Thompson High School coach Mark Freeman said the 6-foot-2 Fegans almost tricks a quarterback into throwing the ball by purposefully making him think a receiver is open. Freeman, an Alabama graduate, attended Bessemer Academy and has maintained a home in the McCalla area. Oh, he was still a really good player for Central Cabarrus, a team hed helped to a 30-1 record the previous season, all while being named the player of the year in his conference. MOODY Thompson High School co-defensive coordinator Jake Ganus was introduced as the new coach for the Moody Blue Devils on Friday, December 17. The last time I checked, back when I was at Catawba, we had 33 schools in North Carolina that were offering D-I and D-II scholarships. The viral TikTok quiz, explained, Tuscaloosa McFarland Chick-fil-A is moving. Pinson Valley often has talent (see: Bo Nix). Burnet Jerod Rye stepped down after two seasons and a 10-11 record at the District. 7 recruits played at Thompson. Now, theyre recruiting the freakish athlete. Brandon Graves Elementary Teacher / Head Baseball & Asst Football Coach. If I'm the head coach at any college, thats the first thing I would do: Win the battle in your backyard which is hard to do vs. Alabama, Rigby said. He went 13-9 during two seasons at Gulf Shores and led the Dolphins to the second round of the playoffs in 2009. The Warriors (13-1) captured a third straight 7A championship while making a fourth straight Super 7 appearance. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Todd Maulden/Special to the Independent Tribune, Friday Five: New barbecue restaurant, apartment dwellers and updates, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: After leaving his mark at storied A.L. Jaiden Thompson looks to make a pass during his freshman season. THS Athletics. Assistant Football Coach at Thompson Valley High School Loveland, Colorado, United States. professionals work together to achieve the highest standards in Thompson was beside himself. We had the opportunity to bring him in here, and he was interested in getting into athletics administration working closely with coach Pitts, Hester said. Thompsons mom had put a ball in his hands when he was about 4 years old, and he hadnt let it go since. Harsin has a golden opportunity to rebound: The upcoming 2023 talent pool in Alabama is the states deepest and most top-heavy of this century. He played in the teams first jamboree game, and pretty soon Baker had seen enough. Those were the things that helped bring him solace as he was dealing with his frustration. Ben Thompson, an assistant on Sam London's staff the last two seasons, will be the Red Tornado's . Football Coach jobs Tennis Coach jobs Camp Director jobs Head Football Coach jobs . Especially in the Mobile area, McKenzie wrote in a text. The average coach in the region now makes $98,911 per year and the coaches now make a combined $791,288 in annual salary. Prior to taking the job at Spanish Fort, Freeman went 13-9 in two seasons at Gulf Shores and took the Dolphins to the playoffs in the first season. Have a long enough conversation with any coach in the region, and eventually off-the-record claims of impermissible recruiting against any number of schools will surface. The Alabaster City Schools website includes a tagline in cursive script that reads "Champions of our Future" on every page. Central-Phenix City once again faces off with Thompson for Class 7A Position: Football Coaches, San Rafael High School 23/24 Season. Alabama High School Football Head Coaches Mark Freeman Mark Freeman attended Bessemer Academy and graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. The funds generated by those summer camps can typically add another $10,000-$30,000 to a coach's bottom line income in some cases. Thompson's Jake Ganus hired as Moody football coach Football | Thompson Middle School His teacher contract will be $46,113 annually. The current defense has shut out five of its 10 regular-season opponents and held nine to fewer than 10 points. Tournament Game. Thompson was a critical reason the Vikings went unbeaten in the South Piedmont 3A Conference for the third year in a row. Tell us who the coach is Ways you can help Make an impact on this team, and help keep MaxPreps up-to-date. That shows citizens and potential community members that their school's high school football experience will be second to none in the state of Alabama. In his third season, the results started to show. Coach Freeman and Thompson football have had a lot of positive impact. 