The best sights, sounds + stats from the 2024 Super 7

It was a cold week at Protective Stadium but the football on the field brought plenty of heat as nine total state champions were crowned.

If you missed any of it, don’t worry. We’ve got a complete recap of the week including some of our favorite images, the best postgame quotes + plenty of stats from the final days of the 2024 high school football season.

Keep reading to catch up on the historic three days in Birmingham.

2024 state champions

During the three-day event, there were three games played each day with a pair of girls’ flag football games kicking off the week. It was capped off by the 6A championship game between top-ranked Saraland and hometown team Parker which brought in the biggest crowd of the week.

Here are all of the finals for the week:

• 6A/7A flag: Central-Phenix City 55, Spain Park 7
• 1A/5A flag: Montgomery Catholic 14, Moody 7
• 7A: Thompson 21, Central-Phenix City 7
• 6A: Parker 28, Saraland 17
• 5A: Montgomery Catholic 17, Moody 14
• 4A: Jackson 69, Cherokee County 6
• 3A: Mars Hill 50, Houston Academy 43
• 2A: Reeltown 49, Tuscaloosa Academy 13
• 1A: Wadley 37, Maplesville 7

After their state championship, Central’s flag football team was awarded the USA Today flag football national title.

Quotes of the week

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bama Buzz (@thebamabuzz)

“We live in a want-to, right now world. Sometimes it doesn’t work like that in life. You’ve got to work for it.”

~ Montgomery Catholic coach Kirk Johnson

“It’s a lot of fun. It makes it more fun at home when we win. When Peyton comes home, now he won’t be able to hold that over Hudson’s head. But Peyton pulls for Hudson, we all pull for each other. We’re all a family, having one at home is special but all these kids are special to me.”

~ Mars Hill coach Darrell Higgins on winning state championships with his sons

“We’re really close. We’re an inadvertent whistle away from this being a really good press conference… The best is yet to come. The haters are going to be really mad next year.”

~ Moody coach Jake Ganus on the program’s first ever state championship game appearance

“We were just going to take it to the half and I was like, coach we’ve got to take a shot. Red told me, if I’m not open, don’t throw it. You’re my number one receiver, I gotta throw it.”

~ Jackson quarterback Landon Duckworth on his 49-yard touchdown pass to Keeyun Chapman just before halftime

“It’s a special place… Growing up there, to see that the tradition is so rich and to be able to be a small part and continue that tradition, set a standard, it makes it special.”

~ Reeltown coach Matt Johnson on winning a state championship with his alma mater

“Yes. Yes. I’ve avoided it for a long time and I’ve watched those other teams play, and all respect to them, this is the best team in the country. It’s not close. That’s not being arrogant, I’ve shied away from it for a long time but there’s nothing they can’t do.”

~ Central-Phenix City flag football coach Mitchell Holt on if his team should be considered national champions

By the numbers

41,264 – Super 7 attendance. The total number included more than 16,000 fans for Friday’s three games.

28 – Lowest temperature during Super 7. Anyone who was at Protective Stadium might think it was colder because of the wind chill but the official coldest temperature during a game this weekend was 28, according to the National Weather Service recordings from the Birmingham airport.

20 – Signed recruits at the Super 7. Some of the state’s best talent was on display at Protective Stadium as 20 players who signed for FBS programs during National Signing Day took the field this week.

7 – Mark Freeman’s state championships. Thompson has won its fifth title in the last six years, upping coach Mark Freeman’s total AHSAA titles to 7, tying him for third all-time. Freeman has 11 all-time when you can include his AISA titles at Bessemer Academy.

93 – Total points in 3A championship. Mars Hill defeated Houston Academy, 50-43, in a game that included seven touchdowns in the fourth quarter. It’s the highest scoring Super 7 game since 2014.

312 – Jaquez Wilkes rushing yards. The Wadley running back carried the ball 38 times and scored five touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to their first ever state title in the 1A championship game. The 312 rushing yards rank second in Super 7 Class 1A history.

63 – Jackson’s margin of victory. Landon Duckworth threw five touchdown passes and the Aggies racked up 546 yards of offense to help Jackson win 69-6, the largest margin of victory ever in an AHSAA state championship game.

795 – Central’s total point differential. The Red Devils flag football team is ranked #1 in the country for a reason. They outscored their opponents 844-49 in 19 wins this season.

What was your favorite moment from this year’s Super 7? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.