This week in HS Sports: Ranking the state’s best football championship teams

This is an opinion piece.

This week, as we officially kick off the 2024 high school football season, I thought I would rank the 10 best championship teams I’ve covered during my career.

There are a few caveats.

First, my journalism career started in 1990 so any teams before that – including Vigor’s nationally recognized 1988 team – were not included.

Also, to make this list, I had to have covered at least one of that team’s game live.

Even with those qualifications, there were still a lot of teams to narrow down.

Here we go.

St. Paul’s (2014)

Steve Mask’s 5A champs were a wire-to-wire No. 1 team in 2014. This team – led by DB Jalen Thompson, QB Miller Mosley, RB Ostin McPherson and OL Troy Thingstad – rolled to a 15-0 record and defeated Pleasant Grove 35-13 in the championship game. The Saints were held under 30 points just once – a 14-13 victory over Vigor.

Fyffe (2020)

There are plenty of Paul Benefield championship teams to chose from, but the 2020 squad went 15-0 in 3A and outscored the competition 601-108. The Red Devils allowed only 45 points in six region games and defeated Montgomery Catholic 21-16 in the title game.

Madison Academy (2014)

The Mustangs lost to Leeds 27-24 to open the season and then reeled off 14 wins in a row behind eventual Mr. Football Kerryon Johnson and fellow first-team All-State running back Malik Miller. Eric Cohu’s team averaged 48 points a game and whipped Dale County 70-34 to win its second straight 3A title.

Hoover (2013)

Josh Niblett’s third Hoover championship team included All-American Marlon Humphrey as well as running back Bradrick Shaw. The 15-0 Bucs averaged 35 points a game and allowed just 8.9. They thumped Auburn 20-3 in the 6A championship game.

Thompson (2021)

Mark Freeman has teams from two different schools on this list. This particular Warriors team did lose to Hoover by three in the regular season but came back to beat the Bucs 35-10 in the state semifinals. They went on to throttle Central-Phenix City 38-22 in the title game and finish 13-1. Thompson averaged 45 points a game and gave up just 7. The team included Mr. Football Ryan Peppins and talented defensive linemen Jeremiah Alexander and Peter Woods.

Spanish Fort (2013)

The second of back-to-back 5A champs under Mark Freeman at Spanish Fort. The Toros went 15-0, averaging 42 points a game and giving up 8.5. They defeated Muscle Shoals 35-14 in the title game. Tyler Johnston, who went on to win Mr. Football as a senior, was the team’s sophomore quarterback.

Daphne (2010)

Glenn Vickery’s Trojans had incredible star power, including T.J. Yeldon, Ryan Anderson, Israel Lamprakes and Michael Pierce. They rolled through the first four rounds of the playoffs, winning in the quarterfinals by 37 and the semifinals by 34 before edging Hoover 7-6 in the title game to finish 15-0 for the first time in school history.

Gadsden High (1991)

Vince DiLorenzo’s Tigers went 14-0 and won the Class 5A state title, defeating Blount 20-7 at Prichard Stadium. The Gadsden defense allowed an average of 7 points a game and gave up just 26 total in five playoff games. This was the first championship team I covered. It will always be memorable.

Montgomery Catholic (2023)

Kirk Johnson’s Knights were dominant in going 15-0 and winning the 4A state title. Catholic outscored opponents 614-73 and posted nine shutouts. The Knights won their semifinal game 28-0 over B.T. Washington and the 4A title game 35-0 over Cherokee County. The team was led by star quarterback Caleb McCreary.

Etowah (1999)

Carnell Williams got his championship on this 14-0 team under Raymond Farmer. Despite playing a tough schedule (opponents had a 99-61 overall record), Etowah averaged 40 points a game and allowed 13. The Blue Devils won their five playoff games by an average of 26 points with the closest being a 42-26 win over Williamson in the 5A championship.

Editor’s note: If you want to respond with the best teams you’ve seen in person, please do. Send your thoughts to bthomas@al.com, and I’ll share a readers’ top 10 next week if I receive enough.

Final numbers on the A-List

AL.com just finished publishing its initial A-List of top senior recruits in the state for the Class of 2025.

We will reevaluate the list throughout the season. A year ago, Ryan Williams went from unranked (because he wasn’t a senior) to the No. 1 player after he announced his reclassification.

At this point, Auburn is dominating the A-List with nine commitments. Alabama and Ohio State are tied with two commitments each. Texas and Clemson have one each.

The No. 1 player on our list is Parker DB and Ohio State commit Na’eem Offord.

Eleven high schools have at least one representative each on the list. Four (Parker, Thompson, Saraland and Enterprise) have two each.

Past the Century mark

The Alabama High School Athletic Association is celebrating its 103rd year of football this season. While many schools participated in football as early as 1900, the AHSAA was formed in the spring of 1921.

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Thought for the Week

“Sometimes, the challenges we face are God’s way of getting us ready for the next phase of His plan.” – Ed Newton.

Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com . He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.