Rams, Lady Bobcats on fringe of rankings

Published 8:04 am Thursday, April 12, 2018

GREATER VALLEY AREA —  The Alabama Sports Writers Association released a new set of state baseball and softball rankings on Wednesday night.

For a second consecutive week, the Valley High School baseball team garnered recognition. The Rams were nominated to be ranked in the Class 5A poll but remained on the fringe of the top 10.

Also making an appearance in the rankings was the Beulah softball team. The Lady Bobcats were nominated in 3A but, like Valley, remained on the cusp of the top 10. This was the team’s first showing of the season in the rankings.

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Valley (14-11) won one game and lost one game since last week’s poll was published. It completed a series sweep of Booker T. Washington on Monday, downing its Area 5 opponent, 5-2.

The victory extended Valley’s win streak to six games. But Valley couldn’t keep the wheels spinning on Tuesday at Beauregard. The Rams lost the first game of a pivotal series that will decide the area champion.

Beulah (7-3) also split a pair of games since the last poll was published.

The Lady Bobcats fell to Valley on Monday, 11-1, before rebounding on Tuesday with a resounding 13-0 triumph over Area 6 opponent B.B. Comer. Beulah improved to 5-0 in area play with the victory.

ASWA SOFTBALL RANKINGS
CLASS 7A
1. Sparkman (25-3)
2. Spain Park (28-5)
3. Thompson (33-5)
4. Baker (32-6)
5. Fairhope (26-4)
6. Hewitt-Trussville (28-5)
7. Bob Jones (23-8)
8. Oak Mountain (16-10)
9. Buckhorn (15-11-1)
10. James Clemens (17-8)
Others nominated: Auburn (22-8), Central-Phenix City (23-14), Enterprise (22-12), Huntsville (18-8), Theodore (17-12-1), Smiths Station (19-12), Tuscaloosa County (15-12).

CLASS 6A
1. Gardendale (31-1)
2. Hazel Green (26-3)
3. Saraland (27-2)
4. Daphne (29-9)
5. Helena (21-5)
6. Brookwood (19-11)
7. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (18-5)
8. Northview (22-7)
9. Austin (11-9)
10. Hartselle (19-8)
Others nominated: Benjamin Russell (21-9), Chelsea (10-13), Gulf Shores (22-16), Decatur (11-8-2), Pell City (21-7), Pinson Valley (12-14).

CLASS 5A
1. Alexandria (25-3)
2. Springville (30-5)
3. Hayden (26-6)
4. Rehobeth (24-6)
5. Scottsboro (19-8)
6. Mortimer Jordan (19-13)
7. Faith Academy (22-7)
8. Eufaula (26-7)
9. Corner (20-12)
10. Ardmore (21-6)
Others nominated: Calera (14-8), Demopolis (19-10), East Limestone (15-13), Etowah (15-10), Jemison (19-6), Lincoln (22-14), Moody (20-14), Russellville (15-9-1), Shelby County (12-3).

CLASS 4A
1. Alabama Christian (27-5)
2. Wilson (30-3)
3. Holtville (24-6)
4. Hale County (23-7)
5. Bibb County (15-5)
6. Cherokee County (20-5)
7. North Jackson (20-6)
8. Northside (22-14)
9. Tallassee (18-6)
10. Madison Academy (18-4)
Others nominated: Central-Florence (13-8), Danville (11-7-3), DAR (11-10), Haleyville (9-8), Westminster Christian (12-10), Winfield (15-7).

CLASS 3A
1. Pisgah (18-4)
2. Plainview (20-6)
3. American Christian (22-6)
4. Locust Fork (19-4)
5. Prattville Christian (22-8)
6. Excel (23-6)
7. Providence Christian (21-10)
8. Wicksburg (23-5)
9. Pleasant Valley (23-10)
10. Lauderdale County (17-7-1)
Others nominated: Beulah (7-3), Carbon Hill (18-12), Colbert Heights (21-7), East Lawrence (11-8-1), Elkmont (21-6-1), Geneva (20-11), Slocomb (19-15).

CLASS 2A
1. Hatton (27-7)
2. Mars Hill Bible (25-9)
3. Lamar County (18-9)
4. Reeltown (18-8-1)
5. Leroy (20-5-1)
6. G.W. Long (15-12)
7. Collinsville (18-12)
8. Ider (17-10-1)
9. Sand Rock (12-8)
10. Falkville (15-12)
Others nominated: Ariton (16-12), Fayetteville (10-9), J.U. Blacksher (8-7-1).

CLASS 1A
1. Brantley (28-3)
2. South Lamar (20-4)
3. Appalachian (16-7)
4. Sumiton Christian (13-14)
5. Spring Garden (18-9)
6. Pleasant Home (10-3)
7. Skyline (7-10)
8. Sweet Water (14-13)
9. Ragland (10-12)
10. Berry (14-9-1)
Others nominated: Cedar Bluff (9-9), Kinston (9-8), Waterloo (9-14).

