Hartselle ranked 14th in preseason ASWA poll

The Falkville Blue Devils will begin the 2014 football season at No. 10 in Class 2A Alabama Sports Writers Association poll, which was released last night.

Falkville won the region championship last season, but they moved up to Class 2A when reclassification was announced earlier this year.

Fellow region opponents Tanner and Addison are both ranked No. 1 and No. 7 respectively.

Hartselle, which is outside of the opening ASWA Top 10 for the first time since 2007, moves up to Class 6A, Region 8 with Cullman, No. 11 Decatur, Austin, Athens, No. 9 Muscle Shoals and No. 6 Florence.

Hartselle received votes and was ranked 14th overall.

Defending Class 4A state champion Oneonta, which is in Priceville’s region, is ranked No. 5 to begin the season.

Here are the complete Alabama Sports Writers Association preseason poll:

Class 7A

1. Hoover (32) (15-0)  384

2. Bob Jones (11-2)  233

3. McGill-Toolen (12-2)  224

4. Spain Park (8-3)  218

5. Auburn (13-2)  190

6. Central-Phenix City (6-4)  158

7. Foley (6-6)  137

8. Vestavia Hills (11-3)  133

9. Fairhope (9-3)  75

10. Prattville (7-3)  45

Others receiving votes: Smiths Station (10-3) 13, Murphy (6-5) 5, Gadsden City (5-6) 4, Baker (6-4) 3, Mountain Brook (7-4) 1, Tuscaloosa Co (7-4) 1.

Class 6A

1. Spanish Fort (29) (15-0)  370

2. Clay-Chalkville (1) (10-2)  279

3. Shades Valley (1) (10-2)  216

4. Carver-Montgomery (1) (10-3)  198

5. Opelika (7-4)  190

6. Florence (9-4)  150

7. Daphne (8-3)  147

8. Blount (9-2)  97

9. Muscle Shoals (13-2)  60

10. Bessemer City (10-2)  49

Others receiving votes: Decatur (5-6) 33, Saraland (12-2) 14, Southside-Gadsden (13-1) 7, Hartselle (8-3) 6, Scottsboro (7-4) 3, Briarwood Chr. (9-3) 2, Athens (9-4) 1, Oxford (9-3) 1, Stanhope Elmore (4-6) 1.

Class 5A

1. St. Paul’s (24) (10-3)  347

2. Pleasant Grove (3) (10-2)  249

3. Vigor (3) (2-8*)  228

4t. Central-Clay Co. (10-3)  223

4t. Jackson (1) (12-1)  223

6. Charles Henderson (1) (14-1)  160

7. J.O. Johnson (11-2)  139

8. Etowah (7-4)  67

9. Alexandria (3-7)  59

10. Guntersville (10-2)  24

*-includes five forfeits

Others receiving votes:  Dora (5-6) 20; Demopolis (7-4) 17; Madison Co. (8-3) 16; Calera (10-2) 15; Mortimer Jordan (4-7) 11, Sylacauga (8-4) 9, Greenville (2-8) 6, Eufaula (6-5) 3, Russellville (4-6) 3, Moody (6-5) 2, Lincoln (4-7) 1, Parker (8-4) 1, West Point (4-6) 1.

Class 4A

1. Leeds (16) (12-3)  332

2. UMS-Wright (12) (11-3)  321

3. Dadeville (11-2)  198

4. Straughn (10-3)  175

5. Oneonta (14-1)  167

6. Saks (13-1)  165

7. Thomasville (5-6)  139

8. Deshler (8-4)  98

9. Andalusia (8-3)  50

10. Trinity (8-3)  47

Others receiving votes: Bibb Co. (10-2) 38, Fayette Co. (10-2) 38, Munford (12-2) 32, Hamilton (9-3) 6, North Jackson (2-8) 6, St. James (4-6) 6, Haleyville (10-2) 4, Childersburg (9-3) 2.

Class 3A

1. Madison Acad. (30) (15-0)  378

2. Piedmont (11-2)  271

3. T.R. Miller (2) (12-1)  267

4. Dale Co. (11-1)  192

5. Walter Wellborn (8-4)  141

6. Pike Co. (7-5)  132

7. Colbert Co. (11-2)  129

8. Glencoe (8-4)  120

9. Midfield (7-5)  59

10. Lauderdale Co. (9-3)  48

Others receiving votes: Geraldine (8-3) 15, Daleville (5-5) 14, Plainview (7-4) 12, Fultondale (10-2) 9, Gordo (7-4) 8, Oakman (10-2) 7, Montgomery Acad. (11-2) 6, Lamar Co. (10-2) 5, Aliceville (7-4) 3, Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-4) 3, Bayside Acad. (8-5) 2, Excel (5-5) 2, New Hope (8-3) 1..

Class 2A

1. Tanner (28) (13-1)  369

2. Fyffe (3) (12-2)  266

3. Lanett (1) (11-1)  251

4. Washington Co. (13-2)  238

5. Sweet Water (10-4)  161

6. G.W. Long (10-2)  160

7. Addison (9-2)  88

8. Cottonwood (6-5)  86

9. Pickens Co. (15-0)  64

10. Falkville (9-2)  54

Others receiving votes: Geneva Co. (9-3) 36, Luverne (11-2) 24, Red Bay (8-3) 13, Reeltown (7-4) 9, Gaston (7-4) 5.

Class 1A

1. Brantley (19) (11-3)  336

2. Maplesville (12) (14-1)  272

3. Linden (1) (9-4)  252

4. Hubbertville (11-3)  191

5. R.A. Hubbard (8-4)  136

6. Loachapoka (10-3)  131

7. Cedar Bluff (4-5)  115

8. Valley Head (9-2)  90

9. Ragland (10-2)  72

10. A.L. Johnson (7-3)  69

Others receiving votes: Marion Co. (6-4) 32, Berry (7-6) 28, J.U. Blacksher (1-9) 18, McKenzie (9-3) 16, Autaugaville (8-4) 15, Donoho (7-3) 11, Lynn (3-7) 8, Shades Mtn. Chr. (2-7) 7, Billingsley (8-3) 6, Brilliant (7-5) 6, Kinston (5-6) 5, Hackleburg (7-4) 2, Millry (3-7) 2, Gaylesville (6-5) 1, McIntosh (2-8) 1, Spring Garden (3-7) 1, Talladega Co. Cent. (5-6) 1.

AISA

1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (14-0)  378

2. Restoration (12-2)  260

3. Bessemer Acad. (12-2)  248

4. Monroe Acad. (1) (13-0)  224

5. Marengo Acad. (1) (13-0)  194

6. Wilcox Acad. (8-4)  189

7. Escambia Acad. (10-3)  112

8. Clarke Prep (8-5)  99

9. Autauga Acad. (8-3)  63

10. S. Choctaw Acad. (4-7)  25

Others receiving votes: Abbeville Chr. (10-3) 16, Tuscaloosa Acad. (7-4) 13, Sparta Acad. (3-8) 2, Pike Liberal (2-8) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry (Chairman), Alabama Media Group; Ed Bailey, Alexander City Outlook; 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; Johnathan Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Jeremy Smith, Freelance (Demopolis); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; J.J. Hicks, Gadsden Times; Brent Maze, Hartselle Enquirer; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Tom Green, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Daniel Evans, Selma Times-Journal; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Griffin Pritchard, Tallassee Tribune; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Cory Diaz, Wetumpka Herald.