The Central Red Devils will challenge the Thompson Warriors at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Central sitting on six straight wins and Thompson on three.
Central is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They took down Fairhope 34-15. 34 seems to be a good number for the Red Devils as the team scooped up a victory with the same number of points in their previous game.
Central got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jayshaun Woodhouse out in front who rushed for 128 yards and one TD while picking up 7.5 yards per carry. Woodhouse was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 54 yards. Bobby Coleman was another key signal caller, throwing for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Central proved: they limited Fairhope to a paltry 2.1 yards per carry. While three picked up at least four total tackles, Marcus Price stood above the rest. He picked up two sacks, forced one fumble, and made four total tackles (3.0 for loss). Central didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 6.2.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Central, adding 16 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Kam Heard, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Thompson faced Mary G. Montgomery in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Warriors blew past the Vikings, posting a 54-0 victory. Considering the Warriors have won eight games by more than 21 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Central better keep an eye on Trent Seaborn. He was instrumental in Thompson's win, throwing for 262 yards and four TDs while completing 93.8% of his passes, and also punching in one rushing score. Seaborn's passing game has become a key predictor of the Warriors' success: the team is 8-1 when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Thompson's defense and their four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. They got some further help from Bradlee Cocchiaro: he picked up a sack and made seven total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Thompson's win bumped their record up to 9-3. As for Central, their victory bumped their record up to 11-1.
We should be in store for an exciting game as the two teams have no problem gaining yardage. Central has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 438.1 total yards per game. However, it's not like Thompson struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 404.7 total yards. With a pair of commanding offenses duking it out, the defenses are going to have their work cut out for them.
Central lost to Thompson at home by a decisive 21-7 margin when the teams last played back in December of 2024. Will the Red Devils have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
