Thompson Warriors Reign Supreme: King of AHSAA Football
In the AHSAA 7A state championship game on Dec. 2, the defending champion Thompson Warriors squared off against the Auburn Tigers in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Two teams by the name of Auburn. Two wildly improbable endings. One team erupting in jubilation as a dream is realized, the other falling to the turf in tears as a dream is ripped away.
Everyone is familiar with the ending of the 2013 Iron Bowl, dubbed the “Kick Six.” Auburn University won the game by running a missed field goal all the way back for a touchdown, sealing their trip to the SEC championship.
Auburn High School, located a mere nine minutes from the university, was also involved in a game that can only be described as unbelievable. For these Tigers, the feeling as the clock ran out was heartbreak.
The first half ended with Auburn holding the narrowest of leads 14-13. As the teams returned to the field from halftime, Thompson star quarterback Conner Harrell was on the sidelines without pads and had his arm in a sling. Head coach Mark Freeman sent in Tre Roberson to take his place.
From there, Auburn dominated the game. Quarterback Matthew Caldwell was unstoppable with his legs, accumulating more rushing yards than passing.
With the score 28-13 in favor of the Tigers, the Warriors were facing their biggest deficit all season. After a forced fumble and recovery by Thompson’s Jeremiah Alexander, Ryan Peppins found the end zone to bring the score to 28-19.
After an Auburn interception, it seemed as though the Tigers would capture their first state title in school history.
Then, 2020 happened.
Caldwell kneeled out of the shotgun three downs in a row, losing chunks of yards of field position. However, the Tigers had milked the clock all the way down to 28 seconds.
On the ensuing Auburn punt, Thompson’s Korbyn Williams blocked it and scampered into the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown to pull the Warriors within 2 after a successful PAT.
Needing an onside kick recovery, Thompson sent out kicker Trevor Hardy along with a host of Warriors. It worked.
Roberson ran onto the field with 18 seconds left to win a state title. On the first play of the series, his pass was incomplete, but defensive pass interference moved the Warriors down the field.
On the third play of the series, Roberson’s long pass to his receiver in the end zone was incomplete, but another defensive pass interference put the Warriors in field goal range.
With four seconds left, Hardy trotted out for a 35-yard field goal.
“I just prayed to God, and the nervousness went away,” Hardy said in the postgame press conference.
The Thompson sideline exploded. Auburn players crumpled on the turf in shock. The kick was good.
In what many have called the wildest finish in high school football history, the Thompson Warriors captured back-to-back state titles by a score of 29-28.
“This was a good life lesson for our kids,” Freeman said. “Never, ever give up.”
Written by: Reagan Cofield
