As the Alabama high school playoffs reach a fever pitch, few matchups carry the weight and anticipation of the Class 7A semifinal between the #2 Thompson Warriors (9-3) and the #1 Central-Phenix City Red Devils (11-1) on Friday night at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama, this game pits two perennial powerhouses against each other in what many are calling a de facto state championship.
For the first time in their storied rivalry, these teams meet outside the title game, adding a fresh layer of intrigue to a series that is defined by Alabama's largest classification since 2018. With both squads boasting elite talent, coaching prowess, and a history of dramatic finishes, expect a classic battle between these two Class 7A teams.
The rivalry between Thompson and Central-Phenix City is nothing short of legendary. They've clashed five times since 2018, all in the Class 7A state championship game at neutral sites such as Jordan-Hare Stadium and Bryant-Denny Stadium. Central-Phenix City dominated the inaugural meeting in 2018, routing Thompson 52-7 to claim their first title in decades. Thompson flipped the script in 2019, cruising to a 40-14 victory for their program's breakthrough championship.
The Warriors went on to win three straight titles from 2019-2021, but Central reclaimed supremacy in 2023 with a 21-19 thriller, highlighted by a late touchdown pass from Andrew Alford to Cam Coleman that fell short for Thompson. Last year's final saw Thompson dominate Central 21-7, giving the Warriors five titles in the previous six years.
Now, with the semifinals hosting this showdown on Central's home turf for the first time, the stakes fell even higher. A win propels the victor to the championship game on December 3 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, and the victor will face the Opelika at Auburn winner.
Thompson enters with a 9-3 record, a mark that belies their championship pedigree under head coach Mark Freeman, now in his 11th season at the helm. Freeman has a 114-26 record with the Warriors. He has led Thompson to five state titles and won two more with Class 6A Spanish Fort.
The Warriors started the year ranked No. 24 nationally by MaxPreps but stumbled early, including a heartbreaking 24-23 overtime loss to No. 5 Grayson (Ga.) in August. They dropped games to Class 6A #1 Clay-Chalkville (28-24) and Hoover (33-30) at the Hoover Met. All three of those losses were on the road. In the 2025 playoffs, Thompson had dominated Carver-Montgomery 31-7 and Mary Montgomery 54-0. This marks their ninth straight semifinal appearance, a testament to Freeman's ability to rebuild and reload annually.
Offensively, Thompson revolves around a potent passing attack led by quarterback Trent Seaborn. The Alabama commitment has completed 233-of-317 passing for 3,200 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Also, Seaborn is a threat around the goal line as he has five rushing touchdowns.
The Warriors have four big-play wide receivers and can score at any time they touch the football. Darion Moseley has 59 receptions for 961 yards (16.3 avg) and six touchdowns. Pryce Lewis has 48 receptions for 787 yards (16.4) and seven touchdowns. Dedrick Kimbrough has 40 receptions for 621 yards (15.5) and five touchdowns. Trey Knight has 34 receptions for 446 yards (13.1) and seven touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Urijah Casey has 517 yards on 73 carries (7.1) with nine touchdowns. RJ Evans has 339 yards on 77 carries and five touchdowns. KJ Jackson has 232 yards on 43 carries (5.4) and has six touchdowns.
The Thompson defense has given up only seven points in two games. Defensive lineman Cam Pritchett has 82 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and three sacks, making him a problem to block and keeping him out of your backfield. Linebacker Chance Strown has 80 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and a team-leading five sacks.
Kicker Ethan Black has a 39.9 yards per punt average with six kicks inside of the 20-yard line, with a long of 60 yards. He is 53-of-56 on PATs and six of eight on field goals with a long of 37 yards.
On the other side, top-ranked Central-Phenix City boasts an 11-1 record; its only blemish was a 49-14 loss to IMG Academy in late September. Under head coach Patrick Nix - father of Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix and a former Auburn QB standout- the Red Devils average 45.2 points per game while allowing just 20.3 points per game. They cruised through Region 2 undefeated, outscoring opponents by wide margins, and have been equally impressive in the playoffs. Nix is 65-13 at Central, winning the Class 7A title in 2023 as the Red Devils finished with a perfect 13-0 mark. Nix has two state titles in 2017 and 2018 at Class 6A Pinson Valley.
In the regular season, the Red Devils have wins over playoff teams Auburn (36-0), Carver-Montgomery (58-35), and Opelika (42-6). These two teams have one common opponent this season in Class 7A, Region 3 Hoover. Central is coming off a 34-10 win over Hoover, while Thompson lost 33-30 at Hoover late in the season.
The Red Devils' offense is a balanced machine, quarterbacked by Bobby Coleman, who's efficient in Nix's pro-style scheme. The junior quarterback has completed 155-of-249 passing for 2,815 yards with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The ground game steals the show if the opponent's defense tries to defend the pass. Junior running back Jayshaun Woodhouse has 1,534 yards on 133 carries (11.5) and 18 touchdowns. Also, Woodhouse has 10 receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns. Donovan Crow complements him with power runs, totalling 454 yards and eight touchdowns.
The receiving core has Braylen Averett, who has 48 receptions for 926 yards (19.3) and nine touchdowns. Mike Bass has 37 receptions for 731 yards (19.8) and seven touchdowns, and Branden Brown has 26 receptions for 316 yards and six touchdowns.
Tristan Lyles leads the Red Devils' defense. The senior defensive lineman has 72 tackles and a whopping 30 tackles for loss, along with 19 sacks. Lyles can make plays in the opponent's backfields and will be a problem for the Warriors' offensive line. Marquise Cooper leads the Red Devils with three interceptions on the season.
Abe Hatmaker averages 34.5 yards per punt with nine punts inside the 20-yard line and has a long of 46 yards this season. Kicker Jack Ciancio is 71-of-71 on extra points and 11-of-15 on field goals with a long of 38 yards.
The coaching matchups add another dimension. Freeman, with four state titles at Thompson, emphasized preparation and adaptability, often outscheming opponents in big moments. The Warriors look to use the passing game to set up the running game. Nix, in his tenure since 2021, has one championship at Central and a reputation for developing quarterbacks and explosive plays. Strategically, Thompson will look to exploit Central's secondary with quick passes and play-action, while their defense must contain Woodhouse to force third-and-longs.
Central, conversely, will pound the rock to control the clock, wearing down Thompson's front and setting up play-action passes downfield.
The AHSAA has tabbed it as the TV Game of the Week, available on the NFHS Network.
