LACEUP: Two local football teams win 2024 state championships
Action 8 News says congratulations to Montgomery Catholic and Reeltown, our two local teams that won 2024 high school football state championships.
In Class 2A on Friday, Reeltown beat Tuscaloosa Academy 49-13 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
Reeltown quarterback Ja’markius Smith transformed the Rebels’ first play from a disaster into a highlight. It started with a shotgun snap that hit Smith in the shin while he was still barking signals. Smith corralled the loose football, rolled right, and fired a pass to Finley Henderson, who made a leaping reception before breaking a tackle and racing 83 yards for a touchdown.
Reeltown (14-1), which finished the season winning 14 in a row, essentially put the game away in the opening minutes of the third quarter as Smith threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Brown and added a 39-yard TD pass to Tae Martin just one play after the Reeltown defense covered a Tuscaloosa Academy fumble.
Reeltown avenged three straight Class 2A championship-game losses – a 43-24 loss to Fyffe last season, a 56-7 loss to Fyffe in 2019 and a 34-7 loss to Leroy in 2010. Tuscaloosa Academy was playing for its first AHSAA title in only its third season as an AHSAA member.
On Thursday, Montgomery Catholic (14-0) beat Moody 17-14 to win the Class 5A state championiship.
Catholic place-kicker J.P. Costa kicked the 23-yard field goal with 3:21 remaining, lifting the Knights to victory.
The victory gives Montgomery Catholic back-to-back state championships, as the Knights also finished undefeated and won the Class 4A title last season and sends them into 2025 riding a 29-game winning streak. The Knights have compiled a 55-2 record in Johnson’s four seasons as head coach.
Montgomery Catholic scored on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Kingston Preyear to B.J. Bedgood on the game’s second play. The Knights pushed the lead to 14-0 on Miles Khatri’s 1-yard run in the opening minute of the second quarter.
Moody quarterback Charlie Johnston completed 16-of-29 passes for 135 yards. Meadows had 54 yards on 17 carries, and Goff led the defense with 7.5 tackles.
Action 8 News would also like to salute another area team, Maplesville, for making it to the Class 1A state championship game. Maplesville (12-3) fell to Wadley 37-7 on Thursday.
COMPLETE 2024 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Friday, Dec. 6
CLASS 4A FINALS
Jackson (14-1) 69, Cherokee County (13-2) 6
CLASS 2A FINALS
Reeltown (14-1) 49, Tuscaloosa Academy (12-3) 13
CLASS 6A FINALS
Parker (14-1) 28, Saraland (13-1) 17
Thursday, Dec. 5
CLASS 3A FINALS
Mars Hill Bible (14-1) 50, Houston Academy (13-2) 43
CLASS 1A FINALS
Wadley (13-0) 37, Maplesville (12-3) 7
CLASS 5A FINALS
Montgomery Catholic (14-0) 17, Moody (11-3) 14
Wednesday, Dec. 4
CLASS 7A FINALS
Thompson (11-3) 21, Central-Phenix City (10-3) 7
GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL FINALS
Wednesday, Dec. 4
CLASS 1A-5A FINALS
Montgomery Catholic (17-4) 14, Moody (17-3) 7
CLASS 6A-7A FINALS
Central-Phenix City (19-0) 55, Spain Park (14-5-1) 7
— From AHSAA
