For the fifth consecutive year, Fort Dale Academy will start its season ranked among the Alabama Independent School Association’s top 10.

The Eagles, who finished 4-7 in 2011, will open the season ranked No. 6 by the Alabama Sportswriters Association.  In four of the last five years, the Eagles have been ranked in the top three to start the season. The last time the Eagles started the season unranked was 2007 when they went on to win eight games.

“I don’t care at all about rankings,” Fort Dale head coach James “Speed” Sampley said. “Those are just someone’s opinion, and a lot of times those people don’t know much about the AISA. The ranking are usually just based off something that’s happened in the past, so we aren’t going to worry about preseason rankings.”

In this year’s preseason poll, Fort Dale is ranked behind Edgewood Academy, Bessemer Academy, Glenwood School, Autauga Academy and Jackson Academy.

The Eagles have games scheduled with Edgewood, Bessemer and Autauga this season, as well as seventh-ranked Pike Liberal Arts School and eighth-ranked Monroe Academy.

Fort Dale was the only Butler County team to crack the preseason top 10. However, both Greenville High School and McKenzie School received votes in the Class 5A and Class 1A polls, respectively.

Greenville, which finished the 2011 season with an 11-1 mark, received one vote. McKenzie, which finished its 2001 campaign with a 6-4 record, received three votes.

 

ASWA Preseason poll

Class 6A  

1. Hoover (31) (13-2)    372

2. Clay-Chalkville-& (1-9)    247

3. Auburn (8-2)    189

4. McGill-Toolen (11-2)    181

5. SpainPark (5-6)    155

6. Daphne (10-2)    102

7. Oxford (12-2)    82

8. Carver-Montgomery (7-4)    80

9t. Vestavia Hills (7-5)    77

9t. Northridge (10-2)    77

Others receiving votes: Prattville (12-2) 47, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (12-1) 41, Gadsden City (6-5) 33, Hueytown-* (13-1) 24, Mountain Brook (12-1) 21, Austin (7-4) 15, Fairhope (10-3) 8, Bob Jones (10-2) 7, Davidson (7-4) 4, Central-Phenix City (11-3) 2, Huntsville (8-4) 2, Florence (7-3) 1. 
*-Class 5A in 2011; &-Forfeited nine games in 2011 due to an ineligible player.

Class 5A

1. Hartselle (19) (15-0)    316

2. Muscle Shoals (5) (11-2)    262

3. PinsonValley (3) (9-3)    245

4. St. Paul’s (2) (11-2)    217

5. Homewood-* (1) (5-5)    194

6. Jackson-** (15-0)    188

7. Vigor (1) (12-3)    70

8. Eufaula (10-2)    60

9. Briarwood Chr. (12-2)    46

10. Center Point (11-2)    44

Others receiving votes: Cullman (8-4) 34, Spanish Fort (9-4) 24, FortPayne (10-2) 24, Demopolis (6-5) 16, Etowah (10-2) 9, Valley (9-3) 7, Athens (4-7) 6, Walker (6-5) 3, Greenville (11-1) 1, Russellville (5-6) 1.

*-Class 6A in 2011; **-Class 4A in 2011

Class 4A

1. Oneonta (20) (12-3)    327

2. Handley-** (5) (15-0)    250

3. Dadeville (2) (12-1)    234

4. UMS-Wright (1) (9-5)    184

5. N. Jackson (1) (11-1)    174

6. Thomasville (2) (10-2)    173

7. Bibb Co. (12-1)    84

8. Central-Clay Co.-***    74

9. Anniston (9-5)    73

10. Beauregard (10-2)    42

Others receiving votes: Andalusia (10-1) 33, Sardis-** (9-2) 24, Brooks (8-3) 20, Rogers-** (11-3) 16, Fairview (7-4) 10, Madison Co.-* (4-6) 10, Charles Henderson-* (6-6) 9, Calera (4-6) 8, Tallassee-* (4-7) 6, Guntersville (8-3) 5, J.O. Johnson-&* (0-10) 5, Hillcrest-Evergreen (5-5) 4, St. James (8-3) 2.

