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The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) released its Preseason Top 10 poll for high school football in the State of Alabama on Wednesday and a trio of local schools cracked the Top 10.

Class 5A’s reigning state runner-up Charles Henderson will start the 2023 season exactly where it left off in 2022, at the No. 2 spot. The Trojans even earned a pair of first place votes, as well. The No. 2 ranking is Charles Henderson’s highest preseason ranking since the 1981 season when the Trojans also came in at No. 2 to open the year. It’s just the second time in school history CHHS earned a Top 2 ranking to start a season.

Reigning state champs Ramsay will start the season at No. 1 with 18 first place votes, while UMS-Wright and Pleasant Grove each earned one first place vote.

Pike County, who made it to the third round of the 2022 playoffs, will start the season as the No. 9-ranked team in Class 3A, while Goshen will kickoff the season as No. 9 in Class 2A. Ariton also comes in at No. 6 in Class 2A.

A number of other schools in the Wiregrass also cracked the various Top 10s in the state. In Class 7A, Enterprise landed at No. 7 and Dothan came in at No. 8, while reigning 4A State Champion Andalusia will start the season off at No. 1 in Class 4A. Also in 2A, Highland Home will start the season at No. 4, while Elba will start 2023 as the No. 2 ranked team in Class 1A with Brantley coming in at No. 4.

The ASWA’s voting panel for high school football includes sports writers from all over the state. Those voters include Josh Boutwell (Troy Messenger), Andrew Garner (Atmore Advance), Andrew Simonson (Shelby Co. Reporter), Anna Snyder (Tuscaloosa News), Ben Thomas (AL.com), Caleb Suggs (Decatur Daily), Chris McCarthy (Gadsden Messenger), David Mundee (Dothan Eagle), Dennis Victory (AL.com), Jake Winfrey (Cullman Times), James Jones (Selma-Times Journal), Jason Bowen (Jackson Co. Sentinel), Jerry Humphrey III (Montgomery Advertiser), Joe Medley (East Alabama Sports Today), Jonathan Bentley (Daily Mountain Eagle), Kyle Parmley (Starnes Media), Letti Hasberry (Selma Sun), Marcus Gates (Washington Co. News), Pacey Strickland (Valley Times-News), Shannon Fagan (WEIS Radio), Stacy Long (Florence Times Daily) and Tripp Norris (Opp News).