By Erik Harris
The Alabama Sports Writers Association didn’t care to shock anyone with its preseason football poll, released earlier this week.
In consistent fashion, the panel rewarded all seven 2014 Alabama High School Athletic Association state champions with the highest mark from Class 1A through Class 7A.
One of those recipients is Class 6A defending champ Clay-Chalkville, and few will question its placement atop the 6A poll. Similar words could be said about Class 7A preseason No. 1 Hoover.
Seven Class 7A, Region 3 programs, including Hewitt-Trussville, find themselves either ranked or receiving votes to be ranked in the initial 2015 poll.
No. 1 Hoover is followed by No. 5 Oak Mountain on the list. They are closely followed by Region 3 representatives No. 11 Spain Park, No. 15 Hewitt-Trussville, No. 16 Mountain Brook, No. 18 Vestavia Hills and No. 19 Tuscaloosa County.
(Each team’s 2014 record is in parentheses).
Class 7A preseason poll
No. 1 Hoover (12-2)
No. 2 Central-Phenix City (10-2)
No. 3 Prattville (11-3)
No. 4 Baker (9-2)
No. 5 Oak Mountain (10-2)
No. 6 Bob Jones (8-3)
No. 7 Foley (9-4)
No. 8 Gadsden City (10-3)
No. 9 Murphy (7-4)
No. 10 James Clemens (7-4)
Class 6A preseason poll
No. 1 Clay-Chalkville (15-0)
No. 2 Spanish Fort (12-2)
No. 3 Saraland (13-2)
No. 4 Opelika (9-2)
No. 5 McAdory (12-1)
No. 6 Florence (11-3)
No. 7 Muscle Shoals (8-3)
No. 8 Carver-Montgomery (9-3)
No. 9 Homewood (9-3)
No. 10 Gardendale (8-5)
Pinson Valley was not ranked by the ASWA and didn’t receive votes to be ranked in the Class 6A poll, making top-ranked Clay-Chalkville and No. 10 Gardendale Region 6’s only two representatives.
The ASWA poll will be released each Wednesday throughout the 2015 regular season.