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Saks No. 1

Wildcats pull down top ranking for second time in school history, two county teams (Oxford, Piedmont) ranked second

By East Alabama Sports Today

The only time Saks football coach Jonathan Miller says he thinks about No. 1 is in December. Well, he’ll have to look at it a little earlier.

Miller’s Wildcats pulled down the No. 1 ranking in Class 3A in this week’s statewide high school football poll.

It’s a good week for Calhoun County in the poll all around. Piedmont (3A) and Oxford (6A) are No. 2 in their respective polls and two other teams are in their top 10s – Ohatchee No. 4 in 2A, Jacksonville No. 7 in 4A.

It’s the second time Saks has been No. 1 in school history. The Wildcats were No. 1 in the AHSAA Class 3A poll in Week 10 of 1968.

They have been No. 2 each of the previous two weeks and No. 2 one other time in Miller’s tenure (2014 Week 8). Last year’s team that reached the Class 4A state semifinals only got in the poll in the last three weeks of the regular season – no higher than No. 5 – and finished No. 3. The 2013 team that may have been his best and played in the state semifinals only got to No. 3.

“I look at it a couple different ways,” Miller said of the top ranking. “It’s nice to be recognized by people across the state having a program that’s kind of in the mix every year, that people expect to be in the playoffs or make a run in the playoffs, so it’s good to be at that point.

“But with that being said you have to manage expectations with your team and they’ve got to understand at the end of the day the No. 1 ranking in the state in September doesn’t mean a whole lot. It’s a good thing for our kids and our community and our school to be excited about, but at the same time you’ve got to go earn it on the field.”

The Wildcats, who host Pleasant Valley Friday, are 4-0 behind a strong running game led by Johnathon Cobb and Roilan Torres. They’ve outscored their opponents 181-49 and their 45.3-point scoring average is tied for 13th overall in the state (second in 3A).

While on the subject of scoring averages, Oxford leads Class 6A in scoring offense (39.5 ppg) and scoring defense (1.5 ppg). The Yellow Jackets host Pinson Valley in a 2-vs.-3 game Friday.

The truest test to Saks’ resolve will come after its open date when the Wildcats run a gauntlet of consecutive games against current No. 2 Piedmont, Weaver and preseason No. 1 and current No. 4 Randolph County – the first two on the road.

In addition to the five teams in their respective rankings, three other county teams also are receiving votes – Weaver, Anniston and Donoho.

“It’s definitely good for football in this area,” Miller said. “There are a lot of good coaches, a lot of good teams. I think speaking on our region, it’s a pretty tough region, one of the toughest in 3A, and Oxford is in a very tough region. Ohatchee is a good program. There are a lot of good things going on in Calhoun County.”

STATEWIDE POLL
CLASS 7A
1. Central-Phenix City (24); 4-0; 339
2. Hewitt-Trussville (6); 3-1; 276
3. Thompson; 3-1; 218
4. Auburn; 4-0; 214
5. Hoover; 2-2; 195
6. McGill-Toolen; 3-1; 162
7. Mountain Brook; 4-0; 111
8. Vestavia Hills; 3-0; 80
9. Lee-Montgomery; 3-1; 53
10. Austin; 3-1; 28
Others receiving votes: Sparkman (3-0) 15, Theodore (3-1) 8, Bob Jones (2-2) 4, James Clemens (2-2) 4, Prattville (2-1) 2, Spain Park (1-3) 1.

CLASS 6A
1. Wetumpka (22); 4-0; 329
2. Oxford (5); 4-0; 271
3. Pinson Valley (3); 3-1; 259
4. Spanish Fort; 3-1; 192
5. Saraland; 4-0; 176
6. Clay-Chalkville; 3-1; 145
7. Hartselle; 4-0; 141
8. Homewood; 3-1; 86
9. Jackson-Olin; 4-0; 66
10. St. Paul’s; 3-1; 13
Others receiving votes: Hueytown (2-1) 6, McAdory (4-0) 6, Muscle Shoals (2-2) 5, Carver-Montgomery (4-0) 3, Opelika (1-3) 3, Carver-Birmingham (3-0) 2, Paul Bryant (4-0) 2, Stanhope Elmore (3-1) 2, Athens (2-1) 1, Gardendale (3-1) 1, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (2-2) 1.