2 class in 2022, are reaping the benefit of another nationally relevant football program in their backyard. That's how much Friday's board meeting to approve Mark Freeman as the next football coach had already spiked interest in the Alabaster community. "global": { Watch this highlight video of the Thompson (Alabaster, AL) football team in its game Lipscomb Academy on Aug 27, 2022 All Contest Videos Box Score Jan 31, 2023 @ 5:51pm 5-star DB Anquon Fegans | 2022 Highlights Sophomore season highlights of Thompson's (Alabaster, AL) 5-star safety Anquon Fegans. Success is here.". OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) - Erik Thompson was born to be a football coach. Both are top-40 nationally. He wanted to change the narrative.. To me it made a lot of sense. Whenever the grammar-school-aged Thompson was feeling overwhelmed, it was as if he could click the heels of his Air Jordans together, chant Theres no place like home, and be transported to anywhere a rim hung. I always said why is Thompson never getting over the hill?. These coaches have done a great job of laying that foundation. I was like, Yeah, I can really do this, if I put my mind to it, Thompson recalled. At Eufaula, Rigby says Alabama assistant Charles Kelly is good at staying in touch. He was THAT good. Some
Eason is at Clemson now. AL.com requested salaries from all coaches in the Metro Birmingham area this past spring. I think hed still be sitting there talking if I didnt have to get up and go work my kids out, Higgins said. Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History. Thomson's stats have been entered for the 56-38 win @ South Atlanta on 11/25/2022 6:00 PM. Win the battle in my backyard at all costs. Wallace was hired in 2018, and went 11-28 overall. Coaches are paid a stipend at the end of the season for their work. And when you put together a 60-1 record over the course of two years, it takes something special, something stronger than Xs and Os and talent. "dfpConfig": { But this transfer portal has really hurt a kid like Jaiden because the decision for these college coaches is, Do I take a high school kid, or do I wait and see if I can find somebody in the portal that may have played at a little bit lower level but the kid is averaging seven points and four rebounds and has a year of experience under him? This whole portal thing, I think, has hurt the true high school kid.. His grandma, of course, will be with his grandpa, his mother and his uncle cheering Thompson on, hopefully for the next two weekends. No matter how bad the Vikings had been before his arrival. I thought he and coach Pitts would form a really good team and relationship to help us grow Thompson athletics, Hester said. His seven year record in baseball was 116-70, with two Final 4 appearances. Ganus arrived on campus to meet with the Blue . Soccer Shots Sacramento North hiring Youth Soccer Coach in Citrus . I would see everybody get these offers, and sometimes people base their lives on one game. "We are going to be the best at everything we can do every day.". Also, for the past three seasons, Thompson has been the Vikings leading scorer, with each campaign ending with the SPC titles. Im not a fan of anybody, but I just respected him coming in and talking about getting the culture right, Gardner said. Knowledge of sport. What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter? Hewitt-Trussville had set the bar high with its hiring of Josh Floyd earlier this summer. "It is going to be special.". Proudly Managed & Hosted by Adam Black Media We weren't able to find anything that matched your search criteria. He replaces Adam Wallace, who was fired after a 6-4 season that saw the Blue Devils narrowly miss the playoffs. Thompson High School Head Football Coach Mark Freeman is the face of the Thompson Warriors, the 3-time defending Class 7A State Champions. Thats huge. Lakeshore announces Danny Thompson as the school's new head football coach He was the offensive coordinator at Middleville High School since 2018. He had been battling bone cancer, but is believed to have succumbed to complications from COVID-19. How much did Tommy Thompson weigh when playing? Please try a new search. He even referenced the model set by former Cox Mill star Wendell Moore Jr., who led the Chargers to back-to-back state titles before going on to shine at Duke and become the first Cabarrus County-bred athlete to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Everybody just clicks together, Thompson explained. He and AU defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge are close friends. Forced to reckon with established powers, what has Harsin done to make recruiting inroads in his first 14 months? Gardendale coach Chad Eads is another multi-decade coaching veteran who has seen all kinds of things that I didn't like and things I wish they wouldn't say. But he was impressed with Harsin when he and a few assistants visited recently. He has an offer right now, but he doesnt have that ONE. One part of the team that will be missing is a starting quarterback, as A.J. He knew then-Central upperclassmen Christian Cornish and Dajon Johnson well. So I just feel like when we let someone score, its bad.. "I've been around a lot of coaches, and he may be one of the most competitive guys I've talked