Run Game Emerges as Warriors Beat Foley 2nd Straight Year

Thompson welcomed the Foley Lions (0-2) to Warrior Stadium Friday, August 30 and rediscovered their run game in the process. The Warriors churned up 286 yards on the ground and ended up with 467 total as they moved to 2-0 after a 42-13 win. The game didn’t begin in ideal fashion as the offense fumbled the ball in a run to the perimeter on the first play of the game. Fortune smiled the next couple of plays though as a penalty on Foley and a subsequent fumble gave the Warriors the ball right back. Sawyer Pate steadily led the team down the field from there and ended the drive on a 14 yard touchdown pass to Michael Pettway. It wouldn’t be the last time Warrior fans would see that connection. The first team defense would be sensational all night and after another stop to open the game got the ball back to the offense, but only for what seemed like a moment. Pate would quickly find Pettway again for the longest TD of the season to date as Sawyer found his receiver streaking wide open up the right sideline and cruising into the end zone with room to spare to go up 14-0. Pettway would finish the half with three receptions for 100 yards and two TDs. The defense would go on to finish with seven tackles for loss in the first half and stifled the Foley offense on every drive of the first half. The Lions wouldn’t cross midfield until the second half. As the game wore on, the Warrior offensive line began to have their way as multiple running backs gashed the Foley defense for big runs. Jarrett Crockett was the first to do so amassing 78 yards on just six carries. Tre Roberson would be the next wide receiver to score for Thompson as Pate spun away from defenders and found Roberson who had come wide open off the scramble. Tre would also add 35 yards rushing on two carries from the QB position before the half. Senior RB Jojo Gaiters took over in the second quarter rushing for 84 yards on 12 carries and leading the Warriors down the field on their final two TD drives of the half. Sophomore Brandon Franklin took one in from four yards out and Gaiters finished off the final drive with a one yard score to put Thompson up 35-0 going into halftime. The rushing attack totaled 211 yards on 24 carries in the first half almost doubling Prattville’s total rush number for the game last week against Foley. The Warriors didn’t waste time scoring right out of the chute in the third quarter as Sawyer Pate found Tre Roberson on a beautiful pass and catch in the left corner of the end zone to put an exclamation point on a beautifully balanced offensive performance. The defense would finish out with 10 tackles for loss giving them 22 for the year so far. Seven different players would be credited with a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Carson Rockett played well at the point of attack all night and led the squad with five tackles and one for loss. Damion Ugbo and Peter Woods chipped in 3.5 and 2.5 tackles with a tackle for loss each, respectively. Thompson will have a few things to work on this week registering 14 penalties on the night as the win sets the stage for their duel with the no. 1 ranked Hoover Buccaneers who are making the trip to Alabaster this coming Friday, September 6. Kick off is scheduled for 7 PM.