THS aims for playoff berth

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, October 15, 2002

Thompson High coach Ricky Seale is proud of the way his team played last Friday.

&uot;We played well but made a couple of mistakes,&uot; he said.

Coach Seale’s Warriors kept their playoff hopes alive on Friday with a homecoming win against the West End Lions, 36-12.

THS faces Jess Lanier next week and Brookwood the next, but Seale is confident his squad will continue to put its best foot forward.

&uot;With a good week of practice and a little more enthusiasm,&uot; the team will be ready to go after its final hurdles (Jess Lanier and Brookwood).

If the Warriors (4-3) win both games, they will be the fourth place team in Class 5A, Region 4.

Thompson scored twice in the first quarter, after West End’s first possession ended with an interception.

The first score came on a one-yard run from senior Andrew Hairston. The point after touchdown by senior Brett Rushing was good, and the score was 7-0.

Following a Lion fumble on the kickoff, Thompson attempted a field goal which failed and the score remained 7-0.

Senior Kenny Mahone scored on a 36-yard pass from Rushing with one minute, 50 seconds to go in the first quarter. Hairston scored the 2-point conversion to make the score 15-0 Thompson.

The Warriors saw another touchdown in the first half when Rushing scored from the Lions’ 6-yard line with 9:14 to go in the second quarter. His successful PAT made the score 22-0 at halftime.

The Lions came roaring back in the third quarter with two quick touchdowns, scoring first on a 12-yard screen pass and next on a 69-yard returned interception to bring the score to 20-12 at 6:43 in the third quarter.

The Warriors put the game away in the fourth quarter, however, scoring first with 10:52 to go in the game.

Junior Eric Bogan scored the 6 points when he received a 14-yard pass from Rushing to make the score 29-12 Thompson.

Sophomore Jeffery Adams scored the final points on a 76-yard run with 1:21 to go in the game. The successful PAT made the final score 36-12.

Thompson rushed for 305 yards and recorded 102 yards passing with seven completions on 16 attempts and one interception.

Leading rushers for the Warriors were Bogan with 26 attempts for 113 yards; Hairston with 13 attempts for 64 yards and Adams with three attempts for 82 yards. Mahone received four passes for 77 yards.

West End rushed for 64 yards and recorded 183 yards passing with 15 completions on 30 attempts and six interceptions.

The Warriors were penalized 8 times for 65 yards; while the Lions were penalized 15 times for 110 yards. Each team lost a fumble.

Leading THS on defense were senior Kurt Jones, junior Tony Bell, senior Casey Pnazek, junior Darious Sheffield and senior Alonzo Barrett