Thompson and Central-Phenix City to Face Off in Super 7 Class 7A Rematch
BIRMINGHAM, AL.—The Super 7 Class 7A State Championship stage is set, and it will once again feature familiar foes.
Defending state champion Central-Phenix City (10-2) secured their place in the Super 7 State Football Championships at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium with a 17-7 victory over Hoover in the semifinals. They will face Thompson (10-3), who defeated Enterprise 31-7 in the other semifinal matchup.
This marks a highly-anticipated rematch, as the two powerhouse programs have clashed in four previous Super 7 title games. Thompson triumphed over Central in 2021 (38-22) and 2019 (40-14), while Central claimed their wins in 2018 and 2023.
Under Head Coach, and former Auburn University great, Patrick Nix, who previously led Pinson Valley to back-to-back Class 6A titles in 2017 and 2018, Central aims to retain their crown. Historically, Central has claimed three state titles with their first coming via a 12-7 victory over Birmingham’s West End High in 1993.
Thompson Head Coach Mark Freeman, who is making his seventh consecutive state championship appearance with the Warriors, looks to bring another blue map back to Alabaster. Prior to taking over the Thompson program in 2015, Freeman captured a pair of 5A state championships at Spanish Fort and four AISA titles during his 10 year tenure at Bessemer Academy. The Warriors’ state championship legacy also includes a victory in the 1982 Class 3A finals when they defeated Oxford 14-11.
Spotlight on Other Classes Heading into Semifinals
Class 2A: Tuscaloosa Academy (11-2), the Region 5 top seed, will host Sulligent (9-4), a Region 5 No. 3 seed that upset previously undefeated Winston County 38-12. Tuscaloosa comes off a strong 44-34 quarterfinal win over Pisgah. The other semifinal features Reeltown (12-1) hosting unbeaten Highland Home (13-0), with both teams holding regional titles.
Class 4A: Region 2 teams Jackson (12-1) and St. Michael Catholic (12-1) will face off at Jackson’s Legion Field. Jackson won their first encounter 55-16 earlier in the season and is riding a 12-game winning streak, while St. Michael has claimed seven straight postseason victories.
Class 5A: Moody (10-2) will host Leeds (10-3) in what promises to be an intense matchup between two neighboring programs separated by just 11 miles. The other semifinal pairs defensive standouts Vigor (12-1) and Montgomery Catholic (12-0), two of the AHSAA’s top-performing teams this season.
Class 6A: Semifinal battles include top seeds Pike Road (10-3) hosting Saraland (12-0) and Parker (12-1) facing undefeated Oxford (13-0).
Class 3A: Houston Academy (12-1) and Southside-Selma (11-2) will meet in Dothan, while north semifinalists Piedmont (13-0) and Mars Hill Bible (12-1) square off for a spot in the finals.
Throughout the quarterfinals, home teams went 8-8 in Classes 1A-4A but dominated in the top three classes with a perfect 10-0 record.
Girls’ Flag Football Semifinals
The AHSAA Girls’ Flag Football Championships are also heating up, with the semifinal rounds set for Nov. 26-27. Central-Phenix City (17-0), ranked No. 1 nationally, will face Auburn (11-4) in the Class 6A/7A semifinals, while Hewitt-Trussville (13-1) travels to Spain Park (16-1-1), a matchup between top-25 nationally ranked teams.
The Class 1A/5A semifinals feature defending champion Wenonah (16-2) taking on Moody (16-2), and Tallassee (13-1-1) visiting Montgomery Catholic (15-4).
With powerhouse teams and nail-biting matchups, Alabama high school football fans have much to look forward to as the road to the Super 7 continues.
