By By Lori Dann
Escambia County High School and Escambia Academy both made their debut in the Alabama Sports Writers Association state basketball poll this week.
Ironically, both local teams hold the No. 5 position in their respective divisions n ECHS in Class 5A and EA in AISA. Private schools from all classifications are included in the AISA poll.
EA head coach Chad Prewett said the ranking is a well-deserved reward for his team.
"This team has come a long way," he said. "People ask what's happened this year, but this is not a one-year thing. It's taken three years to get here. We worked just as hard the last two years as we have this year, and we're finally reaping the benefits."
It's not hard to see why the Lady Cougars are ranked. Their 7-1 record includes wins over three ranked teams this year, including No. 3 Fort Dale, the defending state champions, and No. 10 Faith. Their only loss was also to Fort Dale.
EA will get a crack at the state's top team, Clarke Prep of Grove Hill, in the first round of the Monroe Academy Christmas Tournament on Friday at 3 p.m.
Likewise, ECHS is off to a blistering start n the best start in school history, in fact. The Lady Blue Devils were 10-0 heading into Friday night's game at Citronelle.
ECHS has beaten two top 10 teams this season and already has a tournament championship to its credit.
The following are the boys and girls state rankings.
Class 6A
1. Butler-Huntsville (6-0)
2. Woodlawn (9-0)
3. Davidson (9-0)
4. Central-Tuscaloosa (6-0)
5. Grissom (9-2)
6. LeFlore (10-2)
7. Jeff Davis (4-0)
8. Bob Jones (7-2)
9. Auburn (4-2)
10. Lee-Huntsville (6-2)
Class 5A
1. Gardendale (10-0)
2. Blount (9-0)
3. Wilcox-Central (6-0)
4. B.C. Rain (5-0)
5. John Carroll Catholic (5-1)
6. Eufaula (4-2)
7. Albertville (7-1)
8. Cullman (9-0)
9. Ramsay (4-2)
10. Anniston (7-3)
Class 4A
1. Sumter Co. (7-0)
2. Childersburg (4-2)
3. Beauregard (4-1)
4. Winfield (6-0)
5. Saint Paul (6-1)
6. Emma Sansom (3-0)
7. Lawrence County (5-1)
8. Livingston (6-4)
9. Weaver (9-0)
10. Corner (8-1)
Class 3A
1. Trinity (2-0)
2. Francis Marion (4-1)
3. UMS-Wright (4-1)
4. Elba (4-0)
5. DAR (8-2)
6. McIntosh (6-1)
7. Clayton (5-2)
8. Litchfield (3-1)
9. Danville (7-2)
10. Springville (3-0)
Class 2A
1. Mars Hill Bible (9-1)
2. Lineville (0-0)
3. Catholic (6-2)
4. Geraldine (6-0)
5. Gaston (5-1)
6. Section (4-1)
7. New Brockton (4-1)
8. Belgreen (7-1)
9. Cold Springs (7-4)
10. Geneva County (4-0)
Class 1A
1. Courtland (0-0)
2. Pleasant Home (8-1)
3. Brantley (0-0)
4. Decatur Heritage (11-2)
5. St. Jude (6-2)
6. Akron (3-0)
7. St. Bernard (9-2)
8. Hubbertville (5-1)
9. Cedar Bluff (4-0)
10. Parkway Christian (10-3)
1. Faith Academy (4-0)
2. Morgan Academy (5-0)
3. Tuscaloosa Academy (3-0)
4. Kingwood Christian (7-0)
5. Fort Dale Academy (4-1)
6. Taylor Road Academy (6-1)
7. Pike Liberal (5-1)
8. Marion Military (5-0)
9. Lowndes Academy (3-0)
10. Wilcox Academy (3-2)
Girls
Class 6A
1. Decatur (7-0)
2. Austin (10-1)
3. Butler (9-1)
4. Huffman (9-1)
5. Vestavia Hills (9-0)
6. LeFlore (8-1)
7. Baldwin Co. (6-1)
8. Thompson (8-1)
9. Wenonah (6-2)
10. Vigor (11-4)
Class 5A
1.Fairfield (11-0)
2. Andalusia (6-0)
3. Hazel Green (8-1)
4. Hartselle (8-1)
5. Escambia Co. (10-0)
6. Boaz (8-1)
7. Eufaula (4-0)
8. Buckhorn (7-2)
9. B.T. Washington (7-1)
10. Athens (7-4)
Class 4A
1. Lawrence Co. (5-1)
2. Deshler (3-2)
3. Glencoe (6-1)
4. East Limestone (5-1)
5. Headland (6-0)
6. Dadeville (3-0)
7. Guntersville (6-2)
8. Central-Coosa (3-0)
9. Saint Paul (5-1)
10. Winfield (4-1)
Class 3A
1. UMS-Wright (11-0)
2. R.C. Hatch (6-0)
3. Lauderdale County (10-1)
4. Pisgah (10-1)
5. Montgomery Academy (4-1)
6. Sulligent (8-3)
7. West Limestone (9-3)
8. Springville (5-1)
9. Briarwood (6-1)
10. Trinity (4-0)
Class 2A
1. Red Bay (6-0)
2. Cold Springs (9-1)
3. Fyffe (7-1)
4. Tanner (8-2)
5. Belgreen (7-2)
6. Mars Hill Bible (7-2)
7. Valley Head (6-1)
8. Lineville (0-0)
9. Hatton (6-3)
10. Ariton (5-1)
Class 1A
1. Notasulga (2-0)
2. St. Bernard (7-0)
3. Carrollton (6-1)
4. Madison Academy (7-1)
5. Spring Garden (6-1)
6. Sunshine (2-1)
7. Houston Academy (4-1)
8. Donoho (3-0)
9. G.W. Long (2-0)
10. Speake (5-2)
1. Clarke Prep (3-0)
2. Lakeside (2-0)
3. Fort Dale Acad. (5-1)
4. Sumiton Christian (5-0)
5. Escambia Acad. (7-1)
6. Wilcox Acad. (5-1)
7. Tuscaloosa Academy (4-0)
8. Marion Acad. (8-0)
9. Southern Acad. (6-1)
10. Faith Acad. (2-2)