Briarwood head coach Chris Heaps before a game between Briarwood and Chelsea on Thursday March, 19th, 2026 at Chelsea High School. Photo by Richard Force.
The Briarwood Christian School baseball team is leading the way among local baseball and softball teams early on in the 2026 season.
The Lions are ranked No. 6 in Class 5A in the most recent Alabama Sports Writers Association rankings.
Chelsea's baseball and softball, Oak Mountain baseball, and Spain Park's baseball and softball teams are all in the others nominated categories in their respective classes.
Briarwood had a 12-6 record at the time of the poll, with wins over the likes of Oxford, Helena and Chelsea.
Here are the full baseball and softball rankings in Class 5A, 6A and 7A:
CLASS 5A
1. St. Paul’s (10-3)
2. American Christian (17-7)
3. Faith Academy (9-5)
4. Shelby Co. (14-3)
5. Northside (11-3)
6. Briarwood Christian (12-6)
7. Moody (12-3)
8. Madison Academy (12-6)
9. Andalusia (13-3)
10. UMS-Wright (12-5)
Other nominations: Boaz (12-6), Central-Clay Co. (8-4), Charles Henderson (10-6), Corner (10-6), Demopolis (11-4), East Limestone (11-5), Hayden (14-2), Headland (10-6), Leeds (13-9), Mobile Christian (10-6), Sardis (11-3), West Point (13-6).
CLASS 6A
1. Homewood (17-3)
2. Hartselle (11-8)
3. Hazel Green (21-5)
4. Oxford (14-7)
5. Northridge (16-2)
6. Mountain Brook (17-4)
7. Wetumpka (10-2)
8. Fort Payne (12-5)
9. Rehobeth (16-4)
10. Cullman (10-3)
Other nominations: Athens (12-6), Benjamin Russell (13-4), Chelsea (11-10), Hueytown (13-12), McGill-Toolen (13-6), Mortimer Jordan (16-5), Pelham (11-6), Pell City (7-8), Pike Road (17-3), Saraland (12-5), Southside-Gadsden (9-8), Spain Park (14-6).
CLASS 7A
1. Enterprise (19-2)
2. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (15-5)
3. Tuscaloosa Co. (14-5)
4. Hewitt-Trussville (14-3)
5. Prattville (20-3)
6. Hoover (15-6)
7. Thompson (14-10)
8. Vestavia Hills (12-7)
9. Bob Jones (12-11)
10. Auburn (12-7)
Others nominated: Austin (15-12), Central-Phenix City (12-8), Fairhope (12-7), Florence (15-6), Huntsville (11-10), James Clemens (11-10), Oak Mountain (11-7), Opelika (14-10), Sparkman (11-10).
SOFTBALL
CLASS 6A
1. Hartselle (16-3-1)
2. Saraland (18-3-1)
3. Spanish Fort (21-5)
4. Wetumpka (20-2)
5. Helena (12-6)
6. Athens (11-6-1)
7. Hazel Green (21-9-1)
8. Gardendale (17-9)
9. Cullman (20-4)
10. McAdory (17-6-2)
Others nominated: Baldwin Co. (14-8), Brookwood (17-5-1), Chelsea (13-6-2), Chilton Co. (9-11-1), Fort Payne (5-3), Oxford (11-2), Pell City (9-6-2), Pike Road (13-5), Rehobeth (12-11), Spain Park (14-10).
