Over the past few weeks, the Starkville High School football team has occupied several different positions in the Associated Press Mississippi high school football poll.
This week, in the final poll of the season — released Tuesday — the Yellow Jackets were excluded entirely.
Seven 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.
Not only was Starkville (7-3) not ranked, but the Jackets didn’t receive any votes in either MHSAA Class 6A or overall.
A 35-7 loss at Clinton last Friday barred Starkville from this year’s postseason. The Jackets had to forfeit a home game against Warren Central, which hurt their playoff standing.
In other polls
— West Point (7-3) is still receiving votes in Class 5A, coming fairly close to a spot in the top five. The Green Wave received 21 points, good for the most among teams outside the rankings. Neshoba Central, West Jones, Ridgeland, Grenada and Lake Cormorant made the top five; the latter two teams both beat West Point this season. The Green Wave will play at Holmes County Central in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Friday.
— Heritage Academy (8-2) again received just The Dispatch’s fifth-place vote among private schools in Tuesday’s poll. The Patriots came in behind Presbyterian Christian and Adams County Christian — their opponent in Friday’s MAIS Class 5A semifinal — among teams not in the rankings. Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Leake Academy, Jackson Prep, Jackson Academy and Greenville Christian again comprised the rankings. The Patriots host ACCS on Friday.
— Noxubee County (7-1) came in second in Class 3A once again, trailing only Magee. The Tigers received two first-place votes, including The Dispatch’s selection. West Marion, North Panola and Columbia rounded out the top five. Noxubee County hosts Booneville in the second round of the MHSAA Class 3A playoffs Friday.
Here’s the ballot Theo DeRosa submitted for The Dispatch:
Overall top 10
1. Oak Grove (9-0)
2. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (10-0)
3. Oxford (9-0)
4. West Jones (9-2)
5. Leake Academy (11-0)
6. D’Iberville (9-0)
7. Ridgeland (8-2)
8. Neshoba Central (9-1)
9. Clinton (8-2)
10. South Panola (8-2)
Class 1A
1. Nanih Waiya (9-0)
2. Lumberton (8-1)
3. Biggersville (10-0)
4. TCPS (7-2)
5. Simmons (6-1)
Class 2A
1. Taylorsville (10-1)
2. North Side (8-0)
3. Enterprise Clarke (8-1)
4. Scott Central (8-1)
5. Union (8-2)
Class 3A
1. Noxubee County (7-1)
2. West Marion (7-2)
3. Columbia (8-2)
4. Magee (8-0)
5. North Panola (7-1)
Class 4A
1. Louisville (9-1)
2. Newton County (10-0)
3. Pontotoc (9-1)
4. Poplarville (7-3)
5. Corinth (5-3)
Class 5A
1. West Jones (9-2)
2. Ridgeland (8-2)
3. Neshoba Central (9-1)
4. Picayune (8-2)
5. West Point (7-3)
Class 6A
1. Oak Grove (9-0)
2. Oxford (9-0)
3. D’Iberville (9-0)
4. Clinton (8-2)
5. South Panola (8-2)
Private schools
1. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (10-0)
2. Leake Academy (11-0)
3. Jackson Prep (8-2)
4. Greenville Christian (9-1)
5. Heritage Academy (8-2)
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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