to as far aswhat he expects," Keith Etheredge said. His record at Thompson in nine seasons is 83-18 and 21-2 in the playoffs. station in the nations top 40 market where students and Wyoming Cowboys 2023 football schedule released. The Class 7A team hasnt been to the playoffs since going 8-4 in 2006. Website. Griffin MiddleSchool team in seventh and eighth grade. The Alabaster City Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in any of its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Coming back here and kind of turning this program around was a big thing for me.. Hoover City Schools pays its football coaches the same $47,741 stipend. It took Freeman a couple of years to get it going. "Its a blessed day," Freeman said. There he won consecutive state championships in 2012 and 2013. At 6-foot-3, 259 pounds, Woods brings quickness and power to the position that Alabama could definitely use. In Freemans first two seasons, Thompson finished with a 5-5 record. He has built a powerhouse at Thompson winning four state championships in a row. He will also receive a supplement of $30,909.20 as head football coach and another $30,909.20 as the athletic director for Alabaster City Schools. Sophomore year, I knew I was pretty good, but I had a bad habit of comparing myself to other people, Thompson said. During the 90-minute office conversation with Higgins, Harsin discussed how hes trying to learn more about Southern culture and the kids here. Thompson had a solid freshman season, putting up 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Freeman resigned from his position after four very successful years at Spanish Fort and the Alabaster board quickly moved to approve that personnel action with no discussion. 11 in the 247Sports Composite and already stands 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. Itll be an RPO, air-raid type system so we do need somebody that can spit the ball out and thats something well have to find in the program or in the hallways.. Some believe its unreasonable to expect Harsin to contact every in-state school so quickly. You can cancel at any time. Thompson's commitment to Freeman shows that the program is now joining that competition. A new barbecue restaurant in Kannapolis is taking shape. Job Summary. 197 Posts. Jaiden Thompson poses with a plaque honoring him as the SPC Player of the Year after the Vikings won the conference tournament championship last month. One of the states current football hot spots is G.W. Salary: Tony Gaines Show More Show Less 5 of 93. That winter also is when I personally started to make my first close observations of Thompsons abilities. The coaching part of it? On the night he scored his 1,000th career point, Jaiden Thompson is joined by (from left) his grandfather Nick Corry, his grandmother Phyllis Ann Faulker, his mother Keyna Ricks and his uncle Michael Ricks. What we got to do when we go to work is we are going to put the able to win together with the want to win. The fact that neither Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson are among the three highest-paid coaches in their own region is surprising. For us to win a state championship at Central Cabarrus, that would mean everything to me and the guys, Thompson added. Baker, who had a decorated career as the head coach at Catawba College, believes Thompson, who carries a 3.8 GPA, will win the recruiting game. In the blackness of night, a car rolled up beside me. The run included a 31-game win streak, eventually snapped by Daphne late in the 2014 season. Sep 17 2015. (Jeff Sentell/jsentell@al.com). Mark Freeman is the new head football coach at Thompson High School. And Faulkner, direct as they come, wanted answers. I kind of fell out of love with the game, Thompson admits as he sits in Central Cabarrus empty auxiliary gym earlier this year. Faulkners first grandbaby, Thompson was, in many ways, HER heartbeat. Will Thompson hired as Spring Grove Area High School football coach Freeman had a tremendous run in the private school ranks in Alabama Independent School Association football at Bessemer Academy before he moved to Alabama High School Athletic Association public football. Faculty & Staff / Administration - Alabaster City Schools Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson, ranked as the nation's No. I said, Im going to go get it. In 2011, he became the head football coach at Spanish Fort High School. Thompson Football Documents. His focus right now is getting past West Charlotte, into the state title game, and then coasting back down the interstate with a championship medal around his neck. Jaiden Thompson (3) is introduced before a Central Cabarrus game. Thompson Football Staff Players (118) Staff (3) Help the team get started! So, again, the question must be answered: How did a team that went 0-10 before Freemans arrival and hadnt had a winning season since 2006 turn into a showcase national program? Wallace is expected to transfer. I think Auburn's going to be OK," Pouncey said. Now Thompson is dunking with ease in games and soaring above the crowd for rebounds. If you look at where Jaiden is ranked in his class, in the top 30 or so in North Carolina, normally the top 50 or 60 kids end up with a Division I offer, Baker explained. Thompson High School (Alabaster, AL) Varsity Football - MaxPreps.com One Division-I school, Western Carolina, had confirmed as much when it offered him a scholarship after his freshman season. 