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Photo by Todd Thompson
Clay-Chalkville's Joshua Woods celebrates a first half touchdown with teammate Kaleb Amerson during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Clay-Chalkville quarterback Aaron Frye looks for an open receiver during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Muscle Shoals receiver Ezra Fowler is wrapped up by Clay-Chalkville's Leland Johnson during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Muscle Shoals' Brionni Jones makes a tackle during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Clay-Chalkville's Joshua Woods looks for a seam in the Muscle Shoals defense during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Muscle Shoals receiver Je'Marrion Draper gets tackled by Clay-Chalkville's Brayden Butler during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Muscle Shoals quarterback Kade Clemmons is sacked by Clay-Chalkville's Leland Johnson and Isaiah Brown during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Jacari Johnson of Clay-Chalkville hauls in a touchdown pass during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Clay-Chalkville's Joshua Woods stiff arms a Muscle Shoals defender during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Clay-Chalkville's Nasir Ray works to get past a Muscle Shoals defensive back during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
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Photo by Todd Thompson (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverC
Clay-Chalkville defenders wrap up a Muscle Shoals running back during a Class 6A semifinal playoff game between Clay-Chalkville and Muscle Shoals on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at James F. Moore Stadium in Muscle Shoals. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photo)
MUSCLE SHOALS – They knew.
They knew exactly how long it had been since they walked off the James F. Moore Stadium field in shock and disappointment, having been eliminated from the 2024 playoffs by Muscle Shoals.
The Clay-Chalkville High School football team got a chance at redemption 378 days later, and made the most of the opportunity.
The Cougars put forth a strong effort to beat the Trojans 30-13 on Friday night in the Class 6A semifinals, vanquishing the demons they have figuratively wrestled with for over a year.
“Ain’t no place I would rather come back to and win this one than here,” Clay-Chalkville head coach Stuart Floyd said.
Clay-Chalkville has now earned its return to the Super 7, where the Cougars will get a rematch with Saraland next Friday at 7 p.m. at Protective Stadium. When those teams squared off in the 2023 title game, the Cougars won a classic, 31-28.
Floyd has been around the Clay-Chalkville program much of his life, having played in a state championship game and been on coaching staffs that got there as well. But this time is different, whether he will admit it or not.
“I’ve been the best coach and the worst coach all in one year,” Floyd said. “I’m not the world’s greatest coach, I’m only as good as the players I have.”
One of the chief reasons Clay-Chalkville is headed back to the state championship game is the growth and maturation of quarterback Aaron Frye, who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards on the season on the team’s opening drive.
“It means a lot,” Frye said. “I went to state as the backup in 2023, so to go as the leader of the team, that means the world to me.”
Frye totaled four touchdowns in another stellar performance. He ran for two and threw for two, and his one just before halftime was the biggest. The Cougars went up two possessions just before halftime, as Frye hit Jacari Johnson on a 28-yard pass to make it 22-10 at the break.
“The play before the half was a huge jolt, super proud of Jacari making that play,” Floyd said.
Joshua Woods got the scoring started, taking a swing pass from Frye and wiggling his way into the end zone for the score. Floyd wondered aloud following the game why more schools weren’t actively recruiting his star running back.
Muscle Shoals settled for a field goal on its first drive after a long kickoff return yielded advantageous field position. The Trojans then took the lead early in the second quarter when quarterback Kade Clemmons broke loose for a long touchdown run.
Frye’s 6-yard run gave the Cougars a 15-10 lead, and Johnson’s touchdown before the half was a key one. Even when Muscle Shoals scored a field goal on its opening drive of the third quarter, the deficit was still 22-13, and Frye’s run to make it 30-13 on the ensuing drive essentially sealed the deal.
“It’s a testament to our coaches, our players, our community, with it being Thanksgiving, we’re blessed and thankful,” Floyd said.
Since that result 378 days ago, the Cougars have been on a mission to return to the state championship game. Their results throughout the first 14 games (all wins) suggest they have not lost focus on that goal at all.
“It’s where we thought we’d be. We’re not surprised,” Floyd said. “When the expectations are you should be in the Super 7 and you do that and go wire to wire, it’s pretty good.”
