Six new champions to be crowned at Super 6

Six new state football champions will be crowned at the Super 6 state football championships Dec. 1-2 at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium. No defending champion made it through from the original playoff field of 192.

Hoover, which won the state 6A title in 2009 and was runner-up in 2010, is the only team from last year’s 12-team field returning to the finals. The Bucs (13-1) take on Prattville (11-2), a rematch of the 2009 title game, in the 6A finals Friday night at 7 p.m. It will be Hoover’s 10th Super 6 appearance in the last 11 years and Prattville’s sixth since 2004.

Seven schools will be making their first appearance in the Super 6 event, which was held at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time in 2009 and rotates at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn each year. The two-day championship event kicks off Thursday with three finals scheduled, followed by three more Friday.

Undefeated teams in the field include Tanner (14-0) and Elba (14-0), which are set to square off in the Class 2A finals Friday at 3 p.m. Jackson (14-0), Handley (14-0) and Hartselle (14-0) also bring unbeaten records into the Class 2A, 3A and 5A finals, respectively.

Handley meets Madison Academy (12-2) at 11 a.m. Thursday and Hartselle faces Vigor (12-2) in the 5A championship game Thursday night at 7.

Danny Powell, who coached Leroy to the 2A state championship in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010, has Jackson in the finals in his first year as head coach. The Aggies take on Oneonta (12-2) in the 4A finals Friday at 11 a.m. Linden (13-1) and Marion County (13-1) also play Thursday in the 1A finals at 3 p.m.

Elba, coached by Scott Rials, enters the 2A finals averaging a state-leading 51.3 points per game after scoring 718 in the first 14 games. Tanner brings a 44.1 scoring average into the same contest. Marion County is averaging 47.3 points and Linden 40.5 in the Class 1A finals.

This year’s playoff marks the 28th year since the six-classification format was introduced in 1984. A four-class format was used during the first 20 years of the playoff that began in 1966. It is also the 15th year that all six championship games have been played at a neutral site.

Prior to 2009, the Super 6 was played at Birmingham’s Legion Field from 1996-2008 with the exception of 2004 when four games were moved to Regions Park in Hoover a week later due to Hurricane Katrina.

The 2011 Super 6 Championships will be telecast live by CBS 42 over a statewide network and broadcast live statewide via the AHSAA Radio Network. For the first time, discounted tickets may be purchased online in advance at www.super6al.com or www.ahsaa.com.

Complete pairings and schedule:

AHSAA Super 6 Football Championships

At Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa

(Home teams are listed last.)

Thursday

CLASS 3A

Handley (14-0) vs. Madison Academy (12-2), 11 a.m.

CLASS 1A

Linden (13-1) vs. Marion County (13-1), 3 p.m.

CLASS 5A

Vigor (12-2) vs. Hartselle (14-0), 7 p.m.

Friday

CLASS 4A

Jackson (14-0) vs. Oneonta (12-2), 11 a.m.

CLASS 2A

Elba (14-0) vs. Tanner (14-0), 3 p.m.

CLASS 6A

Prattville (11-2) vs. Hoover (13-1), 7 p.m.