Thompson uses ground game to pull away from Tuscaloosa County

By STEPHEN DAWKINS | Special to the Reporter

NORTHPORT – The Thompson Warriors defeated Tuscaloosa County, 47-7, on Friday, Sept. 6, as the Warriors won their region opener for the sixth consecutive season.

Thompson (2-1) set the tone early as the visitors, establishing the running game with Michael Dujon, who scored the game’s first touchdown just minutes into the first quarter.

John Alan McGuire’s point after made it 7-0 with about 10 minutes on the clock.

The Thompson defense forced a punt on Tuscaloosa County’s first possession, and Dujon went right to work again, this time scoring on a 75-yard run to make it 14-0 after McGuire’s extra point.

Warriors coach Mark Freeman said his team has made a point to establish the run after some struggles to run the football were costly last season and did so early in this game.

A sack by Jared Smith helped force another punt, but this time the Thompson possession did not end in points as the Wildcats (0-3) intercepted a pass.

The Thompson defense forced a punt shortly into the second quarter, but the hosts took possession again after a muffed punt.

Another Warriors miscue, this time in the form of a penalty, advanced Tuscaloosa County to Thompson’s 1-yard line, and the Wildcats punched it in for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 14-7 about halfway through the second quarter.

“We came out playing good, got up 14-0 quick, but then we started making mistakes,” Freeman said. “We threw a pick in the red zone and that kind of started a wave of things—roughing the passer, jumping offside—just things that good teams don’t do. So, we’ve got to get all that cleaned up.”

Thompson drove inside Tuscaloosa County’s 10-yard line but stalled and needed McGuire’s field goal to add to its lead, 17-7, with 5:30 remaining in the second quarter.

Terry Robinson came up with a turnover for THS, ripping the ball from the ball carrier, and the Warriors took over in T-County territory.

Runs by RJ Evans moved the ball to the 6-yard line, and he found paydirt from there, extending the lead to 24-7 after McGuire’s extra point with 2:35 left in the first half.

With less than a minute to go, the Thompson defense forced a punt, and a botched snap resulted in a safety, making it 26-7.

The Warriors weren’t done yet, as Evans recorded another touchdown run with just 21 seconds left until halftime.

The score was 33-7 at halftime, and the Wildcats would get no closer in the second half.

With 1:40 on the clock in the third quarter, Mehkii Billingsley became the third Thompson player to score a touchdown.

Then, midway through the fourth quarter, Thompson’s Brooks Byars made it 46-7, and Ethan Black recorded the game’s final tally on the extra point.

Thompson now leads the all-time series with Tuscaloosa County 11-3, including the last 10 in a row.

The Warriors return home next to host another Class 7A, Region 3 foe, Oak Mountain, on Friday, Sept. 13.

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