By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Thompson High School Marching Band, cheerleaders, students, teachers and community members lined the sidewalks surrounding the school on the morning of Dec. 4 as they made sure the THS football team knows how much they are supported on their way to the Class 7A state championship game.

Thousands lined the sidewalks behind the school as the Warrior football team walked from the school building to the locker room and then loaded on buses bound for Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, where they will face the Central-Phenix City Red Devils in the state title game at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5.

While making the walk, the players were greeted with signs, cheers and red and white shakers from the fans. On the way out of town, the buses carrying the players drove past Thompson Middle School, Thompson Intermediate School and Thompson Sixth Grade Center, where crowds of students waved and cheered them.

The team is staying in Auburn overnight on Dec. 4 to give them time to practice for the big game.

To allow students and parents to travel to the game, all ACS schools will dismiss at 11 a.m. on Dec. 5. Buses will run at 11 a.m., and no after-school care will be available.

On Dec. 6, all ACS schools will operate on a three-hour delay, breakfast will not be served, schools will operate on a normal schedule after students arrive and after-school care will operate as normal.

On Dec. 5 at 5:15 p.m., the players will disembark their buses for a Warrior Walk outside Jordan-Hare Stadium at the corner of Heisman Drive and South Donahue Drive. Tickets to the game are $15, and are available on Gofan.co. THS fans should sit on the west side of the stadium behind the home team bench, and are encouraged to enter via Gate 14. The stadium has a clear bag policy, and artificial noisemakers are not allowed.