As the Alabama High School Athletic Association's Super 7 Week kicks off in Birmingham, the spotlight shines brightest on the Class 7A championship game, pitting the defending Thompson Warriors (10-3) against the Cinderella-story Opelika Bulldogs (10-3). Scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. CST at Protective Stadium, this matchup promises high drama, exposive plays, and a potential changing of the guard in Alabama's marquee classification.
Thompson, with a storied dynasty under head coach Mark Freeman, enters as the favorite seeking a sixth title in seven years. Opelika, making just its third state final appearance ever, rides a wave of momentum from a gritty semifinal upset of archrival Auburn, aiming for the first blue map trophy.
Opelika embodies the underdog spirit that defines playoff magic. The Bulldogs come into the game with a four-game winning streak, including playoff wins over Hewitt-Trussville (27-21), Baker (35-9), and cross-town rival Auburn (31-28). In the 100th regular-season meeting between Auburn and Opelika, Auburn won 17-10, foreshadowing the rivalry's intensity.
On offense, Opelika is averaging 27.7 points per game and 31.0 points per game during the playoffs. In the series with Thompson, the Warriors lead 1-0 in games played. The Bulldogs finished with the third seed in Class 7A, Region 2 this season.
In the first round game and trailing to Hewitt-Trussville going into the second half, something just clicked for the Bulldogs as they came back trailing 21-6 with 8:31 left in the third quarter for the road playoff win, and the Bulldogs' magic started to take shape. Starting quarterback Whit Cooper came into his own and had a significant impact on the Opelika win against Hewitt-Trussville.
For the season, Cooper has completed 67-of-110 passing for 903 yards with eight touchdowns and only three interceptions. "I think Whit is mature beyond his years," said Bulldogs head coach Bryan Moore. "He is an Opelika kid through and through. He was my next-door neighbor when he was a small child. There is a certain amount of trust. This means everything to him. He plays so hard that he will even push the pile on a running play. He blocks, and sometimes you want him to get out of the mix. It matters to him, though, especially for his town; he wants to do anything to win. In one of the first weeks he started, he wanted to address the offense before the game with Dothan. For a 15-year-old to say a few things to the team, here are a few things we need to get better at, so his leadership is there, and he is very talented. He has made some big plays for us with his legs and arm. He is not afraid of the moment."
"We were struggling especially offensively until that moment," said Moore. "We had several possessions where we had to kick field goals in that game. We couldn't capitalize, and honestly, it got to a point that, close to the end of the game, if we don't start trusting our 10th-grade quarterback, then we will have to figure it out next year. We had some guys make some huge plays down the stretch and used those same guys against Baker, and we were a lot more balanced on offense. We are not going to win if we throw the ball 30 times in a game, but we have to let him do something, and keep people off of us in the box. What you saw against Auburn was a lighter box because we hit some post throws over them and threw some go balls as well because they were man-to-man covering our guys. It takes me a while to build real trust with our quarterback, and he's in his 8th start this season. It's starting to be his team, and he has complete control of the huddle, and that is where the lights came on for this team as a whole."
In the semifinals, Opelika flipped the script with a road win at Duck Samford Stadium, snapping a five-game skid to the Tigers dating back to 2019. For Opelika, this is redemption territory; their previous finals ended in heartbreak: a 31-0 loss to Hoover in 2012 (then-Class 6A) and a 21-16 loss to Ramsay in 2016. A win could cap off a season of resilience, especially after losing 10 defensive starters from 2024.
The Bulldogs' running game remains the team's strength. Senior CJ Johnson has 944 yards on 150 carries and nine touchdowns. "I think CJ is a complete back," added Moore. "He looks like a big bruiser and can certainly do that at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. He gets downhill and is rock solid. When he broke the late touchdown run against Auburn, he ran 21.4 mph, and he broke a personal record on that run in that game. He is learning to create some explosive runs on his own. He is more balanced and becoming more of a complete running back."
Jordan Waits, Jalen Nelson, and Blake Johnson will get carries for the Bulldogs. Waits has 527 yards on 104 carries and four touchdowns. Nelson has 336 yards on 56 carries, and Johnson has 283 yards on 66 carries and 10 touchdowns. Look for Johnson to get his carries near the goal line.
The wide receiving core has made some big plays in the playoffs and has the potential to do so again. Dre Vann has 34 receptions for 627 yards and five touchdowns. He is averaging 18.4 yards per catch. Jaylen Washington made some huge catches in the Hewitt-Trussville game and had 45 receptions for 507 yards and four touchdowns.
