This is an opinion piece.

In 2014, the Thompson football team went 0-10 and was outscored 355-153.

Mark Freeman took over the program in 2015.

The Warriors have won 94 games and four state titles since.

They had their title streak halted – at least for now – on Wednesday. No. 1 Central-Phenix City dethroned Thompson 21-19 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Freeman was emotional after the game.

As he’s has done win or lose after every game, he praised the Lord for allowing his team to get to this point. He also praised Patrick Nix and the Red Devils for their play and their championship.

It was well deserved.

He also took a few moments to talk about his team and the work and sometimes scrutiny his players have endured in making the Thompson program the best in the state.

“I almost feel sorry for our kids sometimes,” he said. “When you start the season and state champs is your measuring stick, it’s tough, but we are OK with that. It is a grind, though.”

Thompson has now played in six straight Class 7A title games, easily passing Hoover as the dominant large school program in the state. The Warriors have won at least 11 games in each of the last seven seasons and lost just 10. Total.

For the first time in the 13 years I’ve known him, I could sense exhaustion in Freeman late into the evening Wednesday night. More than that, though, he just had a gut-wrenching appreciation for what his players – this year and in the past nine – have done to get Thompson to this point.

“You don’t just get in these games because you’ve got Thompson on your chest,” he said. “A lot of hard work goes into it, and I think sometimes that is unappreciated by some. You don’t get to this game without sacrificing something. We are doing what we are supposed to do. We are working hard.

“It’s a task for our guys when the judgement comes from not just making the state championship game but winning it. Mentally, I think these guys are worn out. Our coaches are worn out. But the Lord offered us an opportunity to build here, and we expect to keep building. Our goal is to be back next year. We aren’t running from it.”

Freeman also took time, without being asked about it, to talk about transfer Jared Smith. The four-star defensive end – one of the top juniors in the state of Alabama — transferred from rival Spain Park to Thompson in late October. Though he was eligible, he did not play for the Warriors in the playoffs.

“We’ve got a young man who transferred to us,” Freeman said. “He got lambasted. Over 700 negative comments about him. ‘Oh, he jumped from this team. Freeman recruited him.’ I haven’t recruited anyone. He came to us. He was eligible to play. We didn’t play him. It wouldn’t have been fair to the guys who have been here.

“He helped us get here. He practiced every day. I’m so proud of that kid. He made us better, but he took a beating from the outside. I told him just to keep his mouth shut. We treat kids so unfairly sometimes with the shots people take at them. Jared is a good kid. I just wish somehow people would be a little more kind to folks.”

Thompson will be back.

Quarterback Trent Seaborn, last year’s 7A title game MVP, is just a freshman. Wide receiver Colben Landrew, who caught a pair of TD passes Wednesday night, is a sophomore. Star defensive back Anquon Fegans is a junior. He and Smith will anchor what should be a solid defense.

They will shake this one off and get back to the grind. But sometimes a loss can show more about a person’s character, a team’s character, than a win.

“Life is not always going to be smiles,” Freeman said. “Now is when we are going to be really judged. Now we have an opportunity to show our faith and show who we really are.”

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.