Starkville High School earned the first-place vote it was missing to become the No. 1 unanimous selection among Mississippi high schools in Tuesday’s new Associated Press football poll.
Ten Mississippi media outlets, including The Commercial Dispatch, were polled on the top five teams in each class and the top 10 overall.
Teams earned 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, and so on.
The Yellow Jackets (4-0) received eight of nine first-place votes last week, while Oak Grove earned the other. But after Starkville won 38-20 at No. 2 South Panola, the Jackets got all 10 first-place votes both overall and in MHSAA Class 6A.
Oak Grove finished second in Class 6A and in the overall rankings. Warren Central, South Panola and Oxford rounded out the top five in Class 6A.
Starkville will go on the road to face Germantown (3-1) on Friday in Madison.
In other polls
— West Point (3-1) was still ranked third overall and first in Class 5A. The Green Wave beat Lafayette 21-15 last week and have won three straight games after a 40-28 loss at Starkville on Sept. 4. West Point earned seven of 10 first-place votes in Class 5A, second-place West Jones got two, and third-place Neshoba Central had one. Picayune and Lafayette rounded out the top five. West Point plays at Saltillo (0-3) on Friday.
— Noxubee County (2-1) maintained its spot as the No. 3 team in Class 3A. The Tigers received The Dispatch’s first-place vote, while No. 1 Columbia earned six-first place votes, and No. 2 Jefferson Davis County had three. Magee and West Marion were fourth and fifth, respectively. Noxubee County was off last week and plays at Houston (2-2) on Friday.
— Heritage Academy (5-1) remained fourth among private schools in the state in Tuesday’s new poll. The Patriots still trail Madison-Ridgeland Academy (nine first-place votes), Jackson Prep and Leake Academy (one first-place vote). Greenville Christian was fifth. Heritage Academy has won five straight games after losing at Jackson Prep on Aug. 21. The Patriots are off Friday and will play at Lamar School next Friday.
Here’s the ballot Theo DeRosa submitted for The Dispatch:
Overall top 10
1. Starkville (4-0)
2. West Point (3-1)
3. Oak Grove (3-0)
4. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (6-0)
5. South Panola (3-1)
6. Oxford (3-0)
7. Neshoba Central (4-0)
8. Picayune (4-0)
9. Leake Academy (6-0)
10. Warren Central (4-0)
Class 1A
1. Nanih Waiya (4-0)
2. Lumberton (3-1)
3. Biggersville (4-0)
4. TCPS (2-2)
5. Resurrection Catholic (4-0)
Class 2A
1. Taylorsville (3-0)
2. North Side (0-0)
3. Enterprise Clarke (3-0)
4. Scott Central (3-1)
5. Walnut (3-1)
Class 3A
1. Noxubee County (2-1)
2. Columbia (4-0)
3. Jefferson Davis County (3-1)
4. Magee (2-1)
5. West Marion (3-1)
Class 4A
1. Louisville (3-1)
2. Corinth (2-2)
3. Newton County (4-0)
4. Pontotoc (3-1)
5. Poplarville (1-3)
Class 5A
1. West Point (3-1)
2. Neshoba Central (4-0)
3. Picayune (4-0)
4. Lafayette (2-2)
5. West Jones (3-0)
Class 6A
1. Starkville (4-0)
2. Oak Grove (3-0)
3. South Panola (3-1)
4. Oxford (3-0)
5. Warren Central (3-1)
Private schools
1. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (6-0)
2. Leake Academy (6-0)
3. Jackson Prep (4-1)
5. Heritage Academy (5-1)
5. Presbyterian Christian (5-1)
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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