The offensive line is solid and has done a great job of opening holes in the playoffs. Offensive left tackle Julian Pritchett leads the Bulldogs' line. The 6-foot-4, 262-pound senior lineman does a good job of run blocking and pass protection with his size. Junior Darius Whitlow is another big body at 6-foot-2, 330 pounds, who is a massive run blocker. Eric Mason stands at 6-foot-3, 345 pounds, and is another broad blocker that can open holes with the best of them. The senior right tackle has a 77-inch wingspan and, along with Whitlow, brings a lot of size and power to the right side of the Bulldogs' offensive line: junior Korbin Fears and sophomore Isaiah Howell round out the offensive line for Opelika. Fears has been working at center and is an integral part of the offense, while Fears is a right guard alongside Pritchett.
Reese Beasley handles the kicking duties. The junior punter is averaging 41.9 yards per punt and can flip the field with the best of them. He has a long of 56 yards on a punt. He has 20 punts inside the 20-yard line. Reese is 34-of-38 on extra points and 13-of-20 on field goals with a long of 43 yards. Against Hewitt-Trussville, Reese hit on an extra point and was four-of-five on field goals in that game.
The defense has just done enough, giving up 22.3 points per game and 19.3 points in the playoffs. Opelika only returned one player on defense this season, and that was Tremaine Thomas. The senior defensive lineman is a run-stuffer on defense. "Well, he is the only returning starter from a year ago," said Moore. "He was part of an elite defense. He likes to have a lot of fun. Probably one of my favorite kids to be around on the practice field. He has become a leader and has impacted the Auburn game last Friday. He has dragged some of these young kids along in the box. He has been the leader the whole way." Thomas leads the team with 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks this season.
Along with Thomas are defensive linemen Joshua Davis, Jaivian Holloway, Carson Riddle, Terez Thomas, and junior Isaiah "IG" Gray. All have gained valuable experience throughout the whole season for Opelika.
The Bulldogs' linebackers are Manuel Stone and senior Lakeydrick Burts. Stone has played in all 13 games this season, while Burts has only played in seven games. Both will need to play big against the improved Thompson running game, which can break a long run at any time.
The Bulldogs' secondary has Jamel Griffin, Xavier Thomas, Jayden Battle, Norman Matthews, and Braiden Howard. "Braiden is extremely intelligent," added Moore. "Savy, he watches more film than anybody. He knows what the opposition is going to do, but it matters to him that he start his first season. He wants to cover the best receiver. He has made a huge difference and will have to play very well against Thompson." Howard leads the team with five interceptions this season.
For Thompson, a win cements a dynasty, adds to their trophy case, and validates Freeman's blueprint for elite talent in Alabama. Freeman has transformed Thompson into Alabama's preeminent powerhouse. Their path to this game came after a 35-34 win over Central-Phenix City, where a two-point conversion failed for Central, sending Thompson to the championship game. Thompson started with a win over Carver-Montgomery (31-7) in the first round and a 54-0 thumping of Mary Montgomery before its showdown with the Red Devils.
The Warriors came into the playoffs at 7-3 overall, but have won four straight games since the last-second loss to Hoover in week eight of the regular season. "I think intensity has picked up through the playoffs because they know what is at stake," said Warriors head coach Mark Freeman. "I want the kids to be in a routine. We don't want any surprises. From a human standpoint, are they more focused? They are. They know the situation at hand. They see the situation because of the sudden death in all the playoff games. We want to be good at the things that we do right now and focus on that."
One player who knows championship games is quarterback Trent Seaborn. The Alabama commitment has been playing in this game since his eighth-grade season and has over 50 starts at quarterback. The junior quarterback is having a Mr. Football-type year. Seaborn has completed 245-of-339 passing for 3,376 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Against Central, Seaborn was 14-of-24 passing for 231 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. A key play in the Red Devils' comeback was a scoop and score late in the game that brought Central back in the game. "We need to do a better job of knowing the situation in a game. Because of the turnover, we had to make a great defensive play and limp home. We thought we were going to get some type of backfield throw, and we did."
The Thompson wide receiving core is probably the best in Alabama. Seaborn can go to any of these receivers for a big play, and they have delivered this season. Junior Darion Moseley can go long, catch the ball over the middle of the field, and has made big play after big play. He has 64 receptions for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns this season. "I really think that it is our strength on offense," said Warriors QB Seaborn. "They all can go, and I trust every single one of them. I know that they will get open and run the correct route. They do an amazing job."
Alongside Moseley, you have Pryce Lewis, who is another one of those big-time receivers. Lewis has 54 receptions for 860 yards and seven touchdowns, and can work the short to medium routes and turn them into big plays. Next up, Dedrick Kimbrough. The sophomore receiver can stretch the field with the best of them, with outstanding speed. He has 42 receptions for 675 yards and five touchdowns. Trey Knight has 34 receptions for 446 yards and seven touchdowns. Knight is another receiver who can catch the ball over the field and turn it into six points. Sophomore Mehkii Billingsley had a touchdown grab against Central. Throw it to tight end Tanner Ehmen, and you have a dynamic receiving core for the Warriors.
