SPANISH FORT, Alabama – Tyler Johnston picked off his fifth pass of the year and picked a good time to do it. The Spanish Fort freshman safety and back-up quarterback stepped in front of St. Paul QB Bradley Padgett's toss on the 50 yard line and returned it to the St. Paul's 7 to set up the go-ahead Toro touchdown 17-10.

PHOTO GALLERY: Spanish Fort beats St. Paul's in 5A semifinal

The 2012 5A Region 1 champions went on to win the 5A state semifinal 24-10 on The Hill at SFHS to avenge a 31-21 regular-season loss to the Saints and advance to the championship Super-Six game to face McAdory.

The Toros and Saints had traded scores earlier to make it 10-10 with 10 minutes to go in regulation and it appeared to be St. Paul's turn to score. But Johnston's interception and a subsequent one by Johnny Cook sealed the outcome in the Toro's favor. The Toro defense also stopped the Saints on downs late in the final period.

"I can't say enough about the defense, especially the last few games," said SFHS head coach Mark Freeman. "Getting off the field on third down and limiting their time with the ball was huge. Gave us a chance to do more on offense. I'm just proud of the effort, the enthusiasm. Tyler Johnston made a big play and capitalized. We had a couple of chances in the first half to score but St. Paul's had something to do with stopping us. Give credit to them. They are a very good football team."

Spanish Fort penetrated the Saints' red zone three times in the first half and twice were inside the five, but failed to score. On their third possession, the drive stalled at the Saint's 25, but Alexander Theodore made it 3-0 with a 42-yard field goal for the Toros. St. Paul's answered with Jannick Wildraut’s 38-yard field goal to make it 3-3 with 33 seconds left in the first period.

With a healthy Ed Autry back in the saddle for Spanish Fort, the Toros' dynamic running-back duo of Autry and Sammy Tolbert provided the one-two offensive ground punch to convert first downs and maintain possession while SF quarterback Joel Poe went to receivers Sam Harris, Blain Crain, Kristian Cotton and Tolbert with regular success.

"We were able to be more balanced tonight," Poe said. "The play calling was great. Our defense kept us in it. Tyler made a great play and ran it back and I think that's when we got the momentum back for good. But St. Paul's is great. Great quarterback, great runners and receivers. And their defense never lets up, but my guys up front took care of me and gave me time. You can't ask for better."

St. Paul's went up 10-3 in the third period when Padgett hit a racing Kylen Towner across the middle for a 45-yard TD pass with 9:18 left in the quarter. The Toros then went 55-yards in eight plays to score on a 2-yard run by Tolbert to tie it. Johnston's inteception set up a six-yard TD run by Poe and Tolbert capped a 75-yard drive with a one-yard TD run.

The Toros advance to play McAdory Thursday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium on the Auburn University campus. Kick off is set for 7 p.m.