With its decisive 49-7 victory over Region 5 rival Glencoe on Friday, Piedmont (3-0) leapfrogged Leeds (3-0) for the top spot in this week’s Alabama Sportswriters Association rankings.
The Bulldogs earned a total of 342 points and received 21 out of 31 first-place votes.
The Green Wave, which held off Midfield 7-6 on Friday, took seven first-place votes and earned 288 total points.
"It's nice that people think so highly of our team, but I don't think it changes anything for us," Piedmont coach Steve Smith said. "Our sole focus is on a Cleveland team (Friday) we haven't faced in a few years (1999 was the last meeting). It shows a great amount of respect to our program, but it also puts a bullseye on your back."
Piedmont began the 2012 season at No. 3 and has held the No. 2 spot the previous two weeks.
It’s the first time the Bulldogs have been ranked No. 1 since the final regular season poll of 2011 (Nov. 2). Last year, Piedmont spent a total of eight weeks at the top spot. The Bulldogs went 12-1 last season.
Defense has been a big part of the Bulldogs' 3-0 start in 2012. In addition to holding Glencoe to seven points last week, Piedmont limited Ashville - which features one of the state's top quarterback prospects in E.J. Moss - to just 13 points two weeks ago. The Bulldogs also contained a Cherokee County Warrior spread offense to just seven first-half points in a 45-21 victory.
"We've said since the end of last season that we could have a special team on defense," Smith said. "Coach (James) Blanchard does a great job coming up with the game plan, and our other defensive coaches (Matt Glover, Everett Kelley, Mark Mitchell, Oscar Bonds, Kevin Bedwell and Patrick Walker), it takes all those guys to help make a cohesive effort."
As Smith mentioned, Piedmont puts its top ranking and unblemished record on the line this Friday at Cleveland (1-2). The Bulldogs host Leeds next Thursday in a potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown.
Two other area teams continue to be ranked in the Class 1A poll. Cedar Bluff (3-0) holds steady at No. 7, while Collinsville (3-0) crept up a spot from No. 9 to No. 8.
The two teams clash in a Region 7 battle on Oct. 5.
Cedar Bluff and Collinsville both play in Jacksonville this Friday. The Tigers travel to Jacksonville Christian (1-2), while the Panthers tangle with Sumiton Christian (2-1) at Jacksonville State University’s Burgess-Snow Field.
One other area team received consideration for this week’s Class 1A poll, the Spring Garden Panthers (3-0). The Panthers, seeking their first 4-0 start in school history, travel to Gadsden to face Coosa Christian (0-3).
In other statewide happenings, Leeds wasn’t the only former top team to fall this week.
Class 2A Fultondale, which started the season at No. 2 and spent the first two weeks of the regular season at No. 1, tumbled to sixth after a 25-24 home loss to Region 6 foe Woodland on Friday night.
Among the other leaders, Hoover regained its unanimous perch on top of Class 6A, snaring all 31 first-place votes, while Class 4A Oneonta lost its perfect first-place mark as No. 2 Dadeville grabbed one first-place vote.
Class 5A Hartselle, Class 1A Marion County and the AISA’s Edgewood Academy retained their first-place status.
In games involving ranked teams this week, Hoover hosts Class 6A No. 6, Northridge, Hartselle hosts Class 5A No. 6 Cullman, Class 4A No. 7 Thomasville is at No. 8 Andalusia, Class 3A No. 3 T.R. Miller is at No. 7 Bayside while No. 4 Madison Academy is at No. 9 Deshler, Class 2A No. 8 Wellborn hosts No. 6 Fultondale, and AISA No. 2 Autauga Academy is at No. 1 Edgewood Academy, No. 3 Monroe Academy at No. 7 Fort Dale, No. 6 Glenwood at No. 9 Lee-Scott and No. 4 Restoration hosts No. 5 Tuscaloosa Academy,
This week’s complete rankings, with first-place votes and records in parenthesis, along with total points, are listed below.
Class 6A
1. Hoover (31) (3-0) 372
2. Clay-Chalkville (3-0) 268
3. Auburn (3-0) 245
4. McGill-Toolen (3-0) 213
5. Vestavia Hills (3-0) 177
6. Northridge (3-0) 143
7. Austin (3-0) 120
8. Gadsden City (3-0) 71
9. Daphne (2-1) 66
10. Fairhope (3-0) 25
Others receiving votes: Carver-Montgomery (2-1) 16, Opelika (2-1) 11, Central-Phenix City (2-1) 7, Mountain Brook (3-0) 7, Oxford (1-2) 7, Hazel Green (2-1) 5, Northview (2-1) 5, Blount (3-0) 3, Davidson (3-0) 2, Huntsville (3-0) 2, Oak Mountain (3-0) 2.