AISA
1. Macon-East (42-7)
2. Pickens Academy (19-2)
3. Glenwood (36-10)
4. Autauga Academy (32-8)
5. Edgewood (28-13)
6. Clarke Prep (33-5)
7. Marengo Academy (20-13)
8. Pike Liberal Arts (16-14)
9. Abbeville Christian (17-11)
10. Crenshaw Christian (31-8)
Others nominated: Bessemer Academy (13-13), Tuscaloosa Academy (5-7).

ASWA BASEBALL RANKINGS
CLASS 7A
1. Auburn (21-5)
2. Oak Mountain (21-8)
3. Hoover (26-8)
4. McGill-Toolen (24-5)
5. Vestavia Hills (21-6)
6. Enterprise (22-9)
7. Hewitt-Trussville (24-7)
8. Bob Jones (27-9)
9. Smiths Station (18-10)
10. Central-Phenix City (20-11)
Others nominated: Alma Bryant (14-7), Baker (12-10), Fairhope (20-12), James Clemens (21-11), Mountain Brook (17-10), Prattville (25-8), Spain Park (17-12), Theodore (19-9), Thompson (18-15).

CLASS 6A
1. Russell County (31-3)
2. Saraland (20-9)
3. Cullman (21-6)
4. Oxford (20-8)
5 Austin (25-7)
6. Homewood (22-8)
7. Spanish Fort (21-8)
8. Chelsea (17-9)
9. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (17-10)
10. Hueytown (22-7)
Others nominated: Athens (21-9) Northridge (20-11), Florence (18-13), Hartselle (19-14), Hazel Green (20-8), Helena (16-12), Gardendale (17-7), Opelika (19-11), Robertsdale (24-6), Park Crossing (17-12).

CLASS 5A
1. Faith Academy (22-2)
2. St. Paul’s (21-5)
3. Briarwood Christian (20-3)
4. Calera (19-5)
5. Boaz (23-7)
6. Etowah (23-8)
7. Russellville (18-12)
8. Ardmore (14-12)
9. Sylacauga (18-5)
10. Headland (20-5)
Others nominated: Brewbaker Tech (12-11), Brooks (16-12), Corner (15-14), Lawrence County (21-10), Mortimer Jordan (22-8), Rehobeth (15-5), Valley (14-11).

CLASS 4A
1. UMS-Wright (15-10)
2. Wilson (20-6)
3. W.S. Neal (20-2)
4. Randolph (17-4)
5. Cherokee County (14-8)
6. Hokes Bluff (16-5)
7. St. James (22-4)
8. Oneonta (15-8)
9. Holtville (22-5)
10. Andalusia (17-4)
Others nominated: Alabama Christian (15-10), Dale County (13-11), Elmore County (9-7), Hale County (12-9), Leeds (17-8), Madison Academy (12-16), Northside (16-5), Oak Grove (17-10) Tallassee (12-11), Trinity (19-7), West Limestone (16-12).

CLASS 3A
1. Mobile Christian (15-8)
2. Cottage Hill (17-8)
3. Opp (17-5)
4. American Christian (15-15)
5. Gordo (14-4)
6. Piedmont (16-9)
7. Oakman (14-7)
8. Prattville Christian (17-10)
9. Lauderdale County (14-10-1)
10. Providence Christian (16-8)
Others nominated: Wicksburg (16-9).

CLASS 2A
1. Mars Hill Bible (20-6)
2. G.W. Long (20-8)
3. Leroy (21-5)
4. Thorsby (18-4)
5. Westbrook Christian (18-6)
6. Ariton (16-6)
7. Fyffe (19-3)
8. St. Luke’s (12-10)
9. J.U. Blacksher (15-6)
10. Phil Campbell (19-9)
Others nominated: Cottonwood (17-5), Falkville (19-7), Section (11-8), Vincent (15-9).

CLASS 1A
1. Decatur Heritage (19-5)
2. Sweet Water (16-8)
3. Athens Bible (15-8)
4. Hackleburg (19-7)
5. Maplesville (16-2)
6. Brantley (17-9)
7. Millry (13-11)
8. Spring Garden (18-4)
9. Highland Home (17-7)
10. Sumiton Christian (19-6)
Others nominated: Cedar Bluff (15-8), Coosa Christian (17-8), Gaylesville (10-4), Winterboro (12-6).

AISA
1. Pike Liberal Arts (26-4)
2. Glenwood (27-5)
3. Macon-East (30-7)
4. Autauga Academy (35-5)
5. Lee-Scott (18-10)
6. Lowndes (19-12)
7. Clarke Prep (25-3-1)
8. Fort Dale (20-10)
9. Tuscaloosa Academy (21-9)
10. Patrician (15-9)
Others nominated: Edgewood (20-20), Lakeside (18-9).