By PAUL BEAUDRY

For The ASWA

Any time No. 1 meets No. 2, there’s excitement and anticipation. When it’s for a region title it matters even more.

Two such matchups await teams in this week’s Alabama Sports Writers Association high school football poll, while six other games between ranked teams will also decide region crowns as will six more between ranked teams and those also receiving votes.

The biggest pairing comes in Class 4A where No. 1 Jackson is at No. 2 Thomasville to decide the Region 1 title. Both are undefeated and have been ranked 1-2 since the first week of the regular season.

After then-No. 4 Hamilton stopped No. 2 Cordova in Class 3A last week, Handley moved up a spot to No. 2, setting up a road battle with season-long No. 1 Leeds for the Region 3 title. Hamilton moved into third this week, a point behind Handley, while the Blue Devils dropped to fourth.

Six more ranked matchups will decide region titles, led by Class 6A No. 1 Hoover – the lone unanimous pick in the poll for the seventh-straight week, hosting No. 9 Mountain Brook. Fourth-ranked Bob Jones will host No. 3 Decatur for the Class 6A, Region 8 title, while No. 3 North Jackson will host No. 7 Fairview for the Class 4A, Region 7 crown.

Class 2A No. 3 Reeltown will host No. 7 Lineville for the Region 5 championship, while Class 1A No. 1 Brantley is at No. 6 McKenzie in Region 2 and AISA No. 3 Crenshaw Christian is at No. 7 Lowndes Academy for the Class A, Region 1 crown.

CLASS 6A

1. Hoover (36) (8-0) 432

2. Daphne (8-0) 313

3. Decatur (8-0) 271

4. Bob Jones (7-1) 240

5. Davidson (7-1) 215

6. Auburn (6-1) 178

7. Wetumpka (7-0) 151

8. Central-Phenix City (7-1) 93

9. Mountain Brook (7-1) 59

10. Vestavia Hills (6-2) 26

Others receiving votes: Prattville (6-2) 19, Gadsden City (6-2) 18, Murphy (7-1) 15, Hewitt-Trussville (7-1) 10, Foley (6-2) 5, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (7-1) 5, Gardendale (5-3) 2.

CLASS 5A

1. Hartselle (27) (7-1) 399

2. Briarwood Chr. (4) (7-1) 318

3. Walker (3) (7-1) 275

4. Russellville (7-1) 232

5. Hueytown (7-1) 210

6. Fort Payne (2) (8-0) 201

7. Pleasant Grove (7-1) 166

8. Demopolis (6-2) 98

9. McAdory (6-2) 58

10. St. Paul’s (7-1) 53

Others receiving votes: Spanish Fort (6-2) 17, Tallassee (7-1) 12, Valley (6-2) 6, Cullman (6-2) 3, Eufaula (6-2) 2, Sylacauga (7-1) 2.

CLASS 4A

1. Jackson (24) (8-0) 391

2. Thomasville (10) (8-0) 352

3. N. Jackson (8-0) 283

4. Bibb Co. (2) (8-0) 262

5. Deshler (7-1) 207

6. Dadeville (8-0) 176

7. Fairview (8-0) 130

8. Fayette Co. (7-1) 89

9. Straughn (7-1) 72

10. Anniston (7-1) 38

Others receiving votes: Andalusia (7-1) 30, UMS-Wright (5-3) 7, Beauregard (7-1) 6, Oak Grove (7-1) 5, Central-Florence (7-1) 2, Ashford (7-1) 1, Cherokee Co. (5-3) 1.

CLASS 3A

1. Leeds (35) (8-0) 429

2. Handley (1) (8-0) 303

3. Hamilton (8-0) 302

4. Cordova (7-1) 207

5. Piedmont (7-1) 194

6. Glencoe (7-1) 192

7. Gordo (7-1) 160

8. Madison Acad. (7-1) 110

9. Trinity (7-1) 80

10. Abbeville (7-1) 23

Others receiving votes: Washington Co. (6-2) 18, Daleville (7-1) 9, Lauderdale Co. (7-1) 7, T.R. Miller (5-3) 6, Winfield (6-2) 4, Plainview (6-2) 3, Hale Co. (7-1) 2, Susan Moore (6-2) 2, Luverne (5-3) 1.

CLASS 2A

1. Elba (24) (8-0) 388

2. Leroy (8) (7-1) 340

3. Reeltown (2) (7-1) 286

4. Westbrook Chr. (1) (8-0) 242

5. Cottonwood (8-0) 220

6. Tanner (1) (7-0) 206

7. Lineville (7-1) 135

8. Fyffe (7-1) 108

9. Goshen (7-1) 80

10. Ider (6-2) 16

Others receiving votes: American Chr. (7-1) 15, Colbert Hts. (7-1) 13, Southern Choctaw (6-2) 1, Sulligent (6-2) 1, Westminster Chr. (7-1) 1.

CLASS 1A

1. Brantley (30) (8-0) 411

2. Maplesville (3) (8-0) 318

3. Sweet Water (3) (6-2) 299

4. Linden (7-1) 252

5. R.A. Hubbard (7-1) 201

6. McKenzie (8-0) 187

7. Lynn (8-0) 131

8. Addison (7-1) 107

9. Appalachian (8-0) 71

10. Collinsville (8-0) 33

Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (6-2) 21, St. Jude (7-1) 19, Cedar Bluff (6-2) 2.

AISA

1. Monroe Acad. (29) (8-0) 406

2. Bessemer Acad. (7) (8-0) 345

3. Crenshaw Chr. (8-0) 271

4. Clarke Prep (7-1) 244

5. Edgewood (8-1) 214

6. Pike Liberal (6-2) 176

7. Lowndes Acad. (8-1) 116

8. Fort Dale (6-2) 115

9. Springwood (6-2) 58

9. Prattville Chr. (7-2) 58

Others receiving votes: Patrician (5-2) 22, Coosa Valley Acad. (7-1) 14, Restoration Acad. (6-2) 10, Glenwood (5-3) 3.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are:; Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Freelance (Birmingham); Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; 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; Scot Beard, Franklin County Times; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Brooke Johnson, Freelance (Madison); 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.