The official beginning of high school football practice Monday was marked by two new faces and one familiar sight.

With temperatures approaching 90 degrees, two local teams opened practice under new coaches, Billingsley with Jeremy Carter and Thorsby with Billy Jackson.

Both Carter and Jackson, however, were assistant coaches last season with their respective programs.

Maplesville finds itself in a position it has grown accustomed to: ranked among the state’s top programs. The Red Devils were ranked No. 7 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s preseason poll and were the only local squad ranked.

Billingsley received votes but didn’t make the top 10.

Maplesville coach Brent Hubbert said the ranking would be the first topic at a team meeting Monday.

“I’ll ask how many knew we were ranked,” Hubbert said. “You want them to know everything, to know everything about our opponents.”You hope it will create a little excitement for the kids, and it’s good for the community. But we tell them it doesn’t mean anything because we have the playoffs.”

Hubbert said he thinks the ranking, more than anything else, is a recognition of the work put in by his players.

The work—for Maplesville and all other local teams—began in earnest Monday but has been going on since the spring.

“It’s getting to be like it’s another part of the summer,” CCHS coach Brian Carter said about the official beginning of the practice period.

Carter’s Tigers, for example, have attended five different 7-on-7 passing camps this summer, at CCHS, Isabella, Prattville, Samford University and the University of Alabama. So, the Tigers will spend more time this week running the football on offense and stopping the run on defense.

Complete ASWA poll:

Class 6A

Team-1st place votes-record-points

1. Prattville (35) (13-1) 429

2. Hoover (1) (13-2) 310

3. Davidson (11-3) 244

4. Vestavia Hills (7-4) 158

5. Auburn (12-1) 130

6. Opelika (8-3) 102

7. Tuscaloosa Co. (11-1) 90

8. Minor (9-3) 75

9. (tie) Daphne (7-4) 67

9. (tie) Jess Lanier (7-3) 67

Others receiving votes: Stanhope Elmore (7-4) 52, McGill-Toolen (9-3) 50, Foley (7-3) 47, Murphy (10-3) 30, Oxford (8-3) 28, Pelham (6-5) 27, Huntsville (10-4) 21, Fairhope (6-5) 20, Bob Jones (7-5) 19, Gadsden City (7-5) 18, Mountain Brook (11-2) 15, Theodore (8-4) 15, Buckhorn (5-5) 10, Wetumpka (9-3) 9, Enterprise (7-4) 7, Oak Mountain (3-7) 7, Clay-Chalkville (5-6) 2, Williamson (6-4) 2, Hueytown (6-5) 1.

Class 5A

1. Vigor (29) (15-0) 401

2. Russellville (4) (13-2) 306

3. Briarwood Chr. (1) (9-3) 265

4. Carver-Mont. (1) (13-1) 233

5. Demopolis (1) (8-5) 210

6. Spanish Fort (11-2) 149

7. Cullman (11-3) 128

8. Walker (11-2) 110

9. Shelby Co. (11-1) 55

10. Springville (8-3) 54

Others receiving votes: Boaz (8-4) 31, Athens (6-5) 25, Eufaula (6-5) 24, Valley (10-2) 23, Hartselle (12-1) 20, Wenonah (6-4) 20, Sylacauga (7-4) 5, Greenville (7-4) 3, Fairfield (9-3) 2, Fort Payne (7-4) 2, Tallassee (7-4) 2, Selma (5-5) 1.

Class 4A

1. UMS-Wright (32) (13-2) 420

2. Cherokee Co. (3) (14-1) 324

3. Deshler (1) (10-4) 249

4. Thomasville (7-5) 165

5. Oneonta (10-3) 153

6. North Jackson (10-2) 130

7. Midfield (9-2) 123

8. Brooks (11-2) 96

9. Handley (10-3) 92

10. Bibb Co. (10-2) 73

Others receiving votes: Guntersville (8-3) 69, Fayette Co. (9-3) 61, Lincoln (11-2) 27, Elmore Co. (11-1) 22, Jackson (9-4) 21, Alexandria (9-3) 10, Fairview (6-5) 9, Calera (7-5) 3, W.S. Neal (2-8) 3, Andalusia (2-8) 1, Hillcrest-Evergreen (3-7) 1.

