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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker rolls out to pass during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Jaylen Ward during a runback during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park defender during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park fans in the stands during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
The homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
The homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Michael Callens is tackled for a loss during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Thompson's #8 Sawyer Pate is sacked by a Spain Park defender during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Jaylen Ward takes a handoff from Spain Park's Harrison Barker during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Span Park fans react during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park band during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Jacob Jenkins dives forward for extra yardage during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker rolls out to pass during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker throws during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Pre-game show included future auxiliary before a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Neal Partin punts during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker takes off for a run during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Harrison Barker rushes for a touchdown during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Cheerleaders during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Krishad Offord takes a punt baks for a short gain during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park fans in the stands during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker drops back for a pass during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park players celebrate with Spain Park's Harrison Barker after his touchdown run during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Drake Tabor watches a 40 plus yard field goal go through the uprights during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
The homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Thompson's #22 Jermel Gaiters RB is tackled by a host of Spain Park defenders during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Michael Callens takes a handoff during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
The homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Harrison Barker takes off for a run during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
A swarm of Spain Park defenders bring down Thompson's #8 Sawyer Pate during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
The homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Homecoming court members line up during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park cheerleaders during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Spain Park Football
Spain Park's Samuel Garibay celebrates a turnover during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Michael Ogletree celebrates a turnover during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Harrison Barker navigates through traffic during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
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Photo by Frank Couch
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Spain Park's Harrison Barker passes over the defense during a game between Thompson and Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Jaguar Stadium in Hoover. (Frank Couch - For Starnes Publishing)
HOOVER - Jeremiah Alexander knew it when he saw it.
The sophomore linebacker was lined up on the right side of the Thompson High School football team’s defensive line as Spain Park quarterback Harrison Barker dropped to pass in the fourth quarter.
Barker looked to his right before whirling around and flinging the ball to his left. Sixty yards later, Alexander was sprinting into the end zone with a pick-six interception that broke open a competitive game en route to a 47-23 Thompson victory.
“We watched film all week and we saw jail break, that they were going to do the jail break play,” Alexander said of the screen play. “I just ran it in. Coach talked me up before the play, and I just ran it in.”
“That kid was lined up as a defensive end,” Jags coach Shawn Raney said. “Normally those guys rush and he dropped [into pass coverage]. Harrison was looking this way [to his right] and it’s a backside screen. It’s a spot play, he threw it, and the end dropped right into it and picked it.”
That was the first of two explosive defensive plays for the Class 7A No. 1 Warriors that ended any thought of a Spain Park comeback. The other came later in the fourth when the Warriors defense forced a Barker fumble and freshman Tony Mitchell returned it about 50 yards to the Spain Park 3-yard line.
Two plays later, Thompson had another TD on Brandon Franklin’s 2-yard run. Franklin and Jermel Gaiters benefited from halftime adjustments that yielded a successful smashmouth running attack.
“They’re big up front and they’ve got big running backs that are hard to tackle,” Raney said. “They’re a good football team, man. That’s why they went to the state championship last year. But I was proud of our kids and how they fought.”
Thompson led 13-6 at halftime, as the home team gave the visitors all they could handle.
“Our kids did a good job of adjusting to what we thought they were doing,” Thompson coach Mark Freeman said. “We played pretty good on the perimeter in the second half. In the first half, we didn’t play good on the perimeter. That had a lot to with them playing really good and having a good scheme.
“You’ve got to win some games along the way where guys play hard with you for a while. They played harder than we did in the first half. In the second half, we came out and played better.”
Sawyer Pate engineered the Warriors offense, completing 20-of-27 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns. Gaiters ran for 45 yards on 10 carries, while Franklin had 46 and a touchdown on nine totes.
Barker completed 31-of-45 passes for 326 yards and two TDs. He also threw a pair of interceptions
Raney said the Jags’ season isn’t over.
“The last I looked, we’ve got four games,” he said. “I promise you Sunday this coaching staff and the kids who want to will show up and work. It’ll be like we’re playing for a state championship. We’ve got young guys and we can take these four weeks and get a lot better.”
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