The high school football season in Alabama came to a close last week with championship games in all seven classifications at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Thompson was among the winners, shocking Auburn 29-28 in the Class 7A championship game and finishing No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 computer rankings.
That remarkable victory, coupled with a 14-0 record and tremendous play this
season, makes Thompson the 2020 MaxPreps Champion for the state of
Alabama.
In a finish that made waves well beyond Alabama, Thompson rallied from nine points down with 30 seconds to play. A blocked punt returned for a touchdown by
Ahmari Bolden combined with a 35-yard field goal by
Trevor Hardy on the game's final play somehow erased a 28-19 deficit.
The Warriors recovered an onside kick and benefited from two pass interference penalties in the final sequence to secure their 18th straight win overall and second consecutive 7A championship.
Thompson also played the second half without junior quarterback
Conner Harrell, who was 9 of 14 for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He finished the season with 3,569 passing yards, 42 touchdowns and just three interceptions in his first season as the starter.
Despite the close call in the final, Thompson was a dominant champion. The Warriors piled up 604 points on the year and allowed just 222. The defense was led by one of the top juniors in the country in 6-foot-2, 235-pound outside linebacker/defensive end
Jeremiah Alexander, the No. 11 ranked player overall in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. Entering the title game, Alexander had team highs in tackles (106) and sacks (eight).
2020 AHSSA state champions
Final Alabama MaxPreps Top 25
About the MaxPreps computer rankingsOur computer rankings utilize the huge number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins, the higher the ranking. However, the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly-ranked opponents) and strength of schedule. For example, a team's ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below it than a team ranked ahead. Playoff wins are weighted higher than regular season games.
Other factors that will affect the rankings are times when MaxPreps has incomplete or inaccurate information. We will correct errors when they are reported to us. If we are missing a score, report it to us on the team's MaxPreps page. If we are missing a game on the schedule, send us a correction request.
