After an impressive run to the AISA state semifinals last season, the Escambia Academy Cougars are returning this season with a bulk of their roster, which is not a secret to voters with the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

In the ASWA’s preseason poll, the Cougars come in ranked at No. 9 giving them their first ranking since 2005 when they made it as high as seventh in the AISA Top 10.

Cougars head coach Heath Gibson said it was nice to be recognized as one of the AISA’s Top 10 schools coming into 2010.

“It feels pretty good,” Gibson said. “On one hand, your excited to see your team getting recognized as a top team, but on the other hand, you hope your team doesn’t read too much into it, and goes out to play football.”

Coming into a season could do one of a few things to the Cougars as news of their ranking progresses.

It could motivate them or even cause them to fall, but one thing it does is make it known that they are seen as a strong team.

Gibson said being ranked puts a target on the Cougars’ backs.

“I think it puts a target on us,” he said. “Teams are going to see that, and they will want to knock us off. It will motivate them to play harder, so they can knock us from that ranking and help their status.”

Although the Top 10 ranking gives the Cougars’ head coach a sense of uneasiness, he also hopes the ranking brings some positives to his team.

Gibson said he wants the ranking to give his team a better attitude as they prepare to begin the season.

“I hope it will give us more confidence,” he said. “I think this is a team that won’t read too much into our ranking. I think they will go out on the football field and take care of business.”

The ranking that shows the type of team the Cougars could have is something that the Academy is proud of.

Gibson said he would rather start a season ranked despite team’s trying to knock off the Cougars.

“I always like to be ranked,” he said. “It’s always exciting for your program to feel like you have a strong team. We just have to show we deserve that ranking and even that we deserve to move up.

The Cougars open the season at home on Aug. 20 against Sparta Academy.