Despite having the best start in the last 20 years, the 5-0 Beulah Bobcats weren’t ranked in the latest Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) prep poll. Beulah, sooner rather than later, won’t be on the outside looking in, though.

Four teams in the AHSAA 3A top 10 have at least one loss. Granted, most of those losses are against other ranked teams but it’s time to take the Bobcats seriously.

The backfield combination of Lonzie Portis, Quay Moreland, Quin Page and Caden Dowdell have proven to be fast and agile consistently all season. On defense, Hunter Bryant, Isaiah Glidewell and Dowdell continue to prove they are some of the best defenders in the East Alabama-area.

Beulah has fought back against teams in close games and has held their own with backs against the wall in the waning seconds of games. They have won in every way there is to win, whether it be a one-touchdown victory, a shutout or a blowout.

At this point, the only reasonable explanation for the snub is the fact that the Bobcats are victims of their schedule.

Beulah doesn’t play a ranked opponent until Oct. 11 against 4-1 St. James, the 3A No. 10 team in the preseason poll. Given that the Bobcats defeat 1-3 Bullock County after this week’s bye, a home win against St. James will cement Beulah’s position in the ASWA prep poll.

There is a different atmosphere of confidence that is spewing around Beulah’s campus, a place that was once all-too-familiar with scraping the bottom of standings in recent history. The community has acknowledged and appreciated it with great attendance but now the Bobcats are on the verge of getting the recognition on a statewide level.

Beulah’s riding a high right now, taking photos after every win with the program’s players, coaches and cheerleaders holding up how many wins they’ve accumulated with their fingers. In a couple of weeks, however, the team has a chance to finally be taken seriously as a threat, and not a Cinderella story.

Rashad Milligan is the sports editor of The Valley Times-News. He can be contacted at rashad.milligan@valleytimes-news.com.