Wadley Earns Return Trip to Super 7, Defeating Addison 22-14 in Class 1A Semifinal Thriller

ADDISON, AL – The Wadley Bulldogs are heading back to the Super 7 State Championships after securing a hard-fought 22-14 road victory over the Addison Bulldogs. The win came Friday night in the Class 1A north semifinal at A.G. Hicks Stadium, giving Wadley the chance to defend its 2024 state title.  

The Bulldogs will square off against the 14-0 Maplesville Red Devils who will be looking to avenge their 37-7 loss to Wadley in last season’s state title game in the Magic City.  Addison’s season comes to a close at 12-2, capping Mark Hastings’ first season at the helm of the Winston County program.  

Senior running back and Auburn commit Jaquez Wilkes delivered the decisive blow, scoring on an 8-yard run with just 3:49 left in the fourth quarter. The victory marks Wadley’s 26th consecutive win and sets up a highly anticipated Class 1A championship rematch against the Maplesville Red Devils.

Wadley, the reigning state champion, initially established a 14-0 lead. The scoring started with a 4-yard touchdown run by Wilkes, followed by a long touchdown reception by Frisco Robertson from quarterback Damarious Spraddling.

Addison battled back to tie the game at 14-14. Quarterback Elijah Roberts connected with Scout Flynn for a 34-yard touchdown pass and later found Trennon Burns for a 9-yard score.

The game remained deadlocked until Wilkes’ game-winning touchdown late in the final period. Cortavion Lynch sealed the victory by adding the crucial 2-point conversion.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Dake Rivers, Wadley will now face the undefeated Maplesville Red Devils. The Red Devils advanced to the final by defeating the Leroy Bears 59-18 in the south semifinal. Maplesville has dominated its opponents this season, outscoring them 669-49 while recording 10 shutouts.

The Class 1A state championship game is scheduled for Thursday at 3:00 PM at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.