Heading into Week 1 of high school football, only a few high schools in the 318 area code are getting any attention in voting for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association state top 10 polls.
Locally, it’s Alexandria Senior High as the only Rapides Parish team ranked in any classification. None of the other seven schools received votes.
The Trojans are No. 5 in Class 5A, with their District 2-5A rival Ruston at No. 1. The other eight in the top 10 are from I-10 and further south.
Evidently voters either didn’t notice how well ASH handled Zachary on the road in jamboree action, in a 35-7 romp, or they are really high on the teams ranked ahead of the Trojans. Zachary was just two spots behind ASH in the poll despite the blowout.
There are three north Louisiana teams in the Class 4A top 10 – none from central Louisiana, although No. 7 Franklin Parish is in Tioga’s district.
In Class 3A, there’s also three teams north of Cajun country, including Jena, which Pineville scrimmaged very competitively two weeks ago.
The regional count is also three in Class 2A and Class 1A. The overall count is 14 teams from the 318 area code among the 50 that earned top 10 rankings in all classifications.
Class 5A
School (1st place votes), poll points
- Ruston (8), 129
- Karr (3), 120
- Catholic-Baton Rouge, 107
- John Curtis, 82
- Alexandria Senior High, 71
- St. Augustine, 67
- Zachary, 61
- Central, 51
- Archbishop Rummel, 39
- Southside, 35
Others receiving votes: Acadiana 27, Ouachita 18, St. Thomas More 18, West Monroe 14, Evangel Christian 10, Mandeville 5, Brother Martin 1, Destrehan 1, Terrebonne 1.
Class 4A
- Neville (11), 132
- Westgate, 115
- Archbishop Shaw, 103
- North DeSoto, 96
- Madison Prep, 76
- Plaquemine, 69
- Franklin Parish, 60
- Lake Charles Prep, 57
- E.D. White, 49
- Teurlings Catholic, 28
Others receiving votes: Salmen 26, Lafayette Renaissance 9, John F. Kennedy 8, Cecilia 7, Carencro 6, Leesville 6, Franklinton 2.
Class 3A
- University (6), 119
- St. Charles (2), 116
- Sterlington (1), 99
- St. James (2), 98
- Iowa, 93
- Jena, 83
- Jewel Sumner, 67
- Vandebilt Catholic, 63
- Loyola College Prep, 46
- Northwest, 28
Others receiving votes: Iota 19, Marksville 18, Carroll 5, De La Salle 3, Bunkie 1.
Class 2A
- Dunham (9), 130
- Calvary Baptist (1), 116
- Mangham (1),105
- Oak Grove, 97
- Notre Dame, 81
- Kinder, 55
- Catholic-New Iberia, 47
- Lafayette Christian Academy, 44
- Amite, 43
- Loreauville, 30
Others receiving votes: West St. Mary 28, Newman 23, Union Parish 22, Country Day 8, Ferriday 3, Mansfield 1.
Class 1A
- Haynesville (10), 130
- Ouachita Christian, 116
- Riverside Academy (1), 103
- Ascension Catholic, 96
- Jeanerette, 90
- Westminster-Opelousas, 81
- Logansport, 59
- South Plaquemines, 50
- East Feliciana, 45
- Southern Lab, 38
Others receiving votes: Westminster-Lafayette 23, Lincoln Prep 8, Kentwood 6, Cedar Creek 5, St. Edmund 1.