Thompson closes our Grissom in dominating fashion, advances to round two

The Thompson Warriors could’ve named their score Friday, Nov 6 and ran up a 49-0 lead at

halftime. After missing out on the playoffs the last 16 years, Thompson welcomed the Grissom

Tigers back to the postseason in dominating fashion winning 49-7 advancing to the next round

of the playoffs.

Simply put, everything went the Warriors way in the first half. The defense was lights out posting seven tackles for loss before halftime, forced five three-and-outs to start the game and didn’t allow a single first down in that span. Jeremiah Alexander was particularly imposing as he made a living in the backfield with three tackles for loss and was in on two sacks. After the Warriors drew first blood on a 26 yard pass from Conner Harrell to running back Jarrett Crockett, they got a big play on special teams. Trevor Hardy sent a bullet on his kickoff that bounced squarely off the chest plate of a Grissom player. The deflection rolled ten yards and the Warriors were on it as the ball was punched toward the end zone with Sam Reynolds finally scooping up the loose ball.

Thompson needed just 14 seconds after their first score to cross the goal line again as Harrell pulled on a zone read and split two defenders for a seven yard rushing touchdown.

The defense didn’t allow a single third down conversion the entire game and forced the visiting Tigers off the field time and again in the first half. The front seven made their way into the Grissom backfield with ease shredding the opposing offensive line who was pushed back for -32 yards rushing in the first half.

Grissom quarterback Luke Foss completed five of his nine passes in the first half, but they only went for six total yards as every level of the Thompson defense dominated their matchup. The defense also gave the Warriors’ offense exceptional field position as they began drives on Grissom’s 12, 26, 33, 36 and 41 yard lines. Harrell would get all his action in the first half going 8-11 for 165 yards and two TDs to go with 22 rushing yards and a rushing TD. Almost all of those passing yards would go to Ryan Peppins who hauled in four receptions for 118 yards and a TD—his fourth 100 yard performance of the year.

Peppins’ score was a thing of beauty as he sped up the Grissom sideline to the endzone.

Harrell lifted a high, arcing pass toward the far pylon, but Peppins went up over the taller

defender to snatch the score with 8:39 in the second quarter to go up 35-0.

Jarrett Crockett enjoyed his second straight 100 yard game on the ground as he went for 121 yards on 17 rushes, all in the first half to add to his 26 yard TD reception. It was the senior’s fourth 100 yard game of the year and his five touchdowns were a new career-high. Crockett hit pay dirt from 36 and 13 yards out with two one yard scores mixed in. Ahmari Bolden also made plays with the ball in his hand running for the last TD of the first half and went for 82 yards rushing in the game.Kobe Stewart led the defense with 3.5 tackles as Jax Van Zandt and Jeremiah Alexander each

added three. Van Zandt, Alexander, K’Marion Hambright, Gavin Shipman and Seth Hampton all had tackles for loss for the Warriors with Shipman also recovering a fumble.

The Warriors will be in for a Region 3 rematch as they will face Hewitt-Trussville Friday, Nov 13 who took down Region 4’s #2 seed, James Clemens. It will be the first time the two teams have met at Warrior Stadium since Thompson eliminated the Huskies in the second round of the 2018 postseason.