5 high school football team via SB Live, was to put its undefeated record on the line against another Birmingham-area program known for. us to complete every school. Like us on Facebook Ths Athletics and Follow us on Instagram THS_ATHLETICS. Westlake High School Football Coach Todd Dodge Might Be The Best Who I wrestled, I played baseball. And, yes, I went on to write about him. But it wasnt an, Absolutely, yeah, Ill do it. But then I started thinking about it. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Re-signed The San Jose Earthquakes have re-signed homegrown defender Tommy Thompson through the 2023 MLS season with an option for 2024, the club announced Tuesday. Im a finesse cornerback even though I can hit, Fegans said. Alabaster is the 16th largest city in the state, but its high school is home to more than 2,000 students with the population growing over the past couple of decades. Tommy Thompson weighed 192 lbs (87 kg) when playing. The difference between the salaries at Hoover and Spain Park are based in education credits for each teacher within the teacher salary. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Shelby County Schools is currently looking to fill the head coaching position at Calera High School. Mar 2, 2023 Updated 27 min ago. Hes built similarly to former Tide outside linebacker Ryan Anderson. Things started off good for him the summer before his freshman year at Central. Were like a family. Thatd be like a dream come true, especially to my mom, my grandma, my grandpa (Nick Corry) and my uncle. Quite frankly, thats the way the locals like it. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. It's a recurring theme: Seven of the 14 coaches who spoke with the Advertiser hadnot met Harsin. The Warriors finished 12-1 in 2017, losing in the semifinals of the Class 7A State Football Playoffs. Carver High School in Montgomery. ALABASTER, Alabama -- A member of the central office staff at Alabaster City Schools looked around the school board room at the Alabaster Municipal Building Friday afternoon. He was named the leagues best player for the second year in a row. Im trying to set them up for interceptions and PBUs.. Thompson coach Mark Freeman sent Hardy, who had missed an extra point in the first quarter, back on the field for a game-winning 35-yard goal try with four seconds remaining. "I grew up right down the road from Alabaster," Freeman said. The Advertiser spoke to 14 Alabama high school coaches about how Auburn has recruited their programs. Man died Wednesday. It seemed it would be a Herculean task. The years you dont have players, they dont know your name.. Tommy Thompson was born in Hutchinson, KS. Plus, Thompson had obviously inherited at least part of his talent from his father, Andricko Thompson, who was a good basketball player in his native Shelby. 3,620 Followers. Email Rylan Gerber. The Warriors went 5-5 in each of his first two seasons in 2015 and 2016. I have a great team, a great family, and we could actually win this whole thing.. Before the early signing period, support staffer Trovon Reed was allowed to do hands-on recruiting because Auburn had a coaching opening; the NCAA restricts the number of assistants who can make home visits, but Harsin fired offensive coordinator Mike Bobo after the regular season. Published 3:43 pm Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Bowie Football Coaching Staff - Bowie High School Football electronic communication and community service. Jaiden Thompson (3) shoots the J with a hand in his face. 2022 Thompson Football Schedule; Football Information; Thompson Middle School 705 West Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174 . Thompson High School coach Mark Freeman said the 6-foot-2 Fegans almost tricks a quarterback into throwing the ball by purposefully making him think a receiver is open. How do those salary ranges compare to the rest of Class 7A, Region 3? 