DEMOPOLIS – The Tigers will face an uphill battle in the race for the Class 4A State Championship, coming in with the fourth-ranked spot in 4A football by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Top-ranked 4A Trinity heads into this week’s state playoffs with 25 consecutive wins — the longest current streak in the state. Still ahead of the Tigers in the standings are Deshler (2) and UMS Wright (3).

Deshler handed Class 5A leader Russellville its only loss of the season.

Still, Coach Doug Goodwin is optimistic over his teams chances, and is bearing down on the Class 4A championship.

The Tigers face St. James in the opening round of playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday before a home crowd.

In all, seven area teams make playoff berths Friday.

In Class 1A, 7th ranked Sweet Water (8-2) takes on Florala; A.L. Johnson (7-3) tackles Brantley (10-0); and John Essex (6-4) goes head-to-head with Ariton (8-2).

Just one step behind Demopolis in Class 4A, 5th ranked Thomasville (9-1) faces Cleburne County, and Pike County (7-3) is at Clarke County (8-2) at Grove Hill in Class 3A action.

Greensboro’s Southern Academy (9-2), holding on to its third-ranked spot in AISA action, takes on Chambers Academy.

AHSAA teams will participate in a five-week playoff culminating with the Super Six state finals Dec. 8-10 at Legion Field (Dec. 8) and the Hoover Met (Dec. 9-10).

The AISA will play the finals in its three classifications Nov. 24 and Nov. 26 at home sites of the top-seeded teams. The Class AAA schools will hold their finals on Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving eve) while AA and A schools will play finals on Nov. 26.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s final state football rankings for 2004, including ranked team, first-place votes, record, poll points and next opponent:

CLASS 6A — 1. Hoover (22) (10-0) 299 vs. Grissom, Hoover Met

— 2. Prattville (4) (9-0) 244 vs. Robertsdale

— 3. Tuscaloosa County (9-1) 206 vs. Pell City

— 4. Fairhope (9-1) 168 vs. Carver-Montgomery

— 5. Vestavia Hills (8-2) 152 at No. 10 Decatur

— 6. Clay-Chalkville (8-2) 82 vs. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa

— 7. LeFlore (8-2) 64 vs. Opelika

— 8. Minor (8-2) 61 vs. Hewitt-Trussville

— 9. Davidson (8-2) 44 vs. Enterprise, Thursday

— 10. Decatur (8-2) 35 vs. No. 5 Vestavia Hills

— Others receiving votes: Mountain Brook (7-3) 32, Sparkman (7-3) 27, Spain Park (7-3) 17, Enterprise (7-3) 11, Daphne (5-4) 8, Jeff Davis (6-3) 7, Pelham (5-5) 7, Auburn (7-3) 5, Hewitt-Trussville (7-3) 5, Central-Phenix City (7-3) 4, Huffman (7-3) 4, Opelika (6-4) 3

CLASS 5A — 1. Russellville (16) (9-1) 278 vs. Gadsden

— 2. Homewood (9) (9-1) 218 vs. St. Paul’s

— 3. Stanhope Elmore (1) (8-1) 197 vs. Hueytown

— 4. McAdory (9-1) 162 vs. Eufaula

— 5. Citronelle (9-1) 150 vs. Shelby County

— 6. Pleasant Grove (9-1) 142 vs. Wetumpka

— 7. Fairfield (9-1) 102 vs. Lee-Huntsville

— 8. Scottsboro (9-1) 72 vs. West End

— 9. Williamson (8-2) 41 vs. Briarwood, Thursday

— 10. Hartselle (8-2) 35 vs. Etowah

— Others receiving votes: Etowah (8-2) 28, Oxford (8-2) 22, Pinson Valley (7-3) 17, Henderson-Troy (7-3) 9, Parker (8-2) 5, Benjamin Russell (7-3) 3, Buckhorn (7-3) 1.

