By: Arky Bartlett

Alabaster – The last game of the regular season started with little fanfare and before the first quarter was done, it looked as if a rout of home standing Thompson was on. The Warriors’ fight was just beginning.

Thompson opened the game with a punt and Homewood racked up an eight-play drive to score the game’s first points. On Thompson’s next drive the Warriors’ tallied seven plays before fumbling. Homewood countered with a field goal. The lead was 10 and never got bigger.

Thompson seized momentum back on their side and drove five plays, all running and four of them to Adrian Marcus. He scored on an eleven yard dart to close the gap to 10-7. A Homewood punt gave the Warriors’ the ball on their own 40 yard line before putting up a nine play drive that ended with a sensational leaping catch from Marcus. The extra point was blocked but the lead belonged to Thompson.

Homewood took the next possession and traveled ten plays, nine of those running and capped by a three yard flipping dive into the end zone. Homewood led 17-13.

Not to be outdone, Allan Reeves answered the call on the very next play. He took an option keeper to the left and went 77-yards virtually untouched to the house. Thompson was again atop but had to stage a stout defensive stand with under a minute to go in the half. The Warriors’ stopped a 4th and 1 from inside the Thompson 15. The Warriors’ took a knee and the halftime lead.

Homewood drove the opening possession of the second half and scored to regain the advantage but just as he did before, Hayes answered with a 71-yard bullet to junior Darvick Lucas who sprinted through the secondary for six. Thompson had their final lead of the game and it lasted only moments.

Homewood hooked up on their first play with an 80-yard prayer that was answered by wide receiver Cortez Slaughter. Homewood led at that point 31-27 with 7:39 to go in the third stanza. The score never changed.