By ERIC STARLING/For the Reporter

MOUNTAIN BROOK — As was the case all around the Birmingham area Friday night, the Mountain Brook – Thompson matchup was delayed for an hour due to lightning. When the game finally got underway, the Spartans were able to celebrate homecoming with a 35-16 win.

The Warriors won the toss and took possession at their own 22-yard line. An off-side penalty wiped out their gains and after 3 plays they were forced to punt the ball to the Spartans.

Mountain Brook used a ten play drive to march down the field and quarterback Jacob Carroll connected with Wilkerson Anthony for a 23-yard touchdown strike putting the Spartans on the board first with 6:55 left in the first quarter.

Again the Warriors went three-and-out, and David Buckelew was called upon to punt the ball away. Buckelew had four punts in the first half for an average of 47 yards and a long of 56.

Again the Spartans marched down the field. After pushing the ball deep into Thompson territory, Carroll dropped back to pass on second down and found Warriors T.J. Rayam in his face. Pressured by Rayam, Carroll put up a desperation pass that was pulled down by John Mason Barrett for the Warriors. Thompson took over on their own 25-yard line.

Still the Warriors could not get things going on offense and Mountain Brook got the ball back. This time however, Rayam got the interception and rumbled 48 yards before being tackled. With the ball in Spartan territory for the first time all night, the Warriors pushed downfield and with 5:06 remaining in the half, Frank Mwakajumba pushed it across the line from 3-yards out. A Buckelew extra point made it 7-7 and that score held until the half.

The Spartans scored on their first two drives of the second half pushing the score to 21-7.

J.T. Sanders recovered a Spartan fumble in the third quarter and the Warriors drove to the 13-yard line before stalling. Buckelew nailed the field goal making the score 21-10.

Special teams for the Warriors forced a fumble on the kickoff, and the Warriors started at the Mountain Brook 30–yard line. Facing a second and ten on the fourteen, Quarterback Zach Brammer looked like he was sacked when he scrambled to his left and hit a wide open Maxwell Daniels for the score. A failed two-point conversion left the score 21-16.

“No disrespect to the Spartans, but we have to overcome ourselves to win games,” stated Coach Michael Montgomery.

Mountain Brook added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter while Thompson was unable to move the ball effectively.

Thompson will host Hoover in their home opener next week as they rededicate the newly renovated Larry Simmons Stadium.