Thompson remains unanimous No. 1 team, climbs in national rankings

Published 8:45 am Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

After taking down No. 2 Hewitt-Trussville 35-21 on national television, the Thompson Warriors held onto their No. 1 ranking in the ASWA Class 7A standings.

Thompson remained the unanimous No. 1 team in the classification, putting the Warriors one spot ahead of region foe Hoover, who they’ll play in the final region game of the season.

Both teams are currently 5-0 on the year, and look to be headed toward a clash that will once again decide the region champion and the top seed heading into the postseason.

There is still a lot of football left to be played, but Thompson has looked the part so far with its 5-0 start, largely because of what the offense has been capable of each week.

The Warriors are scoring 45.4 points per game offensively, and have done so against a difficult schedule. Thompson has scored 35 or more in every game this season, including 56 against Class 6A No. 2 Oxford, 48 against Spain Park, 49 against Sparkman and 35 against Class 7A No. 2 Hewitt-Trussville, who has given up 19 or less to every other opponent this year.

Led by junior quarterback Conner Harrell, THS has weapons across the offense with J.B. Mitchell, Tre Roberson, Sam Reynolds, Ryan Peppins, Jarrett Crockett and Brandon Franklin all capable of having 100-plus yard games in either the passing game or rushing game.

In addition to that, the defense has also shown flashes of being the great defense we expected coming into the season. They are loaded with talent, but still slightly young and not as much depth on that side this year has led to some inconsistency.

But, the Warriors are only giving up 20.8 points per game on the season and have given up just seven in two of their five games, while allowing just 21 to a Hewitt-Trussville team that has put up more than 40 on every other opponent this season.

There is still a difficult path left for the Warriors, but they seem well on their way to having a strong shot at defending as Class 7A State Champs.

Thompson has also garnered national attention in the rankings, coming in as the 16th best team in the country in both the MaxPreps top 25 and USA TODAY Super 25.

The only other local team in the ASWA standings was Pelham for the second week in a row.

The Panthers are now 4-1 on the season after picking up a forfeit win against Helena last week, which also improved their region record to 3-0 and puts them atop the region standings.

Class 6A is one of the most difficult in the state, meaning jumping into the top 10 will be difficult to come by, but for the time being, the Panthers are considered the 12th best team according to voters.

Pelham still has several big matchups to go this season, but it looks like the Panthers are true contenders to win a region championship this season if they continue to progress each week.

CLASS 7A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Thompson (23); 5-0; 276
  2. Hoover; 5-0; 205
  3. Auburn; 5-0; 181
  4. Hewitt-Trussville; 4-1; 160
  5. Central-Phenix City; 3-2; 137
  6. Prattville; 4-1; 101
  7. Fairhope; 3-1; 73
  8. 8 (tie). Daphne; 3-1; 53
  9. 8 (tie). Theodore; 4-1; 53
  10. Austin; 4-1; 49

Others receiving votes: James Clemens (3-2) 9, Enterprise (3-1) 5, Sparkman (3-2) 5, Oak Mountain (4-1) 3, Florence (3-1) 1.

CLASS 6A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Mountain Brook (16); 4-0; 255
  2. Oxford (7); 4-1; 228
  3. Pinson Valley; 4-1; 170
  4. Saraland; 4-1; 160
  5. Clay-Chalkville; 5-0; 148
  6. Opelika; 3-1; 104
  7. Lee-Montgomery; 4-1; 74
  8. Cullman; 5-0; 66
  9. Blount; 3-2; 62
  10. McGill-Toolen; 2-1; 28

Others receiving votes: Muscle Shoals (3-1) 9, Pelham (4-1) 3, Eufaula (3-2) 2, Hueytown (2-3) 2.

CLASS 5A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Central-Clay Co. (19); 5-0; 262
  2. St. Paul’s (3); 5-0; 211
  3. Ramsay; 4-0; 176
  4. Pleasant Grove (1); 3-1; 171
  5. Guntersville; 4-0; 130
  6. Alexandria; 4-0; 120
  7. Pike Road; 5-0; 79
  8. Faith-Mobile; 4-1; 69
  9. Demopolis; 5-0; 47
  10. UMS-Wright; 2-2; 22

Others receiving votes: Fairview (4-1) 10, Russellville (5-0) 8, Greenville (3-1) 3, Sylacauga (3-1) 3.

CLASS 4A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. American Chr. (23); 5-0; 276
  2. Gordo; 5-0; 200
  3. Madison Co.; 5-0; 168
  4. Madison Aca.; 4-0; 145
  5. Mobile Chr.; 4-0; 144
  6. Bibb Co.; 4-1; 105
  7. Jacksonville; 4-1; 96
  8. Etowah; 3-1; 66
  9. Good Hope; 5-0; 58
  10. Jackson; 4-1; 29

Others receiving votes: West Limestone (4-0) 13, Handley (2-0) 4, St. James (3-1) 4, Vigor (2-2) 3.

CLASS 3A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Piedmont (23); 4-0; 276
  2. Fyffe; 4-0; 206
  3. Walter Wellborn; 4-0; 180
  4. Flomaton; 4-0; 153
  5. T.R. Miller; 4-1; 143
  6. Catholic-Montgomery; 4-1; 106
  7. Ohatchee; 4-1; 91
  8. Montgomery Aca.; 5-0; 61
  9. Thomasville; 4-0; 42
  10. Opp; 4-1; 13

Others receiving votes: Bayside Aca. (4-1) 11, Trinity (4-1) 11, Pike Co. (2-2) 7, Reeltown (3-2) 5, East Lawrence (4-0) 4, Hillcrest-Evergreen (3-2) 2.

CLASS 2A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Randolph Co. (17); 4-0; 248
  2. Mars Hill Bible (2); 3-1; 196
  3. Red Bay (2); 3-0; 182
  4. Lanett (2); 4-1; 169
  5. Leroy; 3-1; 131
  6. Spring Garden; 4-0; 120
  7. G.W. Long; 3-0; 97
  8. Clarke Co.; 4-0; 82
  9. Elba; 4-1; 40
  10. North Sand Mountain; 4-0; 22

Others receiving votes: Falkville (4-0) 15, Geneva Co. (4-0) 4, Westbrook Chr. (4-0) 4, Colbert Co. (5-0) 1.

CLASS 1A

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Brantley (23); 4-0; 276
  2. Linden; 4-0; 206
  3. Sweet Water; 2-1; 178
  4. Maplesville; 4-1; 162
  5. Notasulga; 3-0; 135
  6. Pickens Co.; 3-1; 110
  7. Decatur Heritage; 3-2; 83
  8. Millry; 4-0; 75
  9. Winterboro; 5-0; 46
  10. Florala; 4-0; 34

Others receiving votes: Valley Head (4-1) 5, Marengo (2-2) 1.

AISA

Team (first-place); W-L; Pts

  1. Glenwood (22); 5-0; 273
  2. Chambers Aca.; 5-0; 198
  3. Bessemer Aca. (1); 2-1; 187
  4. Pike Liberal Arts; 4-0; 158
  5. Escambia Aca.; 3-1; 131
  6. Jackson Aca.; 5-0; 105
  7. Macon-East; 5-0; 84
  8. Patrician; 3-1; 77
  9. Autauga Aca.; 1-2; 37
  10. Morgan Aca.; 4-0; 35

Others receiving votes: Edgewood (3-2) 23, Abbeville Chr. (3-1) 1, Sparta (2-2) 1, Tuscaloosa Aca. (1-3) 1.