Clay-Chalkville Captures 2025 Class 6A Championship with Dominant Win Over Undefeated Saraland

BIRMINGHAM, AL – In a rematch of undefeated Class 6A powers, the Clay-Chalkville Cougars cemented their status as one of the premier programs in Alabama high school football on Friday night. Capping a perfect 15-0 season, Clay-Chalkville defeated the Saraland Spartans 38-21 to claim the 2025 Class 6A Title at Protective Stadium in Birmingham to close out the 2025 AHSAA Super 7 Championships.  

The victory marked the Cougars’ third state title in the last five seasons and their fifth overall in program history. While the 2023 matchup between these two powerhouses was a nail-biter, the 2025 edition showcased Clay-Chalkville’s overwhelming defensive prowess and the explosive dual-threat ability of their senior signalcaller.

Aaron Frye’s MVP Performance Leads the Offense

Senior quarterback Aaron Frye saved his finest performance for his final high school game, earning MVP honors with a stat line that kept the Spartan defense on its heels all night. The Alabama State University signee accounted for five total touchdowns and over 300 yards of offense, orchestrating a game plan that mixed deep passing strikes with devastating runs.

Frye finished the night completing 8-of-10 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. However, it was his ability to extend plays with his legs that proved most damaging to Saraland. He rushed 15 times for 183 yards and three scores.

“That feeling is amazing,” Frye said after lifting the blue map trophy. “This team has put in a lot of work for 11 or 12 months. It got cut short last year, so to go on this journey with this team means the world.”

Frye’s dynamic play was evident early. He opened the scoring in the first quarter with a rollout to his left, finding a wide-open Jacari Johnson for a 66-yard touchdown strike. Later, facing a daunting second-and-32 situation in the second half, Frye escaped pressure to find Nasir Ray for a 19-yard gain, eventually converting the drive into points with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Ray on fourth-and-8.

Defense Sets Super 7 Record

While the offense put points on the board, the story of the 2025 Class 6A Championship was the relentless Clay-Chalkville pass rush. The Cougars’ defensive front made life miserable for Saraland quarterback Jamison Roberts, sacking him eight times.

This defensive output set a new AHSAA Class 6A Super 7 record for sacks in a single game and fell just one short of the all-classification record.

The constant pressure completely dismantled Saraland’s running game. Due largely to the minus-56 yards accumulated on the eight sacks, the Spartans finished the night with only 25 net rushing yards on 27 carries.

Junior linebacker Isaiah Brown led the defensive charge, recording 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss.

“We made history and finished 15-and-0,” Brown said. “We’ve got a young team, a whole bunch of juniors, so we’ll definitely be back next year.”

Saraland head coach Jeff Kelly acknowledged the physical challenge his team faced. “Those guys have got a great defense,” Kelly said. “They’ve got good size, and their explosion and speed made them a challenge for everybody to block this season. Those guys put relentless pressure on the quarterback.”

Game Recap: Cougars Control from Start to Finish

Clay-Chalkville football established dominance early, jumping out to a 17-0 lead that forced Saraland into a game of catch-up they could never quite win.

First Half Surge

After Frye’s opening 66-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, the Cougars added a field goal from Joseph Del Toro to take a 10-0 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter, Frye utilized his legs again, breaking free for a 39-yard touchdown run to extend the lead.

Saraland, making their fourth consecutive trip to the Super 7, showed resilience late in the first half. Quarterback Jamison Roberts orchestrated a drive that culminated on the final play of the half. Roberts found Eddie Turner for a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down as time expired, cutting the deficit to 17-7 and giving the Spartans a glimmer of hope heading into the locker room.

Second Half Response

Any momentum Saraland gained at the break was quickly stifled in the third quarter. Following the crucial fourth-down touchdown pass from Frye to Nasir Ray, the Cougars extended their lead to 24-7.

Saraland answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Roberts to Auburn signee DeShawn Spencer, narrowing the gap to 24-14. Spencer was a bright spot for the Spartans, hauling in 10 catches for 135 yards.

However, Clay-Chalkville simply had too much firepower. Frye added two more rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter—a 4-yard plunge and a spectacular 56-yard sprint—to put the game out of reach at 38-14. A late 38-yard touchdown pass from Roberts to A.J. Martin brought the final score to 38-21, but the celebration on the Clay-Chalkville sideline had already begun.

Stuart Floyd Completes the “Grand Slam”

The victory held special personal significance for Clay-Chalkville head coach Stuart Floyd. With the win, Floyd completed a rare “Grand Slam” within the program. He has now won a state championship at his alma mater in three different capacities:

• As a player: Quarterbacking the 1999 state title team.
• As an assistant coach: Contributing to previous championship runs.
• As a head coach: Leading the 2025 squad to a perfect season.

“My coaching journey is nothing short of God putting me where I couldn’t put myself,” Floyd said. “To be sitting here with these guys in this moment is hard to put into words.”

Floyd praised his team’s focus following a disappointing second-round exit in the playoffs the previous year. The Cougars played with a singular mission throughout the 2025 campaign, outscoring opponents 676-183 over the course of the season.

Saraland’s Continued Excellence

Despite the loss, Saraland’s appearance in the final highlighted the program’s incredible consistency. The Spartans have reached the Super 7 six times since 2014 and four times in a row. They finished the season 13-1, with their only blemish coming against the Cougars.

“Clay won, we lost, and the thing I don’t want to get lost in the whole deal is our guys and our consistency,” Kelly said. “I wish there was anything I could do to put our guys in a better position to win tonight.”

Quarterback Jamison Roberts finished 27-of-38 passing for 265 yards and three touchdowns despite the heavy pressure. Tamidrae Sewer led the Spartan defense with nine tackles.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 Class 6A Championship serves as a crowning achievement for a senior class led by Frye, but the future remains bright for Clay-Chalkville. With key defensive playmakers like Isaiah Brown returning, the Cougars have already signaled their intent to defend their title.

“We left a good legacy,” Brown noted. “We made history, going 15-0… We will definitely be back next year.”

For now, the blue map returns to northeast Jefferson County, capping a season of perfect execution, record-breaking defense, and championship resolve.