Mars Hill Bible Downs Piedmont 48-16, Advances to 3A Championship

FLORENCE, AL – Mars Hill Bible secured its return to the Class 3A state championship with a commanding 48-16 victory over Piedmont in Friday’s semifinal matchup. The Panthers’ dominant performance handed the previously undefeated Bulldogs their only loss of the season.

Now 14-0, Mars Hill will compete for its second consecutive state title and fourth in school history. The team is set to face Bayside Academy (13-1) on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Protective Stadium in Birmingham. Bayside Academy earned its first-ever Super Seven appearance by defeating Southside Selma 51-20.

Dominant First Half Sets the Tone

Mars Hill established control from the opening kickoff. On the third play of the game, running back Hudson Higgins broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run. A successful extra point by Carson Longshore gave the Panthers an early 7-0 lead.

The offensive pressure continued as Jaxon Penn sprinted for a 71-yard touchdown just seven minutes into the game, extending the lead to 14-0. Before the first quarter ended, Mars Hill capitalized on a Piedmont turnover on downs, quickly covering 44 yards in five plays. A 12-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left pushed the score to 21-0.

Piedmont’s offense, which had averaged fewer than 10 points against per game, struggled to gain momentum. The Bulldogs were held to just 10 rushing yards in the first half. Quarterback Cole Austin connected with Mason Morrow for a 40-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter to make it 21-8. Austin later found Jaxson Howard for a 19-yard touchdown, closing the gap to 35-16 before halftime.

However, the Panthers answered each Piedmont score. A 2-yard touchdown run by lineman Samuel Swinney and a 4-yard run from Higgins kept Mars Hill firmly in control at the half.

Panthers Seal the Victory

In the second half, Jaxon Penn took over the scoring for Mars Hill, adding touchdown runs of 11 and 35 yards in the third quarter to finalize the score at 48-16.

Penn led all rushers, finishing with 208 yards on 18 carries. Higgins contributed significantly with 179 yards on 24 carries, marking his seventh straight game with at least two rushing touchdowns.

Showdown in the Magic City

Head coach Darrell Higgins’ Panthers will take on the Bayside Academy Admirals on Thursday at 11:00 AM to kick off day two of the 2025 Super 7 Championships.  Bayside punched their ticket to Birmingham with a 51-20 victory over previously unbeaten Southside-Selma in the south semifinal.