Championship Week kicks off with Showdown of Streaking Flag Teams
Super 7 begins Wednesday in Birmingham
By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Vestavia Hills High School (28-1) has won 28 straight flag football games after a season-opening loss to Moody. Central-Phenix City (19-0) – the two-time reigning AHSAA Class 6A-7A flag football champion – has won 56 straight after beating Smiths Station 34-7 in last week’s semifinals. The Red Devils are coached by Mitch Holt.
Both streaks will be on the line Wednesday as the 2025 Super 7 championships begin at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, with the Class 6A-7A flag championship game between Vestavia and Central set for 3 p.m. The Super 7 Championships get underway Wednesday with the Class 1A/5A Flag finals Moody (21-4) facing Montgomery Catholic (21-3) in a rematch of last year’s state finals kicking offing at 11 a.m.
“They’re fantastic. They’re kind of top of the mountain right now,” Vestavia coach Daniel Davis said. “They’re where we want to be, so looking forward to playing them.”
Davis said his team recognizes the challenge awaiting them.
“Our girls play really hard single every play,” he said. “They’re disciplined. They’re smart. They make plays. I’m glad we’ve got a chance to go out there and play, and we’ll see what happens.”
All of this week’s games at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and will be televised live over the Alabama Public Television Network and live video streamed over the NFHS Network. WOTM TV’s Vince Earley and his outstanding crew will again produce all the championship-game broadcasts.
The action starts Wednesday at 1 p.m. when reigning Class 1A-5A flag football champ Montgomery Catholic (21-4) plays Moody (21-3), followed by the Vestavia-Central showdown. Catholic is coached by Whitney Toole and Moody by Wren Moore.
Central defeated the Rebels 25-0 to win the 2023 title and defeated Spain Park last season in the championship game to finish undefeated for the second straight year. The Red Devils were named by USA Today as the national champion in its final national rankings.
Wednesday’s action concludes with the Class 7A boys’ championship game between Thompson (10-3) and Opelika (10-3), with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Warriors has won five of the last six Class 7A championships, and Opelika is playing in the 7A final for the first time. The Bulldogs, coached by Bryan Moore, finished as Class 6A runner-up in 2012 when the AHSAA used a six-classification system and again finished as 6A runner-up in 2016.
Both Class 7A teams carry a four-game winning streak into the championship game, and both won on the road in the semifinals.
“I thank God for the journey,” Thompson coach Mark Freeman said after the Warriors’ semifinal win. “We’re going to get ready and go play.” Freeman and Thompson are in the 7A finals for a state-record eighth straight year.
The championship games in Classes 3A, 1A and 5A will be played Thursday, followed by title games in Classes 4A, 2A and 6A on Friday. The week-long slate of games features seven undefeated teams, six defending state champions and four teams, including Moody’s flag team, which finished as state runners-up in 2024.
Wadley (13-0) faces unbeaten Maplesville (14-0) in a rematch of last year’s finals in Class 1A at 3 p.m., Thursday. The Bulldogs ofCoach Dake Rivers comes into the finals with the longest current winning streak in the AHSAA for boys’ football. Wadley has won 26 in a row and 32 of its last 33 games. Maplesville (14-0), coached by Brad Abbott, comes in with a 14-game winning streak and 22 victories in its last 24 games. Wadley won last year’s championship game 37-7 at Protective Stadium.
In Class 3A, Mars Hill Bible (14-0) brings a 19-game winning streak into its championship game with Bayside Academy (13-1) Thursday at 11 a.m. The Panthers of Coach Darrell Higgins have won 28 of its last 29 games. Bayside, coached by Barrett Trotter, opened the season with as 41-10 loss to Class 4A St. Michael Catholic and have reeled off 14 straight wins since then.
