By Gary Lloyd
CLAY — For the first time since Week 9 of the 2011 high school football season, Clay-Chalkville is No. 1 in Class 6A.
The Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Class 6A, Region 6) ascended to the top spot in this week’s Alabama Sports Writers Association rankings after previous No. 1 Spanish Fort lost to Daphne 7-0.
In Week 9 of the 2011 season, when Clay-Chalkville was 9-0 and ranked No. 1, it was discovered that the Cougars had been playing an ineligible player. The nine wins were stripped and an Alabama Supreme Court ruling cast the team out of the state playoffs.
Clay-Chalkville players celebrate an Art Smith (6) touchdown run at Shades Valley on Saturday, Oct. 11.
file photo by Ron Burkett
This week, Clay-Chalkville earned 31 of the 32 possible first-place votes. Spanish Fort, now No. 4, earned the other one.
The rest of this week’s Class 6A top 10, in order, are Opelika, Saraland, Spanish Fort, Shades Valley, Florence, Blount, McAdory, Benjamin Russell and Daphne.
In Class 7A, Hoover is again No. 1, followed in order by Fairhope, Central-Phenix City and Gadsden City tied for third, Oak Mountain, Baker, Bob Jones, Foley, Prattville, and Murphy.
Hewitt-Trussville earned four votes for top 10 consideration and was listed second in the “Others receiving votes” category, essentially meaning the Huskies are ranked No. 12 in Class 7A.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
