Central-Phenix City shook off a sluggish start – thanks to a stifling defensive effort – and ran away with a 25-0 victory over Vestavia Hills to win the Class 6A-7A girls flag championship Wednesday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Red Devils limited Vestavia to just 63 yards on 33 plays and intercepted four passes to earn the shutout.

“We said all year the only team that can beat us was us, and we were beating ourselves,” Central coach Mitchell Holt said. “We were able to reel it back in and make the necessary adjustments to come out on top. Credit our defense.”

Holt said his first-team defense allowed only two touchdowns, both to 2022 champ Auburn, since Oct. 1.

“The Jimmys and Joes are bigger than Xs and Os,” Holt said, “and when you have great players like I’m blessed with, it makes it a lot easier to draw up plans and just let ‘em go out there and play.”

Central’s Natalyn Lumpkin caught touchdown passes of 14, 8 and 61 yards and led the Red Devils defensively with six tackles and an interception.

The two girls’ flag championship games opened the 28th annual Super 7 State Football Championship, as Wenonah defeated Montgomery Catholic in overtime in the Class 1A-5A flag final earlier Wednesday

Gerritt Griggs was 7-of-10 passing and ran for 71 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Vestavia QB Julia Rose was 8-of-23 for 62 yards.