HOOVER, Alabama -- Shadrick Byrd scored three touchdowns as #3 Thompson goes on to defeat #2 Hoover 32-25 Friday night at the Hoover Met. With the Thompson win, the Warriors go on to win the Class 7A, Region 3 Championship and snaps the 20-game Hoover winning streak over the Warriors.

With Hoover leading 25-24 with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter, the Warriors put together a 98-yard touchdown drive to get the winning score late in the game. The touchdown came on a Taulia Tagovailoa to Mo Edwards on a 12-yard touchdown pass play in the left of the end zone. Thompson scored on the two point conversion on a Tagovailoa to Michael Pettway pass in the back of the end zone to give the Warriors a 32-25 lead with 4:53 left in the game.

Hoover had the ball for the next three plays on offense but couldn't get a first down and punted. The Warriors ran the clock down to :10 seconds left in the game where they punted to Hoover but came away with nothing on the punt return to end the game. "That's the kind of kids they are," said Thompson Head coach Mark Freeman. "We hit a play on them and it breaks your heart to see it come back. To come to the Hoover Met and to hit 90-plus yard drives, man we're just blessed. So excited for our kids and coaches who did a great job tonight."

Thompson (9-0, 7-0) capped of the 14-play, 98-yard drive after Tagovailoa's 98-yard touchdown pass to Mo Edwards was called back after Thompson was penalized for an ineligible lineman down field. Thompson converted four huge third downs on that historic drive. "We knew that we had to score on the drive," Thompson QB Tagovailoa. "Our defense was doing a hell of a job. We knew that if we got big plays on big downs, we could take the energy out of their defense."

Thompson scored first in the game when Samuel Serrato kicked a short field goal and the Warriors took a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter. Hoover came right back on the first play after the Warriors score when Bucs running back Larry McCammon broke up the middle for an 80-yard touchdown run. The Bucs extra point was blocked but Hoover took a 6-3 lead. 

With 11:54 left in the second quarter, McCammon scored on a 5-yard touchdown run and the Bucs took a 13-3 lead early in the second quarter. The Thompson defense came up big getting two fumbles in the second quarter. One fumble recovery was by K.J. Robertson who took the ball to the Bucs 1-yard line. Two plays later Bryd scored on a -yard run and the Warriors cut the Hoover lead to 13-10. With Hoover driving again, the Bucs turned the ball over and Thompson drove the length of the field and scored with 1:01 left in the half and Thompson took a 17-13 lead into halftime. Those were two huge turnovers by Hoover and very costly. "We can't turn the ball over and have penalties," said Bucs Head coach Josh Niblett. "You can’t turn the ball over and you can’t have penalties that cost touchdowns. That’s my fault. I’ve got to get us prepared better to handle those situations.

Coming out of the locker room, Thompson kept the momentum and scored on the Warriors first possession of the second half as Bryd scored on a 30-yard touchdown run right up the middle of the field. The Bucs lost nose guard Khamari Brown in the first half and the Warriors took advantage of not having the Bucs run stuffer. With the 10:39 left in the third quarter, Thompson led 24-13. 

Hoover came right back and scored on a an 8-play drive on a McCammon 5-yard touchdown run and the Bucs cut the Thompson lead to 24-19 with 6:24 left in the third quarter. Hoover was driving again and drove deep into Warriors territory but a Bucs fumble put the Thompson offense back on the field. A few Thompson plays later, Chase Brown picked off the Warriors pass for a 66-yard pick-6 and Hoover took a 25-24 lead. 

That Hoover touchdown setup the Thompson drive 98-yard drive of the season and to clinch the #1 seed in Class 7A, Region 3. “Just like the first game (Hapeville Charter, Ga.)," said Thompson WR Mo Edwards. "You’ve got to keep the same mentality of never doubting. We just kept our faith and we had to do what we had to do.” 

For Thompson, Tagovailoa completed 16-of-31 passes for 233 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mo Edwards had seven receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. Bryd had 133 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns. For Hoover, McCammon had 150 yards on 13 carries with three touchdowns.

Up next for Thompson, they travel to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa while Hoover will host IMG Academy out of Florida.