Thursday night’s Class 5A finals at 7 p.m., feature Vigor (12-2) and Moody (12-2). The Blue Devils of Coach Jake Ganus are unbeaten in-class this season with their only two losses to Class 7A Auburn and Georgia big-school power Gainesville. Moody is making its second consecutive trip to the 5A championship game. Vigor’s Wolves, coached by Renardo Jackson, reached the Class 5A semifinals last season losing to eventual state champion Montgomery Catholic 21-7. Vigor, making its fifth trip to the Class 5A state finals since 2008, has won 24 of its last 28 games. The Wolves won the state title in 2021 and 2008 and finished runner-up in 2018 and 2011.
Friday’s three-game slate opens with unbeaten Anniston (14-0), coached by Rico Jackson, taking on defending state champion Jackson (12-2) in the 4A finals at 11 a.m. The Aggies, coached by Cody Flournoy, have gone 37-4 over the last three seasons and are 68-21 under Flournoy’s direction since 2019. Jackson won last year’s state title beating Cherokee County 69-6 in the finals.
Anniston, 27-10 over the last three seasons with Jackson as head coach, won last week’s semifinals 32-29 scoring the game-winning TD in the final seconds of the game at Plainview. The Bulldogs are in the state finals for the first time since winning the Class 6A state crown in 1994.
The Class 2A championship follows at 3 p.m., with Coosa Christian (12-2) versus Lanett (12-2).
The Class 6A championship game closes out the 2025 Super 7 Friday night at 7 p.m., with Saraland (13-0) facing Clay-Chalkville (14-0). The Cougars and Spartans met in the 2023 finals with Clay squeaking out a 31-28 win. The Cougars, coached by Stuart Floyd, also won the 6A state title in 2021 beating Jeffco rival Hueytown 46-42 in the finals in the first year the Super 7 state championships were hosted at Protective Stadium.
Saraland returned to the 6A finals last year falling to Parker 28-17. The Spartans of Coach Jeff Kelly are making their fourth straight appearance in the 6A finals and their sixth appearance overall. The Spartans, 54-3 over the last four years, won the 6A crown in 2022.
The Class 2A championship match features Coosa Christian, coached by Rush Propst, who is no stranger to the AHSAA Super 7. Propst directed Hoover to seven straight finals from 2000 to 2006 – winning Class 6A state titles in that stretch. The Conquerors are making their second state finals appearance in three seasons – reaching the 1A finals in 2023 falling to Leroy in the championship game.
Lanett, coached by Billy McDonald, are back in the state finals for the first time since winning the state title in Class 1A in 2019. The Panthers also won the state 2A championship in 20127.
AHSAA 2025 SUPER 7 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Protective Stadium, Dec. 3-4-5
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3
Class 1A/5A Girls’ Flag Championship
Moody (21-3) vs. Montgomery Catholic (21-4), Wed., Dec. 3, 11 a.m.
Class 6A/7A Girls’ Flag Championship
Vestavia Hills (28-1) vs. Central-Phenix City (19-0), Wed., Dec. 3, 3 p.m.
CLASS 7A Boys’ Championship
Thompson (10-3) vs. Opelika (10-3), Wed., Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
Class 3A Boys’ Championship
Mars Hill Bible (14-0) vs. Bayside Academy (13-1), Thurs., Dec. 4, 11 a.m.
Class 1A Boys’ Championship
Maplesville (14-0) vs. Wadley (13-0), Thurs., Dec. 4, 3 p.m.
CLASS 5A Boys’ Championship
Vigor (12-2) vs. Moody 12-2), Thurs., Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Class 4A Boys’ Championship
Jackson (12-2) vs. Anniston (14-0), Fri., Dec. 5, 11 a.m.
Class 2A Boys’ Championship
Lanett (12-2) vs. Coosa Christian (12-2), Fri., Dec. 5, 3 p.m.
CLASS 6A
Saraland (13-0) vs. Clay-Chalkville (14-0), Fri., Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
FEATURED IMAGE: Moody receiver Sophie White (11) makes a catch in last year’s Class 1A/5A Flag finals. (AHSAA PHOTO / David Holtsford)
