E.A. Sports Today

Two reach Super 7

Cherokee County earns third finals appearance in three years, and Wadley earns second in four years. Piedmont, Oxford fall in semifinals.

By East Alabama Sports Today

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.

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.

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