The Warriors use the passing game to set up the run game, but the Thompson ground attack hit paydirt against Central in their last game. All three running backs scored on sizable runs that were key in the Warriors' win. Urijah Casey leads the Warriors' ground game and can hit a home run at any time. Casey had a 53-yard touchdown run against Central that put the Warriors up 35-14 early in the fourth quarter. Casey is averaging 7.2 yards per carry and has 623 yards on only 86 carries and 10 touchdowns. A very dynamic back who is a game-changer.
Seniors RJ Evans and KJ Jackson both had touchdown runs against Central. Evans had a 17-yard touchdown run, and Jackson had a 17-yard touchdown run. Any of the three running backs can play at any time, and all three are tough runners for the Warriors. Evans has 362 yards on 84 carries and six touchdowns, while Jackson has 251 yards on 46 carries and seven touchdowns.
The Warriors' offensive line starts with left tackle Parker Mittelstadt. At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds has a lot of experience and leads the other linemen. Center Connor Kinnell has the most important job of getting the line on the right page before the snap. The three other starters had little experience when the season started, but have now done a great job of building a solid group. Right guard Lleyton Wall, right tackle Tommy Williams, and left guard Maleek Billingsley fill in the other linemen spots.
One player who has been injured lately but looks to make an impact again for Thompson is senior Jared Flakes. At 6-foot-6, 306 pounds, he is a big part of the offensive line that the Warriors had to play without in a few games this season. He is another crucial piece, along with Mittelstadt, that brings a lot of talent and experience. "The job that Trey Clark and Tyler Scozzaro have done for me their whole career here," added Freeman. "We find ways in the playoffs to run the football. You have to run the ball in the playoffs. You can't throw it every down in these situations. The weather can get you. We struggled early in the season, and they keep working. We have the will to win. Don't bust assignments, and we will be good. We have played some great teams that were good in the box. The strength of Opelika is their box, and so we need to go play."
Junior Ethan Black handles the kicking duties. He is averaging 39.9 yards per punt with a long of 60 yards. He has six punts inside the 20-yard line. Black is 58-of-61 on extra points and is 6-of-8 on field goals with a long of 37 yards. Black has kicked in all 13 games this season.
The Thompson defense has played well in those last four wins of the season. They have only given up 11.6 points per game in the playoffs, not counting the Red Devils' scoop and score. The Thompson defensive line will have to play against the Opelika front line, which brings in a lot of talent and size. "Our defensive line needs to be good," said Freeman. "We will need to keep our eyes open in the secondary. We can't let them go play action and hit deep throws on us. It is just discipline. It is the little things in these games that matter. Our DBs know they'll run play-action. We know that. Opelika knows we know that. They are going to run it. If we don't stop it we will be in trouble. We know what we have to stop. They run the ball very well. The quarterback has found his niche, and the running backs run really hard. They are a very good football team."
The defensive line has Noah Streeter, Wesley Gover, Ami Moala, Peter Ramil, and Cam Pritchett. Prittchett is an Oregon commitment who has 87 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Noah Streeter, a West Alabama commitment, has 61 tackles, six tackles for loss, and a sack. Gover has offers from South Alabama and Southern Mississippi. He has 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Moala, a North Carolina commitment, has 67 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Ramil, who has been injured for a part of the season, is a South Florida commitment. He has 30 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. No team has the talent that Thompson has on the defensive front line.
The linebackers are Chance Strown, Kevin Davis, Chauncy Alo, and Jeremy Alo-Perry. Alo-perry leads the Warriors in tackles. The senior linebacker has 89 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Strown, an Air Force commitment, has 88 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Alo has 75 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Davis, who has offers from South Alabama and Arkansas State, has 48 tackles and four tackles for loss.
The secondary includes Junior James, Terry Robinson, Damonte Tabb, and Eli King. James, who made the game-saving tackle on the two-point conversion with less than a minute to go against Central, has offers from Georgia, Oregon, and other colleges. James plays all around the field in the secondary and likes to make plays at the line of scrimmage. He has 56 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three interceptions.
Robinson has 41 tackles, four tackles for loss, and three interceptions. King, a top 2028 DB in Class 2028, has 36 tackles and four interceptions. The ball hawk on the back end of the secondary is Tabb. The senior safety has 68 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a fantastic nine interceptions on the season. Tabb is one of the best defensive backs in Alabama. Tabb, Alo, and Strown were selected for the North-South All-Star Classic. The Warriors have 24 interceptions on the season.
On paper, Thompson would be a heavy favorite in this game. Still, as I saw earlier in the playoffs with Opelika's win over Hewitt-Trussville, the Bulldogs made their way through the other side of the bracket with huge wins against Hewitt-Trussville, Baker, and Auburn. Thompson has the talent, and Opelika has all the momentum and confidence since the fourth quarter of the Huskies' game.
Look for "Warrior Nation" to show up in droves from Shelby County, while Opelika will bring everyone from town to make that two-hour drive to Protective Stadium.
