-6) 2, Montevallo (4-6) 2, Opp (6-5) 1.
* Class 4A in 2011; ** Class 2A in 2011; & Forfeited 10 wins after the 2011 season due to ineligible player.
 
Class 2A
1. Elba (22) (15-0) 339 
2. Fultondale (4) (10-3) 272
3. Tanner (1) (14-1) 252
4. Sweet Water ** (2) (10-4) 196          
5. Washington Co. * (2) (9-3) 188
6. Reeltown (8-4) 123
7. Fyffe (11-1) 105
8. Vincent (9-3) 56 
9. Sheffield * (9-3) 55         
10. G.W. Long (9-2) 48
Others receiving votes: Oakman (8-4) 39, N. Sand Mountain (9-2) 32, Flomaton (11-2) 18, Woodland (8-5) 13, Walter Wellborn * (9-3) 9, LaFayette (7-4) 6, Sand Rock (6-5) 6, Leroy (8-5) 4, Montgomery Acad. * (3-7) 3, Southern Choctaw (8-3) 2, Luverne * (7-4) 1.
* Class 3A in 2011; ** Class 1A in 2011.
 
Class 1A
1. Marion Co. (19) (14-1) 297
2. Linden (6) (13-2) 285
3. Maplesville (2) (12-1) 219
4. Ragland (1) (13-1) 213
5. Brantley (1) (10-2) 192   
6. Pickens Co. (11-2) 179          
7. R.A. Hubbard (2) (7-4) 121
8. Cedar Bluff (6-6) 106     
9. Lynn (9-3) 38
10. Berry (10-2) 28 
Others receiving votes: Addison (9-2) 27, Collinsville (11-2) 17, Geneva Co. (6-6) 15, St. Jude (9-2) 7, Pleasant Home (8-4) 6, Winterboro (10-2) 6, Parrish (4-6) 5, Hackleburg (7-4) 3, McKenzie (6-4) 3.