Each week the Alabama Sportswriters Association votes on the top high school football teams in the state, ranking them from 1-10 in each classification. These writers take this seriously and do a good job of trying to keep up with what is happening in each classification and in areas of the state that they do not cover. Inevitably, someone gets left out. Here is the team that should be ranked in each classification that is not and why they should be.
Class 7A- Prattville. The Lions are 2-1, with a lost to highly regarded Auburn 20-14, but convincing victories over Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore. The Lions have a three week gauntlet coming up beginning September 24th, when they play#2 Hoover, #8 Enterprise and # 5 Central Phenix City three weeks in a row. But they have a solid defense which can take them far. Prattville may end the season with two or three losses, but could be a force in the playoffs.
Class 6A - Jackson Olin. The Mustangs are 2-0, having beat Woodlawn and Calera with an open date this week. You never can count out Coach Tim Vakakes and Jackson Olin always has talent. How good the Mustangs are will be told when they play region foes #3 Pinson Valley on September 17th and #2 Clay Chalkville October 1st. They could end up as the third or even fourth best team in the region, but be a tough draw for someone come playoff time.
Class 5A - Andalusia - The Bulldogs might have the toughest opening month schedule in the state. They opened with a road victory over highly regarded #5 Faith Academy 21-20, before traveling again and losing to a tough 7A Fairhope team that upset Daphne last week. After a 45-6 victory over region foe Rehobeth, they travel once again to play region opponent #1 ranked Pike Road. But the Dogs schedule lightens up some, Trent Taylor always seems to have his team prepared and Andalusia has an open date the last week before the playoffs. Expect them to make a run at the end of the season. But they ARE a top 10 team.
Class 4A - St. James - The Trojans were young last year and finished 7-4. They are older now and can score points on everyone on their schedule and have an improved defensive unit. Expect Jimmy Perry's team to finish 8-2 or maybe even 9-1, finishing the year with region foe Geneva and rival Trinity. Chances are there will be no early round playoff exit in 2021.
Class 3A - Winfield - The Pirates are coming off a 10-2 campaign from 2020 and have proved once again they can score points. They are 3-0 and their biggest win was over a good Northside team that went 10-3 last season and beat Winfield. The Pirates ran the regular season table with 8 straight wins last year and they look to do the same in 2021. Expect this to be an undefeated, highly ranked team come playoff time. They should be ranked now.
Class 2A - G.W. Long - The Rebels beat a tough ranked region opponent last week in the speedy Elba Tigers, who had defeated Opp (now ranked #10 in 3A) the week before. Long returns a number of quality players from their 2020 squad that went 9-2 before losing to Lanett in the playoffs. These Rebels could very well run the table until October 23rd when they meet #5 Abbeville in a region championship showdown. They are hurt a little in the early poll because they did not play Weeks 0 or 1, but this is a solid team that has enough skill and speed to play with the big guns. They have won 19 games the last two years.
Class 1A - Sumiton Christian - The Eagles haven't met a tough foe yet, but the team is in their third year under former McAdory coach David Powell. After going 1-9 and 6-5 in the first two campaigns under Powell, Sumiton looks to be headed in the right direction. They won 5 of the last 6 regular season games last season and made the playoffs. Look for them to challenge for the region championship and make some noise come playoff time.