Class 5A
1. Hartselle (25) (3-0) 350
2. Muscle Shoals (5) (3-0) 281
3. Jackson (1) (3-0) 251
4. Eufaula (3-0) 197
5. Spanish Fort (3-0) 192
6. Cullman (3-0) 137
7. St. Paul’s (2-1) 119
8. Fort Payne (3-0) 96
9. Homewood (2-1) 66
10. Demopolis (3-0) 42
Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (3-0) 13, Vigor (2-1) 5, Walker (2-1) 5, Sylacauga (3-0) 4, Boaz (3-0) 3, McAdory (3-0) 3, Wenonah (3-0) 2, Etowah (2-1) 1.
Class 4A
1. Oneonta (30) (3-0) 369
2. Dadeville (1) (3-0) 270
3. Central-Clay Co. (3-0) 240
4. Beauregard (3-0) 202
5. UMS-Wright (2-1) 200
6. Handley (2-1) 111
7. Thomasville (2-1) 110
8. Andalusia (3-0) 99
9. Madison Co. (3-0) 72
10. Brooks (3-0) 28
Others receiving votes: Tallassee (3-0) 14, Dora (3-0) 10, St. James (3-0) 9, J.O. Johnson (3-0) 8, Anniston (2-1) 7, Monroe Co. (1-2) 7, Haleyville (3-0) 4, Calera (2-1) 2, Lincoln (2-1) 2, Sardis (2-1) 2, Bibb Co. (2-1) 1.
Class 3A
1. Piedmont (21) (3-0) 342
2. Leeds (7) (3-0) 288
3. T.R. Miller (3) (3-0) 259
4. Madison Acad. (2-1) 201
5. Hamilton (3-0) 179
6. Lauderdale Co. (2-1) 153
7. Bayside Acad. (2-1) 123
8. Vinemont (3-0) 61
9. Deshler (1-2) 38
10. Sylvania (3-0) 34
Others receiving votes: Midfield (1-2) 23, Colbert Co. (3-0) 16, Fayette Co. (2-1) 15, Gordo (2-1) 12, Straughn (2-1) 11, Daleville (3-0) 6, Barbour Co.(3-0) 4, B.B. Comer (2-1) 1, Opp (1-2) 1.
Class 2A
1. Tanner (29) (3-0) 360
2. Washington Co. (2) (3-0) 282
3. Fyffe (3-0) 220
4. Elba (2-1) 210
5. Sweet Water (2-1) 185
6. Fultondale (2-1) 117
7. G.W. Long (3-0) 108
8. Walter Wellborn (3-0) 89
9. Reeltown (2-1) 67
10. N. Sand Mountain (3-0) 57
Others receiving votes: Woodland (2-1) 47, Ider (3-0) 11, Providence Chr. (3-0) 4, Randolph Co. (3-0) 3, New Brockton (2-1) 2, Sheffield (2-1) 2, Vincent (2-1) 2, Horseshoe Bend (2-1) 1.
Class 1A
1. Marion Co. (29) (3-0) 365
2. Linden (1) (3-0) 281
3. Maplesville (3-0) 232
4. Ragland (2-0) 200
5. Brantley (1) (3-0) 199
6. Pickens Co. (3-0) 177
7. Cedar Bluff (3-0) 125
8. Collinsville (3-0) 88
9. R.A. Hubbard (2-1) 46
10. Shoals Chr. (2-1) 23
Others receiving votes: Keith (3-0) 8, Lynn (2-1) 8, Spring Garden (3-0) 7, Meek (3-0) 3, Donoho (3-0) 2, Falkville (3-0) 1, Geneva Co. (2-1) 1, Hackleburg (2-1) 1.
AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (5-0) 369
2. Autauga Acad. (4-0) 269
3. Monroe Acad. (1) (4-0) 230
4. Restoration (5-0) 188
5. Tuscaloosa Acad. (4-0) 181
6. Glenwood Acad. (3-1) 132
7. Fort Dale Acad. (3-1) 109
8. Clarke Prep. (4-0) 108
9. Lee-Scott (3-1) 103
10. Pickens Acad. (4-0) 41
Others receiving votes: Macon-East (3-1) 14, Escambia Acad. (1-3) 4, Marengo Acad. (3-1) 4, Ashford Acad. (4-1) 3, Meadowview (2-2) 3, Bessemer Acad. (1-4) 2, Jackson Acad. (2-2) 2, Wilcox Acad. (1-3) 2, Crenshaw Chr. (2-2) 1, Lakeside (2-2) 1, Patrician (2-2) 1.
The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are:
Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Alabama Media Group; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Jonathan Deal, Athens News Courier; Erich Hilkert, Atmore Advance; Bran Strickland, 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; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Record; Josh Bean, 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; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald. Not Voting: Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times.
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