What to know ahead of high school football’s semifinal week
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Just one matchup in next week’s Super 7 is set. The remaining spots will be decided by Friday night.
Whether you’re a fan of Cinderella teams, top-ranked recruits, rivalries or just seeing the best high school football our state has to offer, this week has something for you.
Enjoy those leftovers, do your shopping then hit the road to find a game Friday night. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know before kickoff.
Does the upset train continue?
While the Class 7A playoffs provided few surprising results—yes, it’ll be Thompson vs. Central-Phenix City again—the rest of the playoff brackets have been anything but chalk.
Whether it was the reclassification or just the general parity across high school football, there are still a few programs alive who may not be used to playing this late into November. And several more who are home much earlier than expected.
Through three rounds of the postseason, there are:
- 2 of 7 defending champions remaining
- 4 of 7 top-ranked teams remaining
- 3 unranked teams remaining
This week, there will be four teams making first ever semifinal appearance including Moody, St. Michael, Southside Selma and Tuscaloosa Academy. Two others—West Morgan and Highland Home—are hoping to secure their first ever championship game appearance.
Familiar foes
We’ll have to wait a couple of extra days to see the rematch between Central-Phenix City and Thompson in the 7A championship but there are several more to keep an eye on in the other classifications.
In Class 6A, top-ranked Saraland will take on Pike Road in the semifinals for the second straight season. Parker and Oxford will meet in the other semifinal in a rematch of a second-round playoff game from last year.
The Battle of the Bridge will get a Volume 2 in 2024 as rivals Moody and Leeds meet in the postseason for the first time ever.
St. Michael, coached by former NFL player Phillip Rivers, will take on 4A No. 1 Jackson for the second time this season. The Aggies won the regular season matchup 55-16 to claim the region title.
Cherokee County and West Morgan will meet in the postseason for the third consecutive season but for the first time in the semifinals. West Morgan’s season has ended at the hands of Cherokee County the last two years.
In 2A, Highland Home will look to avenge a pair of regular season losses to Reeltown in each of the last two seasons. Meanwhile, Tuscaloosa Academy will host Sulligent in a rematch of a game that the Blue Devils won in double overtime earlier this year.
Alvin Henderson and Elba will take on Maplesville in a 1A semifinal, just over a year after taking down the Tigers in the 2023 quarterfinals.
Semifinals schedule
Don’t forget about the girls flag football semifinals that are also happening this week. We’ll know who plays in next week’s championship games at Protective Stadium before Thanksgiving arrives.
Here’s the flag football schedule:
- Monday, Nov. 25
- Moody 12, Wenonah 6 – 1A-5A semifinals
- Tuesday, Nov. 26
- Auburn at Central-Phenix City, 6PM – 6A/7A semifinals
- Tallassee at Montgomery Catholic, 6PM – 1A-5A semifinals
- Wednesday, Nov. 27
- Hewitt-Trussville at Spain Park, 6PM – 6A/7A semifinals
And here’s a look at the complete football semifinals schedule for Friday night:
- 6A Oxford at Parker
- 6A Saraland at Pike Road
- 5A Leeds at Moody
- 5A Vigor at Catholic Montgomery
- 4A St. Michael at Jackson
- 4A West Morgan at Cherokee County
- 3A Piedmont at Mars Hill
- 3A Southside Selma at Houston Academy
- 2A Highland Home at Reeltown
- 2A Sulligent at Tuscaloosa Academy
- 1A Elba at Maplesville
- 1A Hackleburg at Wadley
Who do you think wins a state championship this season? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
