Photo by Barry Stephenson.
Josh Niblett
The Bucs are not the top-ranked team in the ASWA preseason poll for the first time since 2000.
The Alabama Sports Writers Association released its preseason football poll last week, and it featured an unusual sight.
Hoover has been the top-ranked team in either Class 6A or 7A in every preseason poll since 2000, but McGill-Toolen snapped that streak this year, as the defending 7A champs are the No. 1 team to start the year. James Clemens was ranked second.
The Bucs find themselves at No. 3 to begin the year, receiving one first-place vote among the 30 cast.
Spain Park knocked off Hoover to reach the state final against McGill-Toolen last fall, and the Jags are slotted at No. 5 to kick off the season.
Hoover's first opponent of the season, Central-Phenix City, slid in between the Bucs and Jags at No. 4.
Bob Jones, Hewitt-Trussville, Murphy, Auburn, and Gadsden City rounded out the top 10.
Vestavia Hills was the only other Region 3 team to receive votes outside of Hoover and Spain Park.
