By Paul Beaudry/For ASWA
In the 11 polls during the 2012 football season, Hoover received every possible first-place vote except for one – after the second week of play.
Now that the season is over, the Bucs picked up every first-place vote but one in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 25 poll.
The ASWA’s second Super 25 postseason poll weighs a team’s final record and their class, but also takes into account its body of work within its own class – specifically, if a team did its best against other schools its size, or those larger classes when it had the opportunity.
At 15-0, there’s no doubt Hoover did that and more – stopping all comers and finishing with a 31-0 shutout of Opelika, which finished ninth in the poll at 10-5 after a surprising playoff run that saw the Bulldogs avenge two regular-season losses in the semifinals and quarterfinals.
State champions from the Alabama High School Athletic Association comprised six of the top seven spots. Spanish Fort, the 5A champion, was second, 4A winner UMS-Wright was third, 2A champ Tanner was fourth, and 3A titlist Madison Academy was fifth. The only other team to crack the winners was 5A runner-up McAdory, which was sixth. Class 1A winner Brantley finished seventh and was the only team other than Hoover to receive a first-place vote.
Among the Super 25, Class 6A earned eight spots, with classes 5A and 4A grabbing four each. Class 3A had three spots, 2A, 1A and the AISA had two spots each.
The complete poll is listed below with first-place votes, class and final records in parentheses.
1. Hoover (23) (6A; 15-0), 599, 6A champion
2. Spanish Fort (5A; 14-1), 551, 5A champion
3. UMS-Wright (4A; 13-2), 464, 4A champion
4. Tanner (2A; 14-0), 442, 2A champion
5. Madison Academy (3A; 13-2), 414, 3A champion
6. McAdory (5A; 14-1), 406, 5A runner-up
7. Brantley (1) (1A; 15-0), 398, 1A champion
8. Carver-Montgomery (6A; 12-2), 397, 6A semifinalist
9. Opelika (6A; 10-5), 389, 6A runner-up
10. Clay-Chalkville (6A; 12-2), 372, 6A semifinalist
11. Oneonta (4A; 14-1), 350, 4A runner-up
12. Muscle Shoals (5A; 13-1), 315, 5A semifinalist
13. St Paul’s (5A; 11-3), 247, 5A semifinalist
14. Auburn (6A; 11-2), 227, 6A quarterfinalist
15. Washington County (2A; 13-2), 226, 2A runner-up
16. Marion County (1A; 13-2), 182, 1A runner-up
17. Fayette County (3A; 12-3), 176, 3A runner-up
18. Vestavia Hills (6A; 10-3), 166, 6A quarterfinalist
19. Edgewood Aca. (AISA; 14-0), 148, AISA AA champion
20. Madison County (4A; 12-2), 134, 4A semifinalist
21. McGill-Toolen (6A; 11-1), 129, 6A second round
22. Tuscaloosa Aca. (AISA; 13-0), 123, AISA AAA champion
23. Spain Park (6A; 10-3), 120, 6A quarterfinalist
24. Dora (4A; 12-2), 116, 4A semifinalist
25. Lauderdale County (3A; 12-2), 95, 3A semifinalist