Hillcrest-Evergreen gets a No. 1 vote in my preseason Class 4A poll

Clinton Smith, right, receives game ball after 3A title game in 2017.

I submitted my ballot for the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s preseason high school football poll on Sunday. Voting closed on Monday at noon and votes will be counted in the days to follow with the official poll to be released online at 11 p.m. on Aug. 4. The poll will be released in print media this coming Monday.

I thought long and hard about where to rank Hillcrest in the preseason poll. Many voters, myself included sometimes, base their preseason votes strictly on how a team performed last season. Hillcrest went 8-5 overall in 2018 and lost in the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs to Andalusia, a team they’d beaten eight weeks before by 31 points.

Hillcrest, which won the 3A state title in 2017, likely would have fared better last season had not starting quarterback Ryan Nettles suffered a season-ending injuring in the opening game of the season. Nettles is now at Alabama State, where he’ll be competing for the starting quarterback slot. Also gone from Hillcrest are such talented players as Tyler Lowery and Jeremy Dees.

Couple this with the fact that Hillcrest competes in 4A Region 1, which includes the two-time defending state champion UMS-Wright. Most voters will likely vote UMS-Wright No. 1 in 4A simply due to this fact alone coupled with the knowledge that they hold the state’s longest AHSAA winning streak at 19 games. Many will remember that UMS crushed Deshler in last year’s state finals, 52-0.

UMS will also be out to replace their quarterback, but they’ll enjoy the return of veteran running backs, wide receivers and linebackers. UMS will also enjoy the services for Will Breland, who was the Class 4A Lineman of the Year last season. Terry Curtis also returns for his 21^st season as head coach at UMS.

Andalusia will be another tough team in Region 1 and don’t be surprised if they are highly ranked in the preseason poll, possibly in the Top 3. Reporters that cover Andalusia day to day say that the Bulldogs have a lot of talent returning at the skill positions and could make another deep run in the playoffs. Last season, Andalusia went 9-5 overall before losing to UMS in the semifinals of the playoffs.

Clarke County could also be a team to be reckoned with in Region 1 and don’t be shocked if they also make the preseason Top 10. They look to have an experienced defense and will be out to run the ball down people’s throats under head coach Stacy Luker. Many will remember the dynasty that Luker built at Sweet Water before he eventually moved on to Neshoba Central in Mississippi.

In the end, I voted Hillcrest No. 1 in 4A in my preseason poll. Head coach Clinton Smith, who in my book is a miracle worker, told me months ago that he’s expecting very big things out of this year’s team. When he said this, I was reminded of how he told me his 2017 team had a good shot of going undefeated. They went on to go 14-1 and won the first state title in school history.

Hillcrest also has four seniors who have committed to Auburn, Kansas, Georgia Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette. Smith expects six other players to sign with presumably smaller colleges. It’s no understatement to say that this may be the most talent that Hillcrest has ever had. With so many talented seniors on the roster, they sky is the limit for this year’s team.