Trojans season ends in semifinals

Though the 2025 football season will go down as another solid entry for the Muscle Shoals Trojans, the ultimate goal of a Class 6A state title still eludes MSHS.

The Trojans fell to fellow undefeated opponent Clay-Chalkville in the semifinals of the playoffs by a final of 30-13. The Cougars have won two state titles since 2021.

Making the fourth round of the playoffs puts the Trojans among the top four schools in the entire state in Class 6A.

Muscle Shoals had an excellent defense this year, allowing just 121 points in 13 games, an average of 9.3 per contest.

Before the 30 scored by Clay-Chalkville, the Trojans had not allowed more than 17 points in a game all season.

This marks Muscle Shoals’ best defensive performance since allowing just 112 points in 12 games in 2015 and 101 points in 15 games in 2013.

The Trojans are now 170-50 overall and 28-17 in the postseason during the 18-year tenure of head coach Scott Basden, which includes five undefeated regular seasons.

Muscle Shoals kept things close in the first half of the Nov. 28 matchup with Clay-Chalkville.

The Cougars scored first earlier in the opening quarter, but a 75-yard kickoff return by Jashad Samples helped set up a field goal by Jorge Garcia to cut the lead to 7-3.

The Trojans’ defense forced a turnover on downs, and Muscle Shoals took a 10-7 lead when Kade Clemmons broke a 43-yard run for a touchdown.

Clay-Chalkville would miss a field goal but later go back ahead.

Garcia would notch another field goal to make it 22-13 Cougars, but that would be the final points Muscle Shoals would manage in the game.

The Trojans will lose a number of key pieces to graduation like seniors Clemmons, Keivay Foster, Mhari Johnson, Garcia, Ezra Fowler, Tylan Smith, Shone Tapscott, Wes and Will Vance, among others.

Such is life for high school football programs.

Muscle Shoals will go back to the drawing board, fill in the gaps left by graduation, and look to make another playoff run in 2026.