By Paul Beaudry | ASWA

In a season that saw 13 opponents fail to come within a touchdown of Hoover in 15 games, it should be no surprise that the third-annual Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 25 poll was also dominated by the Bucs.

Local squad Maplesville, which lost to Pickens County in the Class 1A state championship game, is ranked No. 16.

For the second time in as many years, Hoover was named the No. 1 team in the state regardless of classification in the post-season poll of the state’s prep sports writers. The Bucs had 23 of 26 possible first place votes after winning the Class 6A championship with a 20-3 victory over Auburn, which finished third in the post-season picks.

Class 5A champion Spanish Fort staked two first-place votes after its 35-14 win over Muscle Shoals, while Class 3A champ Madison Academy picked up the other first-place vote and was fourth overall with a 31-14 win over Leeds.

The Super 25 attempts to reward teams for success within their own classification; Class 1A champ Pickens County—which was ninth overall—also finished undefeated and did everything it was asked to do playing a schedule of its peers. The poll takes into account a school’s record and class, but also measures the whole body of work, factoring how it did against schools its size or those larger.

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ASWA Super 25 Poll

(First-place votes, class and final records in parentheses)

1. Hoover (23) (6A, 15-0) 644—Won Class 6A championship

2. Spanish Fort (2) (5A, 15-0) 612—Won Class 5A championship

3. Auburn (6A, 13-2) 521—Class 6A runner-up

4. Madison Acad. (1) (3A, 15-0) 515—Won Class 3A championship

5. Oneonta (4A, 14-1) 478—Won Class 4A championship

6. Muscle Shoals (5A, 13-2) 454—Class 5A runner-up

7. Tanner (2A, 13-1) 404—Won Class 2A championship

8. Vestavia Hills (6A, 11-3) 401—Class 6A semifinalist

9. Pickens Co. (1A, 15-0) 399—Won Class 1A championship

10. Charles Henderson (4A, 14-1) 360—Class 4A runner-up

11. McGill-Toolen (6A, 12-2) 350—Class 6A semifinalist

12. Leeds (3A, 12-3) 265—Class 3A runner-up

13. Southside-Gadsden (5A, 13-1) 246—Class 5A semifinalist

14. Florence (6A, 9-4) 244—Class 6A quarterfinalist

15. Washington Co. (2A, 13-2) 230—Class 2A runner-up

16. Maplesville (1A, 14-1) 220—Class 1A runner-up

17. UMS-Wright (4A, 11-3) 214—Class 4A semfinalist

18. Saraland (5A, 12-2) 162—Class 5A semifinalist

19. Bob Jones (6A, 11-2) 159—Class 6A quarterfinalist

20. Edgewood Acad.(AISA, 14-0) 152—Won Class AA Championship

21. Clay-Chalkville (6A, 10-2) 139—Class 6A second-round

22. Jackson (5A, 12-1) 131—Class 5A quarterfinalist

23. Saks (3A, 13-1) 115—Class 3A semifinalist

24. Monroe Acad. (AISA, 13-0) 106—Won Class AAA championship

25. St. Paul’s (5A, 10-3) 92—Class 5A quarterfinalist