Thompson appeared a bit too eager before the snap and committed numerous penalties, but the Class 7A, No. 2-ranked Warriors flexed their defensive muscle in a 21-11 victory over Hoover in Friday night’s Region 3 matchup at the Hoover Met.

Thompson (8-1, 7-0 in 7A, Region 3) out-gained the Bucs on offense, 313-237, and racked up eight tackles for a loss and a sack, forced five three-and-outs and didn’t allow Hoover (4-6, 4-3) into the end zone until the game’s final minute.

The Warriors allowed Hoover to drive across midfield to start the game, but a turnover on downs gave possession to Thompson for its first offensive. Trent Seaborn completed 5-of-7 passes on the ensuing drive and gave the Warriors a 7-0 lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Angel Jones. Thompson once more drove inside the red zone missed a field goal .

Hoover scored late in the first half, capping a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal from Matthew Daibes, and trailed 7-3 at halftime.

Thompson opened the second half with possession at its 45-yard line and scored five plays later on fourth down with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Seaborn to Colben Landrew. The Warriors forced a three-and-out on Hoover’s next drive ,and Landrew and Seaborn connected again on a 46-yard scoring pass to give Thompson a 21-3 lead midway through the third quarter.

Hoover punted three times in the second half, along with giving up possession on a fumble, but found the end zone on its final possession. The Bucs capped a five-play, 48-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Jonah Winston to Jeremiah Tabb with less than a minute to go.

Despite the loss, the Bucs clinch the final playoff spot in Region 3 due to Hewitt-Trussville’s win over Chelsea on Friday and the Bucs’ win over Spain Park earlier this season.

Did you know?: Hoover defeated Thompson in the regular season in 2021 and 2022, only for the Warriors to beat the Bucs in the playoffs en route to winning state titles.

Star of the game: Landrew. The sophomore receiver brought down four receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns. He had one catch for 11 yards in the first half. “My number was called tonight and executed to the best of my ability. We made plenty of mistakes but came up with big plays when we needed them,” he said.

By the numbers: 19, total penalties in the game, amounting to 110 yards. … 12, tackles for loss in the game. … 9, false start penalties in the game, five of which were committed by Thompson, and the number of wins for the Warriors in the series.

Stat sheet: Thompson – Seaborn finished 18-for-27 passing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. A.J. Green led the rushing effort with nine carries for 29 yards, followed by Michael Dujon with six attempts for 24 yards and two catches for 11 yards. Jones had four receptions for 41 yards and a score, followed by Deuce Oliver with four catches for 23 yards and Kolby Hearn with three catches for 71 yards. Kaleb Harris and Tyler Hicks had five tackles each with the former adding a sack and fumble recovery. Hoover – Winston was 11-of-20 for 89 yards and a touchdown and had 13 carries for 39 yards. Fredrick Dunson led the Bucs’ rushing attack with 10 carries for 47 yards, followed by Kamal Amerson with 11 attempts for 42 yards and Bradley Shaw with five carries for 29 yards. Chris Warren had four receptions for 33 yards and Tabb had a 32-yard touchdown catch on the final offensive play for Hoover.

Coachspeak: “It was a win but an ugly, ugly win. A win is a win in this region. We’ll get a couple of days rest and move on. I don’t want to be negative, but tonight was not a good night.” — Thompson’s Mark Freeman

What’s next? Both teams conclude the regular season and await the playoffs.