For the fifth time in six years, the Thompson Warriors sit atop the Alabama 7A classification. Wednesday night, Thompson beat Central (Phenix City), the defending champs, 21-7 to cap an 11-3 season that was close to being perfect. All three losses were by one point in overtime.
Central held a 7-0 lead before Thompson, ranked No. 65 in the High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football, scored on three consecutive drives before the end of the first half.
“You lose a game or two at Thompson, people started doubting us. I don’t blame them,” said Thompson coach to AHSAA.com. “The lesson, I know they learned, is: Don’t ever give up. Don’t every let anyone tell you you’re not the one.
“Those three losses were painful, (and) those games built this championship,” Freeman added. “It built character and perseverance, more than I can coach it.”
Freeman now has now won seven AHSAA state titles, five at Thompson (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024) and two at Spanish Fort (2012, 2013). Freeman’s seven titles leave him tied with Fyffe’s Paul Benefield one short of the all-time AHSAA record – held by UMS-Wright coach Terry Curtis and Central, Clay County coach Danny Horn.
Thompson held Central, ranked No. 98 in the HSFA 300, to single digits for the first time in Nix’s five seasons as the Red Devils’ head coach. It’s the fewest points Central has scored since a 14-13 loss to Auburn in the 2022 semifinals, and it’s the first time the Red Devils scored single digits since a 23-7 loss to Hoover in the 2016 season opener.
Parts of the above story come from AHSAA.com