CLASS 5A
1. Briarwood (28); 3-0; 354
2. Etowah (2); 4-0; 272
3. Vigor; 3-0; 243
4. Jackson; 3-0; 197
5. Demopolis; 3-1; 150
6. Sylacauga; 4-0; 142
7. Tallassee; 3-1; 124
8. Carroll-Ozark; 2-1; 70
9. Madison Academy; 3-1; 62
10. Greenville; 3-1; 29
Others receiving votes: Boaz (4-0) 24, Wenonah (1-1) 17, Ramsay (3-1) 8, Russellville (3-0) 8, Citronelle (3-0) 5, Faith-Mobile (2-1) 2, Mortimer Jordan (3-1) 2, Madison County (1-3) 1.

CLASS 4A
1. UMS-Wright (29); 4-0; 357
2. Hokes Bluff (1); 3-0; 265
3. Hillcrest-Evergreen; 3-1; 220
4. Fayette County; 3-1; 183
5. Catholic-Montgomery; 3-1; 162
6. Brooks; 3-1; 139
7. Jacksonville; 4-0; 129
8. American Christian; 3-0; 105
9. Andalusia; 2-2; 63
10. North Jackson; 3-0; 34
Others receiving votes: Headland (4-0) 17, Montevallo (4-0) 12, Good Hope (4-0) 10, Dale County (2-2) 5, Clarke County (1-2) 3, St. John Paul II (4-0) 3, Williamson (2-1) 2, Anniston (2-1) 1.

CLASS 3A
1. Saks (17); 4-0; 309
2. Piedmont (11); 3-0; 301
3. Thomasville (2); 3-0; 208
4. Randolph County; 2-1; 203
5. Mobile Christian; 2-1; 196
6. Winfield; 4-0; 149
7. Fultondale; 2-1; 103
8. T.R. Miller; 3-0; 91
9. Gordo; 2-2; 47
10. Providence Christian; 4-0; 29
Others receiving votes: Westminster-Huntsville (4-0) 27, Beulah (4-0) 11, Midfield (3-0) 6, Pike Road (4-0) 6, Flomaton (3-0) 5, St. James (3-1) 5, Weaver (3-0) 5, Wicksburg (1-2) 4, Susan Moore (4-0) 3, Oakman (1-2) 2.

CLASS 2A
1. Fyffe (29); 3-0; 357
2. Luverne; 3-0; 257
3. Reeltown; 4-0; 230
4. Ohatchee (1); 3-0; 214
5. Thorsby; 4-0; 165
6. Leroy; 2-1; 164
7. Cedar Bluff; 3-0; 109
8. Goshen; 2-1; 73
9. LaFayette; 1-2; 31
10. Abbeville; 3-0; 30
Others receiving votes: Addison (3-1) 19, Ranburne (3-0) 16, Cold Springs (4-0) 12, Cottage Hill (3-0) 9, Collinsville (3-1) 8, Ariton (2-2) 5, Colbert County (3-1) 4, Aliceville (2-1) 3, Tharptown (1-2) 3, Geneva County (2-2) 1.

CLASS 1A
1. Lanett (23); 3-1; 336
2. Linden (6); 3-0; 279
3. Marengo; 4-0; 215
4. Brantley (1); 3-0; 179
5. Maplesville; 2-1; 154
6. South Lamar; 3-0; 143
7. Elba; 3-0; 123
8. St. Luke’s; 3-1; 75
9. Pickens County; 2-1; 72
10. Sweet Water; 1-2; 40
Others receiving votes: Georgiana (3-1) 29, Falkville (4-0) 22, Isabella (3-0) 14, R.A. Hubbard (4-0) 13, Mars Hill Bible (3-0) 11, Wadley (2-1) 2, Donoho (3-1) 1, Marion Co. (4-0) 1, Spring Garden (2-1) 1.

AISA
1. Tuscaloosa Academy (26); 4-0; 348
2. Autauga Academy (3); 3-1; 269
3. Monroe Academy (1); 5-0; 248
4. Chambers Academy; 5-0; 200
5. Escambia Academy; 3-1; 183
6. Pike Liberal Arts; 5-0; 154
7. Lakeside; 3-1; 86
8. Morgan Academy; 4-1; 84
9. Bessemer Academy; 2-3; 62
10. Wilcox Academy; 4-0; 37
Others receiving votes: Kingwood (4-1) 10, Patrician (3-2) 9, Edgewood (4-1) 8, Macon-East (3-1) 8, Glenwood (1-4) 2, Crenshaw Christian (4-1) 1, Springwood (2-2) 1.

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