Class 3A

1. Leeds (29) (15-0) 395

2. Cordova (4) (11-4) 300

3. T.R. Miller (2) (13-1) 299

4. Colbert Co. (1) (10-4) 214

5. Piedmont (10-3) 212

6. Gordo (9-4) 120

7. Daleville (9-4) 80

8. Montevallo (5-5) 76

9. Dadeville (11-1) 71

10. Susan Moore (9-3) 66

Others receiving votes: Sardis (7-4) 52, Trinity (8-3) 43, Slocomb (9-3) 35, Hamilton (12-1) 24, Bayside Acad. (6-5) 21, West Morgan (10-2) 16, Luverne (8-4) 12, Pike Co. (5-5) 9, Montgomery Acad, (5-6) 5, Straughn (8-3) 2.

Class 2A

1. Leroy (36) (15-0) 432

2. Reeltown (12-2) 253

3. Tanner (12-1) 185

4. Fyffe (9-4) 182

5. Pickens Co. (11-2) 180

6. (tie) Clay Co. (13-1) 171

6. (tie) Houston Acad. (8-3) 171

8. Millry (10-3) 144

9. Sulligent (12-3) 69

10. Winston Co. (9-3) 38

Others receiving votes: Washington Co. (6-6) 36, Cottonwood (6-4) 32, Fultondale (5-6) 27, Lexington (6-5) 27, American Chr. (10-2) 25, Sand Rock (9-2) 24, Lineville (4-8) 15, Barbour Co. (8-3) 11, New Brockton (6-5) 11, St. Jude (7-4) 8, Hatton (6-4) 4, Red Bay (4-7) 3, Lanett (7-4) 2, Elba (7-4) 1, Excel (3-7) 1.

Class 1A

1. Sweet Water (36) (14-1) 432

2. Gaston (11-3) 272

3. Brantley (12-1) 251

4. Loachapoka (9-3) 210

5. R.A. Hubbard (7-3) 167

6. Cedar Bluff (9-3) 154

7. Maplesville (6-4) 118

8. Linden (13-1) 88

9. Ariton (8-3) 79

10. Talladega Co. Cen. (10-2) 68

Others receiving votes: McIntosh (8-3) 43, Appalachian (10-3) 40, J.U. Blacksher (8-4) 39, Spring Garden (9-3) 26, Wadley (9-2) 11, South Lamar (9-4) 10, Ragland (7-4) 5, Victory Chr. (8-3) 5, McKenzie (9-2) 3, Billingsley (9-3) 2, Winterboro (5-6) 2, Lynn (6-5) 1.

AISA

1. Fort Dale (24) (10-3) 379

2. Edgewood Ac. (7) (13-0) 272

3. Bessemer Acad. (2) (9-3) 244

4. Southern Acad. (8-3) 202

5. Tuscaloosa Acad. (11-2) 194

6. Patrician Acad. (1) (12-0) 159

7. Monroe Acad. (1) (11-1)   141

8. South Choctaw Ac. (10-3) 107

9. Pike Liberal (1) (12-1) 91

10. Glenwood Acad. (8-3) 74

Others receiving votes: Lowndes Acad. (10-4) 48, Morgan Acad. (5-6) 22, Crenshaw Chr. (10-2) 17, Cornerstone Chr. (6-5) 8, Escambia Acad, (0-11) 8, Hooper Acad. (4-7) 7, Restoration Acad. (4-4) 3, Sparta Acad. (6-4) 3, Macon-East (5-5) 1, Lakeside Acad. (2-8) 1.