Three local teams will start the season ranked in the top 10 in the state after the Alabama Sportswriters Association released its preseason high school football polls Wednesday. The Wadley Bulldogs lead the way as they will start the 2026 season in the same place that they finished the 2025 season — ranked No. Clay Central will start what may be head coach Danny Horn’s final season ranked No. Central is entering its 15th season of football after the merger of Clay County and Lineville High Schools in 2012. And the Handley Tigers will start the season ranked for the fifth straight season as they check in at No.