CLASS 4A — 1. Trinity (13) (10-0) 259 vs. Bibb County

— 2. Deshler (6) (10-0) 236 vs. Hayden

— 3. UMS-Wright (6) (10-0) 235 vs. Tallassee

— 4. Demopolis (1) (10-0) 198 vs. St. James

— 5. Thomasville (9-1) 144 vs. Cleburne County

— 6. Elmore County (10-0) 133 vs. Escambia County

— 7. Geneva (9-1) 103 vs. Dallas County

— 8. Dora (9-1) 80 vs. Ardmore

— 9. North Jackson (8-2) 52 vs. Chelsea

— 10. Alexandria (8-2) 22 vs. Brooks

— Others receiving votes: East Limestone (8-2) 11, Moody (7-3) 6,Oak Grove (8-2) 6, Chelsea (7-3) 3, Cleburne County(7-3) 3, Opp (6-4) 1

CLASS 3A — 1. T.R. Miller (16) (9-0) 277 vs. West Blocton

— 2. Oneonta (7) (10-0) 246 vs. Dadeville

— 3. Winfield (2) (10-0) 188 vs. Glencoe

— 4. Midfield (1) (10-0) 163 vs. Slocomb

— 5. Springville (9-1) 144 vs. Holtville

— 6. Weaver (10-0) 135 vs. Winston County

— 7. Rogers (9-1) 95 vs. Plaiview

— 8. Cherokee County (9-1) 84 vs. Madison Academy

— 9. Lauderdale County (9-1) 50 vs. Crossville

— 10. Clarke County (8-2) 23 vs. Pike County

— Others receiving votes: Litchfield (7-3) 20, Susan Moore (8-2) 18, Danville (9-1) 17, Slocomb (7-3) 8, Pike County (7-3) 4, Montgomery Academy (8-2) 3, Straughn (7-3) 3, Sumiton Christian (7-3) 3, Hokes Bluff (7-3) 2, Colbert County (6-4) 1

CLASS 2A — 1. Fyffe (17) (10-0) 277 vs. Hatton

— 2. Red Bay (6) (10-0) 241 vs. West End, Walnut Grove

— 3. Calera (2) (10-0) 189 vs. Elba

— 4. Red Level (9-1) 166 vs. G.W. Long

— 5. Clay County (9-1) 138 vs. Cold Springs

— 6. Randolph County (1) (9-1) 128 vs. Oakman

— 7. Gaston (9-1) 118 vs. Lexington

— 8. Luverne (8-2) 69 vs. Georgiana

— 9. Leroy (7-2) 59 at No. 10 Marbury

— 10. Marbury (9-1) 33 vs. No. 9 Leroy

— Others receiving votes: Lamar County (8-2) 29, Southern Choctaw (8-2) 23, Holly Pond (9-1) 15, Washington County (6-4) 8, Houston County (8-2) 1, Tanner (7-3) 1

CLASS 1A — 1. R.A. Hubbard (19) (10-0) 283 vs. Appalachian

— 2. Wadley (4) (10-0) 234 vs. Marion County

— 3. Brantley (2) (10-0) 203 vs. A. L. Johnson

— 4. American Christian (1) (10-0) 189 vs. Zion Chapel

— 5. Addison (8-1) 149 vs. Valley Head

— 6. Loachapoka (10-0) 120 vs. Frisco City

— 7. Sweet Water (8-2) 83 vs. Florala

— 8. South Lamar (9-1) 82 vs. Fayetteville

— 9. Cedar Bluff (9-1) 52 vs. Hackleburg

— 10. Parrish (8-2) 37 vs. Winterboro

— Others receiving votes: Valley Head (8-2) 19, Ragland (8-2) 16, Reeltown (7-3) 6, Berry (7-3) 3, Millry (6-4) 2, Section (8-2) 2, Autaugaville (6-4) 1, Winterboro (7-3) 1

AISA — 1. Faith Academy (22) (10-0) 297 vs. Glenwood

— 2. Bessemer Academy (2) (10-0) 238 vs. Mobile Christian

— 3. Southern Academy (2) (9-0) 205 vs. Chambers Academy

— 4. Clarke Prep (10-0) 184 vs. Meadowview

— 5. Edgewood (9-1) 162 vs. Fort Dale Academy

— 6. Morgan Academy (8-2) 103 vs. No. 10 Pike Liberal

— 7. Abbeville Christian (9-1) 93 vs. Patrician Academy

— 8. Autauga Academy (8-1) 84 vs. Central Christian

— 9. Shelby Academy (8-2) 47 vs. Crenshaw Christian

— 10. Pike Liberal (8-2) 34 at No. 6 Morgan Academy

— Others receiving votes: Escambia Academy (8-2) 13, Glenwood (5-5) 6, Lowndes Academy (8-2) 6, Fort Dale Academy (6-4) 3, Mobile Christian (5-5) 3, Pickens Academy (7-3) 2, South Choctaw Academy (7-3) 2