(Front row, from left): Adam Gossett, B.B. Comer; Jason Massey, Leroy; Alison Link, Auburn Flag; AHSAA Director Jeff Segars; AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs; AHSADCA Director Brandon Dean; Wes Brooks, Oxford Flag; Michael Williams, Pickens County; Paul Benefield, Fyffe. (Back row, from left): Jimmy Perry, Saint James; Trent Taylor, Andalusia; Charles Hambrite, Charles Henderson; Jeff Kelly, Saraland; Keith Etheredge, Auburn; Mark Freeman, Thompswon; Chris Yeager, Mountain Brook; Ronnie Jackson, Ramsay; Jacob Kelly, Cherokee County; and Steve Smith, Piedmont.

MONTGOMERY – Two defending state champions have advanced to the 2022 AHSAA Super 7 State Football Championships to be played at Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium Nov. 30-Dec. 2, and one school will playing in its first-ever state finals.

Piedmont High School (12-2) downed Region 6 rival Sylvania 55-22 to claim a berth in the Class 3A Super 7 state finals. The Bulldogs of Coach Steve Smith will meet Saint James (12-2) in the championship game on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 11 a.m. The Trojans of Coach Jimmy Perry defeated Mobile Christian 35-7 in the semifinals to earn their first berth in the football finals. IN Class 7A, Thompson High school (10-3), the Class 7A state champions in 2019, 2020 and 2021, will face Auburn (12-1) on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m., to kick off this year’s Super 7. Mark Freeman is the Warriors’ head coach and Keith Etheredge is the Tigers’ head coach. Between them they have 11 AHSAA state titles between them and 15 overall.

B.B. Comer (12-2) topped Highland Home in the 2A South semifinals 44-15 to clinch its first berth in the finals since 1995. The Tigers of Coach Adam Fossett will face perennial 2A favorite Fyffe (14-0), the only undefeated team in the Super 7, Friday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. In 1995, the AHSAA’s member schools had been debating whether to move the state championship games from home sites to one site. It was a hot topic, especially when blinding rain wreaked havoc on the 1995 finals played across the state. B.B. Comer, coached by Bobby Overton, the AHSADCA president at the time, lost in a mud war 6-0 at Cordova in the 3A finals that year. That was more than enough to sway Overton to support the plan to create the “Super 6” with all championships at one site – Birmingham’s Legion Field.

The rest is history. The Super 6 was an immediate success and now the Super 7, which added Class 7A in 2014, is one of the biggest success stories in high school sports nationally.

The Super 7 now rotates between Jordan-Hare, the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, and the new Protective Stadium in Birmingham with more than 60,000 fans annually attending the three-day event. All championships will be televised by the AHSAA Network – including the Alabama Public Television (APTV) Network – which guarantees viewer availability for the first time in the 27-year history of the Super 7 completely across the state. All games will also be available over the subscriber based NFHS Network. Vince Earley of WOTM TV will serve as executive producer.

The 7A finals opens the boys’ football action Wednesday night. However, Oxford (18-3) and Auburn (12-1) open the Super 7 officially at 2 p.m., Wednesday with the second annual AHSAA Girls’ Flag Football Championships. Hewitt-Trussville beat Smiths Station 14-13 in two overtimes last year at Protective Stadium in the first-ever Flag championship game.

Piedmont and Saint James will kick off Thursday’s action at 11 a.m. The Class 1A finals will follow with Pickens County (11-3) facing Leroy (12-1) at 3 p.m.

The Bears of Coach Jason Massey beat Millry 28-11 in the semifinals Friday night, and the Tornadoes Coach Michael Williams, erased a 37-24 deficit in the fourth quarter to edge Coosa Christian 44-40. The Class 5A finals will pit Charles Henderson (12-1) and Ramsay (12-2) at 7 p.m. The Trojans of Coach Charles Hambrite defeated Faith Academy 27-12, and The Rams of Coach Ronnie Jackson downed Region 5 rival Pleasant Grove 27-20.

Friday’s final day of the Super 7 will open at 11 a.m., with the Class 4A finals. Andalusia (13-1), coached by Trent Taylor, beat Region 2 champion Montgomery Catholic 29-26 to advance to the finals. The Bulldogs will meet Cherokee County (12-2). The Warriors of Coach Jacob Kelly defeated Oneonta 42-21 in the other 4A semifinal. The Class 2A finals featuring B.B. Comer and Fyffe, will be at 3 p.m.

The Red Devils of Coach Paul Benefield beat Pisgah 41-14 in the semis Friday. The Class 6A championship game closes out the Super 7 with Saraland (13-1) playing Mountain Brook (12-2). Jeff Kelly’s Spartans downed previously unbeaten Theodore 21-6 in the semis, and Mountain Brook’s Spartans, coached by Chris Yeager, stopped Muscle Shoals 28-7 to earn their first state championship game appearance since that inaugural year in 1996.

The complete championship pairings and semifinal results are listed below.

Wednesday, Nov. 30 ScheduleAHSAA GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL

Super 7 Finals

Oxford (18-3) vs. Auburn (12-1), 2 p.m.

CLASS 7A Super 7 Finals

Thompson (10-3) vs. Auburn (12-1), 7 p.m.

Super 7 ChampionshipsThursday, Dec. 1 ScheduleCLASS 3A FinalsPiedmont (12-2) vs. Saint James (12-2), 11 a.m.

CLASS 1A Finals

Pickens County (11-3) vs. Leroy (12-1), 3 p.m.

CLASS 5A Finals

Ramsay (12-2) vs. Charles Henderson (12-1), 7 p.m.

Super 7 ChampionshipsFriday, Dec. 2 Schedule

CLASS 4A FinalsCherokee County (12-2) vs. Andalusia (13-1), 11 a.m.

CLASS 2A Finals

Fyffe (14-0) vs. B.B. Comer (12-2), 3 p.m.

CLASS 6A FinalsMountain Brook (12-2) vs. Saraland (13-1), 7 p.m.

AHSAA 2022 FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS SEMIFINAL RESULTS CLASS 1A

Leroy (12-1) 28, Millry (12-2) 11

Pickens County (11-3) 44, Coosa Christian (9-5) 40

CLASS 2A

B.B. Comer (12-2) 44, Highland Home (12-2) 15

Fyffe (14-0) 41, Pisgah (11-3) 14

CLASS 3ASaint James (12-2) 35, Mobile Christian (6-8) 7

Piedmont (12-2) 55, Sylvania (10-4) 22

CLASS 4A

Andalusia (13-1) 29, Montgomery Catholic (13-1) 26

Cherokee County (12-2) 42, Oneonta (11-2) 21

CLASS 5A

Charles Henderson (12-1) 27, Faith Academy (11-3) 12

Ramsay (12-2) 27, Pleasant Grove (11-2) 20

CLASS 6A

Saraland (13-1) 21, Theodore (13-1) 6

Mountain Brook (12-2) 28, Muscle Shoals (11-2) 7

CLASS 7A(Played Nov. 18)

Auburn (12-1) 14, Central-Phenix City (10-3) 13

Thompson (10-3) 40, Hoover (11-2) 10

GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL

(Played Nov. 14, 15)

Auburn 13, Hoover 0

Oxford 18, Vestavia Hills 6