Cherokee County, AL – Cherokee County earns third finals appearance in three years, and Wadley earns second in four years. Piedmont, Oxford fall in semifinals.
TRINITY — Cherokee County will play in the Class 4A title game for the third year in a row.
Tae Diamond rushed for three touchdowns, and the Warriors beat West Morgan 35-19 in Friday’s Class 4A semifinal action.
Cherokee County (13-1) will play Jackson in Thursday’s Class 4A title game at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium. The Warriors lost to Catholic-Montgomery in the 2023 final and Andalusia in 2022.
West Morgan finished 13-1.
Diamond rushed for touchdowns of 14, 13 and three yards.
Adam Griffith threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Ben Moseley, and Keyshawn Woods added a 1-yard touchdown run.
Class 1A
WADLEY 69, HACKLEBURG 31: As it has through its undefeated run through this season, Wadley steamrolled its way to the Class 1A title game Friday.
The Bulldogs (12-0) will play Maplesville in Thursday’s final at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium, marking their second title-game appearance in four years.
They lost to Sweet Water in Birmingham in 2021.
Wadley surpassed 60 points for the sixth time this season and third time in these playoffs. Its 69 points Friday marked a season by one point, surpassing a 68-14 rout of Valley Head in the first round.
Wadley beat Meek 55-22 in the second round and Berry 67-26 in the third round.
Class 3A
MARS HILL BIBLE 49, PIEDMONT 20: Cole Wilson passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns, but Piedmont finished with negative-8 yards rushing and fell in Friday’s Class 3A semifinal action.
The Bulldogs finished 13-1 after their ninth 3A semifinal appearance in 10 years, and Mars Hill (13-1) advanced to Thursday’s 3A championship game against Houston Academy.
Wilson hit a 9-yard TD pass to Rollie Pinto to put Piedmont up 7-0 at 5:06 of the first quarter, but Mars Hill scored 49 unanswered points.
Piedmont running back Hayes Gunn ran for a 4-yard touchdown with 4:27 to play, and Wilson threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ishmael Bethel with 15 seconds left.
Pinto had 14 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown, and Bethel caught eight passes for 66 yards and a score.
“We had a great season, ” Piedmont coach Jonathan Miller said. “it didn’t end the way we wanted, but I’m proud of our players and coaches for all that we accomplished.”
Class 6A
PARKER 20, OXFORD 7: Caleb Wynn’s 52-yard, catch-and-run touchdown brought Oxford within 14-7 in the third quarter, but that’s as close as the Yellow Jackets would get.
For the second consecutive year, Oxford fell to Parker in the playoffs. The Yellow Jackets finished 13-1.
Parker (13-1) will play Saraland in Friday’s Class 6A title game.
Oxford quarterback Mason Mims was 16-for-29 passing for 242 yards, but Oxford had three rushing yards. Wynn caught six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Nick Richardson had four catches for 72 yards.
“It was a hard fought game against a great Parker team,” Oxford coach Sam Adams said. “I thought we played with great effort and, unfortunately, came up short.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this season. We defeated 10 playoff teams, won a region championship, and were the fourth team in school history to win at least 13 games. Our seniors have developed into great leaders, and our Oxford community should be proud of them.”
