Alabama Ledger www.AlabamaLedger.com
The Sports Ledger www.TheSportsLedger.com
PAGE 4B August 2026
Albertville Ready to Compete in Class 5A
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The Albertville Aggies football program will be competing in Class 5A Region 8 this fall. This follows the program's reclassification from Class 7A last year. The move will allow the Aggies to compete against more local teams, and it will give the program a chance to be more competitive. "We're going to take it step by step and game by game," said head coach Adam Winegarden. "I think we're at the baby steps of doing something really great at Albertville," he added. ASBURY It has been 27 games since the Asbury Rams experienced the thrill of victory and for 4th year head coach Matt Harris that is too long. The last time the Rams won a game was September 2023. However, the program hopes to snap that streak this year, beginning with the season opener at Crossville on August 21. BRINDLEE MOUNTAIN The Brindlee Mountain Lions will be competing in Class 2A Region 8 this fall, after reclassifying from Class 3A a year ago. The program finished 2-8 last year, which was an improvement from 1-9 in 2024. The Lions, under the direction of third year head coach Jake Pittman, hope for continued improvement this season. The program's first game of the season will be on August 21 at Lindsay Lane. BOAZ Under the direction of first year head coach Luke
THE NUMBERS
• 2026 Classification: Class 5A, Region 8 • Coach: Adam Winegarden (Second Season) • 2025 Season Record: 1-9 • Points scored last fall: 110 • Points allowed last fall: 317
2026 KEY GAMES
Paul Bryant (August 21) - Albertville, Alabama • This game is the season opener and both teams need a win. The Aggies closed out last year with four straight losses, while Paul Bryant was winless last fall. The Stampede are currently on an 11 game losing streak. Arab (September 4) - Albertville, Alabama • T his will be the first Class 5A Area 8 game of the season and it's a big Marshall County rivalry. Last fall the Aggies fell to the Knights 18-14. The victory was one of four wins for Arab (4-7) last season.
Marshall County Football to improve from a 2-8 record last fall. DAR will be competing in Class 3A Region 8, after moving down from Class 4A. DOUGLAS Following a 35-17
JAMBOREE JUMP - Geraldine's Jordan Lankford (#4) attempts a jump during this run against Arab in Jamboree action on Friday, August 14. The Bulldogs led 13-7 after the first quarter and the game was tied at 21-21 at halftime. Both teams had one offensive drive each to start the third and the Knights were able to pull ahead 28-21. The junior varsity finished out the third quarter, which ended with Arab on top 28-24. The final score was 35-31. The jamboree was an opportunity for both teams to tune up for the 2026 regular season, which begins on August 21. Geraldine will welcome Anniston to the Dawg Pound, while the Knights will make a trip to Guntersville for a county rival match-up with the Wildcats. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Pruitt last fall, the Boaz Pirates road a tidal wave of success. The program finished with an 8-3 overall record, finishing the year with a 29-28 OT loss to Russellville in the opening round of the state playoffs. This year, Pruitt believes that even with a tough schedule, the Pirates have the opportunity to sail back into the state playoffs. The Pirates will begin the 2026 quest against Cullman on August 21. Boaz will close out the month of August with a trip to Plainview for a father and son coaching showdown. Luke Pruitt's Pirates will be battling against Dale Pruitt's Plainview Bears. The Bear's finished last fall 13-1 overall, falling in the Class 4A State Semifinals. Boaz will open Class 5A Area 8 action on Sept. 4 against Marshall County rival Douglas. DAR The DAR football program is under the direction of third year head coach Matt Putnam. The Patriots are looking
Jamboree victory over Guntersville on August 14, the Douglas Eagles are now focused on the 2026 regular season. The Eagles open up against Westminister Christian on August 28. It will mark the start of the seventh season for Douglas head football coach Brandon Lyles. GUNTERSVILLE With a new coach and a new classification, the Guntersville football program is ready for a new year. The Wildcats moved from Class 5A to Class 4A and are led by first year head coach Will Lang. The team will also have the leadership of eight seniors, as well as a large Junior class. Guntersville will kick off the 2026 season with a home game against rival Arab on Aug. 21. Region action starts on Aug. 18 at Sardis.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
NEW FOOTBALL COACH - First Year Guntersville Head Football Coach Will Lang speaks at the 2026 Marshall County Media Day.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online