*-Class 5A in 2011; **-Class 3A in 2011; ***-New school; &-Forfeited five games in 2011 due to ineligible player.

Class 3A

1. Leeds-& (11) (0-13)    297

2. Deshler-* (13) (11-2)    293

3. Piedmont (1) (12-1)    242

4. Madison Acad. (6) (12-3)    233
5. Bayside Acad. (11-1)    129

6. Abbeville (9-2)    121

7. Midfield-* (6-5)    112

8. Lauderdale Co. (11-2)    105

9. T.R. Miller (9-3)    78

10. Hamilton (8-3)    37

Others receiving votes: Fayette Co.-* (9-4) 25, Gordo (9-3) 25, Hanceville (10-1) 23, American Chr.-** (12-2) 16, Elkmont (7-5) 8, Straughn-* (6-5) 7, Trinity (6-5) 5, Excel (3-7) 3, Greene Co.-* (7-4) 3, Geraldine (5-6) 2, Montevallo (4-6) 2, Opp (6-5) 1.

*-Class 4A in 2011; **-Class 2A in 2011; &-Forfeited 10 wins after the 2011 season due to ineligible player.

Class 2A

1. Elba (22) (15-0)    339

2. Fultondale (4) (10-3)    272

3. Tanner (1) (14-1)    252

4. Sweet Water-** (2) (10-4)    196

5. Washington Co.-* (2) (9-3)    188

6. Reeltown (8-4)    123

7. Fyffe (11-1)    105

8. Vincent (9-3)    56

9. Sheffield-* (9-3)    55

10. G.W. Long (9-2)    48

Others receiving votes: Oakman (8-4) 39, N. Sand Mountain (9-2) 32, Flomaton (11-2) 18, Woodland (8-5) 13, Walter Wellborn-* (9-3) 9, LaFayette (7-4) 6, Sand Rock (6-5) 6, Leroy (8-5) 4, Montgomery Acad.-* (3-7) 3, Southern Choctaw (8-3) 2, Luverne-* (7-4) 1.

*-Class 3A in 2011; **-Class 1A in 2011.

Class 1A

1. Marion Co. (19) (14-1)    297

2. Linden (6) (13-2)    285

3. Maplesville (2) (12-1)    219

4. Ragland (1) (13-1)    213

5. Brantley (1) (10-2)    192

6. Pickens Co. (11-2)    179

7. R.A. Hubbard (2) (7-4)    121

8. Cedar Bluff (6-6)    106

9. Lynn (9-3)    38

10. Berry (10-2)    28

Others receiving votes: Addison (9-2) 27, Collinsville (11-2) 17, GenevaCo. (6-6) 15, St. Jude (9-2) 7, Pleasant Home (8-4) 6, Winterboro (10-2) 6, Parrish (4-6) 5, Hackleburg (7-4) 3, McKenzie (6-4) 3.

AISA

1. Edgewood Acad. (24) (13-0)    351

2. Bessemer Acad. (6) (12-1)    249

3. Glenwood Acad. (8-6)    194

4. Autauga Acad. (12-2)    165

5. Jackson Acad. (12-1)    142

6. FortDale Acad. (4-7)    127

7. Pike Liberal (6-4)    105

8. Monroe Acad. (1) (11-2)    102

9. Lee-Scott (7-4)    98

10. Sumter Acad. (9-4)    73

Others receiving votes:Tuscaloosa Acad. (9-2) 59, Springwood (9-2) 29, Clarke Prep (7-4) 19, Restoration (3-7) 16, Crenshaw Chr. (11-1) 15, CoosaValley (3-7) 8, Patrician Acad. (10-3) 7, Sparta Acad. (4-7) 5, Escambia Acad. (8-5) 2, Morgan Acad. (8-4) 1.