By PAUL BEAUDRY

For The ASWA

Top three teams proved to be easy pickings in the opening week of the Alabama High School Athletic Association football season.

Five of the six AHSAA classes saw at least one of the top three teams ranked in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll fall during the first week of play. Only Class 6A and the Alabama Independent Schools Association went unscathed.

The biggest upset came in Class 3A as No. 3 T.R. Miller going for the program’s 600th win, fell to in overtime to Class 4A Escambia County, 35-34. The Tigers have another shot at 600 this week at Bayside to open Region 1 play.

Class 2A No. 1 Reeltown and 1A No. 1 Sweet Water fell to Dadeville and Thomasville, respectively; Sweet Water lost more than the game as Auburn commitment Chris Landrum suffered a broken ankle and will be out six to eight weeks. Class 4A No. 1 UMS-Wright was routed by Class 6A McGill-Toolen, 41-16, and defending Class 5A champ and second-ranked Demopolis fell to Briarwood Christian, 23-13.

Three new No. 1 teams slid into their spots with Class 4A Jackson, 1A Linden and 2A Leroy – its 25th week as No. 1 since Danny Powell became the head coach in 2006. Class 6A Hoover, 5A Russellville, 3A Leeds and Pike Liberal Arts in the AISA all held their spots.

This week’s matchups among ranked teams include No. 8 Spain Park at No. 1 Hoover in 6A, and Class 6A No. 3 Davidson hosting Class 5A No. 7 Vigor.

CLASS 6A

1. Hoover (32) (1-0) 402

2. Prattville (2) (1-0) 306

3. Davidson (1-0) 259

4. Vestavia Hills (1-0) 231

5. Gadsden City (1-0) 201

6. Auburn (1-0) 180

7. McGill-Toolen (1-0) 140

8. Spain Park (0-1) 62

9. Bob Jones (0-1) 42

10. Enterprise (1-0) 34

Others receiving votes: Minor (1-0) 30, Daphne (1-0) 27, Homewood (1-0) 11, Carver-Montgomery (1-0) 7, Decatur (1-0) 5, Tuscaloosa Co. (0-1) 1.

CLASS 5A

1. Russellville (30) (1-0) 391

2. McAdory (3) (1-0) 301

3. Spanish Fort (1) (1-0) 257

4. Hueytown (1-0) 214

5. Briarwood Chr. (1-0) 202

6. Hartselle (1-0) 175

7. Vigor (1-0) 137

8. Cullman (1-0) 96

9. Demopolis (0-1) 93

10. Tallassee (1-0) 42

Others receiving votes: Walker (1-0) 11, Muscle Shoals (1-0) 9, St. Paul’s (1-0) 6, Pleasant Grove (1-0) 3, Fort Payne (1-0) 1.

CLASS 4A

1. Jackson (22) (1-0) 366

2. Thomasville (6) (1-0) 319

3. N. Jackson (1-0) 236

4. UMS-Wright (3) (0-1) 221

5. Cherokee Co. (1) (1-0) 202

6. Straughn (1) (1-0) 170

7. Bibb Co. (1) (1-0) 147

8. Deshler (0-1) 118

9. Calera (1-0) 77

10. Fayette Co. (1-0) 37

Others receiving votes: Dadeville (1-0) 14, Cleburne Co. (1-0) 8, Andalusia (1-0) 7, Escambia Co. (1-0) 7, Anniston (0-1) 6, Brooks (1-0) 1, Central-Florence (1-0) 1, Hillcrest-Evergreen (1-0) 1.

CLASS 3A

1. Leeds (31) (1-0) 398

2. Cordova (2) (1-0) 289

3. Piedmont (1) (1-0) 257

4. Hamilton (1-0) 214

5. Clay Co. (1-0) 197

6. Handley (1-0) 176

7. T.R. Miller (0-1) 134

8. Luverne (1-0) 118

9. Trinity (1-0) 77

10. Pike Co. (1-0) 42

Others receiving votes: Madison Acad. (0-1) 13, Saks (1-0) 8, Glencoe (1-0) 3, Pisgah (1-0) 3, Plainview (0-1) 2, Abbeville (1-0) 1, Excel (1-0) 1, Gordo (0-1) 1, Sardis (1-0) 1, Sylvania (1-0) 1, Walter Wellborn (1-0) 1, Winfield (1-0) 1.

CLASS 2A

1. Leroy (32) (1-0) 401

2. Elba (1) (1-0) 296

3. Ider (1-0) 239

4. Reeltown (0-1) 228

5. Cottonwood (1-0) 208

6. Westbrook Chr. (1) (1-0) 202

7. Tanner (1-0) 151

8. Fyffe (0-1) 62

9. Red Bay (1-0) 51

10. Lineville (0-1) 29

Others receiving votes: Colbert Hts. (1-0) 18, Wicksburg (1-0) 14, Goshen (1-0) 8, Sand Rock (1-0) 8, Lamar Co. (0-1) 7, Flomaton (1-0) 3, Highland Home (1-0) 3, Houston Acad. (1-0) 3, Southern Choctaw (1-0) 3, Barbour Co. (1-0) 2, Cleveland (1-0) 2.

CLASS 1A

1. Linden (26) (1-0) 383

2. Brantley (3) (1-0) 297

3. Sweet Water (5) (0-1) 289

4. R.A. Hubbard (1-0) 211

5. Maplesville (1-0) 195

6. Addison (1-0) 167

7. Pickens Co. (1-0) 136

8. Loachapoka (1-0) 96

9. Hackleburg (1-0) 89

10. Winterboro (1-0) 22

Others receiving votes: Parrish (1-0) 15, Cedar Bluff (0-1) 12, Lynn (1-0) 8, Appalachian (1-0) 7, McKenzie (1-0) 7, Berry (1-0) 2, Collinsville (1-0) 1, Holy Spirit (1-0) 1.

AISA

1. Pike Liberal (26) (1-0) 377

2. Fort Dale (3) (1-0) 308

3. Patrician (3) (1-0) 274

4. Edgewood (1) (2-0) 241

5. Bessemer Acad. (1) (1-0) 224

6. Crenshaw Chr. (1-0) 158

7. Springwood (1-0) 121

8. Clarke Prep (1-0) 42

9. Prattville Chr. (2-0) 33

10. S. Choctaw Acad. (1-1) 31

Others receiving votes: Monroe Acad. (1-0) 27, Southern Acad. (0-1) 26, Lakeside (0-1) 16, Lowndes Acad. (2-0) 16, Restoration Acad. (1-0) 14, Morgan Acad. (1-0) 11, Escambia Acad, (1-1) 9, Coosa Valley (1-0) 5, Glenwood (0-1) 3, Cornerstone (0-1) 1, Lee-Scott (1-0) 1.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are:; Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Freelance (Birmingham); Nick Birdsong, Anniston Star; Chandler Myers, Atmore Advance; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Justin Graves, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Jason Bowen, Daily Sentinel; Cody Whitlock, Decatur Daily; Jeremy Smith, Demopolis Times; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Brooke Johnson, Freelance (Decatur); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer; Mike Easterling, Huntsville Times; Josh Bean, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Wesley Lyle, Montgomery Advertiser; Jonathan Deal, Moulton Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; David Morrison, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Heather Baggett, Talladega Daily Home; Aaron Suttles, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald. Not voting: Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Scot Beard, Franklin County Times.