SHELBY COUNTY, Alabama -- Taulia Tagovailoa threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as Thompson takes down Spain Park 40-17 Friday night in a Class 7A, Region 3 contest. With the Thompson win, this gets the Warriors into the playoffs for the first time since 2006. 

Thompson (7-0, 5-0) will play Hoover in two weeks at the Hoover Met for a chance to play for the region title. "I saw great effort in our team," said Warriors Head coach Mark Freeman. "We had a couple of kids out tonight and needs a couple to step up and they did and I'm so proud of our team. That is a reflection of our program getting better and better one week of the time. The wear and tear in playing in this region. You just have to take care of yourself and get ready to play next week."

Thompson scored first in the game when Tagovailoa had to scramble to buy some time and found a wide open Ahmad Edwards in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Samuel Serrato kicked the extra point and with 9:03 left in the first quarter, Thompson led 7-0. Thompson wasn't finished in the quarter and scored again when Tagovailoa hit Ahmad Edwards on a slant pass for a 19-yard touchdown play and with :12 seconds left in the first quarter, the Warriors lead 13-0. "All the glory goes to the man above," said Warriors QB Tagovailoa. "To come out here against a great team in Spain Park and come out with the win is big. We have put in a lot of hard work. The OLine stepped up big and we learn from our mistakes. I can't give enough credit to the line. We have been scoring 40 points a game and they have done a great job of playing well."

With 7:50 left in the second quarter, Spain Park scored on a 33-yard field goal by Cole Starr. With the Jaguars score, Thompson led 13-3 in the middle of the second quarter. With 5:59 left in the half, Thompson came right back after the Jags score to put up a touchdown on a Shadrick Byrd 1-yard touchdown run. With the score, Thompson led 20-3. Byrd rushed for 142 yards for an 8.4 yard average on 17 carries and a touchdown.

Thompson has driving again but the Jaguars defense held and on a fourth down play Tagovailoa had a 43-yard punt down to the Jags 3-yard line. As the Jags took the ball on their first play deep into their own territory, D'arie Johnson goes 97-yards down the left sideline for a Jags touchdown. Starr kicks the PAT and Thompson led 20-10 late in the second quarter.

In the second half, Tagovailoa scores on a 6-yard touchdown run around right end. McGuire kicks the extra point and Thompson leads 27-10 with 7:42 left in the third quarter. With 2:11 left in the third quarter, David Douglas scores on a tipped pass from the Jags and scores on a 32-yard touchdown interception. McGuire kicks the PAT and Thompson led 33-10. 

With 11:59 left in the fourth quarter, Mo Edwards ran behind the Jags defense and Tagovailoa hit him in the the end zone for a Warriors score. McGuire kicked the extra point and Thompson led 40-10. For the game,Tagovailoa completed 23-of-33 passing for 296 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception. Ahmad Edwards had 11 receptions for 113 yards and three touchdowns while Mo Edwards had four receptions for 106 yards on the night.

With 6:26 left in the game, Johnson scored for the Jags and Starr kicked the PAT and Thompson led 40-17. Johnson had 119 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns. Barker completed 16-of-34 passing for 178 yards with an interception.

The Thompson defense help Spain Park to 332 yards while they average 35.5 points per game but the Jags scored only 17 points tonight. "We executed on all cylinders tonight," said Warriors Head coach Jalen Rayam. "We knew what they were going to run and we just played out our game plan. We knew that this was going to be a tough game against a good team but we did a good job of executing." Rayam had four tackles with one tackle for loss in the game.

Up next for Thompson is hosting Huffman while Spain Park has to travel to Tuscaloosa County next week.