90 nationally. But after realizing that I wanted it for myself, then things just started to pick up.. His 2013 team finished 15-0 and won another Class 5A state championship with a win over Muscle Shoals in the title game. 1 player in the state in the 247Sports Composite. THS Athletics (@athletics_ths) / Twitter Photographer Kenny Grimes has posted a new gallery Fitzgerald vs. Thomson (GHSA 2A Final) containing 104 photos. Thompsons James L Simmons Stadium underwent a facelift for the 2014 season with press box improvements and new artificial turf. ", Before Wade Waldrop became Hoovers coach recently, he coached five-star cornerback Jahlil Hurley at Florence. And the whole country has been here, pretty much., Gardner, whos entering his second year at Carver, said he and Harsin talked about their common experiences in new jobs. In the four years before Thompson and Bullock got to campus, the Vikings won a total of 33 games. The Warriors havent won as many as 10 games in a season since 1987. Win those battles, keep as many people home, and love, love, love on those high school coaches. Its very much a work-hard-for-what-you-get community. Coach Keith Etheredge has enjoyed watching Harsin develop relationships at the school. Its very much a blue-collar, working-class community. So how did this high school team, about 66 miles from the University of Alabama campus in a town with a population of less than 35,000, rise of out of near obscurity to become one of the best high school football programs in the country and a burgeoning pipeline for the Crimson Tide? Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football. Jaiden Thompson (3) busts a move to get to the basket. field59.ipo = { When we are able to win and we want to win, then we are going to win.". Coach Freeman led the Rebels to four State Championships in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. It pisses us off, Alexander said. Hoover has faced it plenty over the years. But these next two weekends have special meaning. Where I went to high school was very similar in terms of enrollment, in terms of size and size of the community and facilities. His uncle and role model, former Central Cabarrus football standout Michael Ricks, had a lot to do with that, coaching Thompson on his Concord Comets team and putting him through drills like dribbling with a tennis ball to improve his ball-handling. Eads and former Pinson Valley coach Sam Shade (now at Miles College) were among the high school coaches who met Harsin at a seven-on-seven camp in summer 2021. Football. Ronald H. Thompson (born c. 1944) is a former American football coach. He has his second chance, but his recruiting remains an urgent issue. The list can go on and on because Hoover and Niblett, like their counterparts Freeman and Thompson, take their football seriously. The quintet started for the C.C. 1 and No. Defensive lineman Peter Woods and cornerback Tony Mitchell are uncommitted five-star 2023 recruits with offers from the Crimson Tide, among many other high-profile schools. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are among those who have taken notice. records may be incomplete. 4) are both top-25 prospects in the country. You have permission to edit this article. In the 2022 class, the state's No. One of Harsin's strategies in that regard has been emphasis onlocal recruiting. She said, What are you going to do about it?. Id say Im athletic, Alexander said. Once that first game came and everything was so quick and easy, I was just (snaps fingers), Yeah, I can do this.. All those clichs about the best player on the team being the hardest worker on the team, yada, yada, yada? The former Jackson State offensive coordinator has now spent four seasons as head coach at Eufaula High School in southeast Alabama, about 80 minutes from Auburn. Try a week on us. Hoover also puts out quality Division I players. 56-38 (W) Thomson @ South Atlanta. Friday afternoon drive time on I-65 was the cause for that. His overall record in 16 years of coaching is 164-37, including a 30-8 playoff mark. I look forward to things to come. This fall, the Warriors completed a 9-1 regular season and are slated to start the state playoffs Friday against Florence. Coach: Todd Thompson. Central Cabarrus coach Jim Baker struggles to find a fault in the 6-foot-1 Thompsons game, but if he had to nick-pick, its that hed like the low-key guard to be more vocal on the floor. Class 7A is the biggest classification in the AHSAA, which makes Freeman the architect of the biggest "turnaround". That would probably be one of my biggest accomplishments no matter if its winning a state championship or scoring 1,000 points. The great thing is that Thompson has found peace in it all. Thompsons feelings certainly werent about a lack of love for the Vikings. 27. Harsins future was under the microscope in February during an internal investigationinvolving his treatment of players and staff. His girls basketball team made the playoffs from 2006-08, and his boys basketball team was state champion in 2008 and made the play-offs seven seasons. People were telling me, You need to transfer. Roderick Thompson incorporates life lessons with Anderson football Here's an updated ranking of how Class 7A, Region 3's salary structure adds up: The salary data isn't everything. And for that to actually happen? Both coaches compete in Class 7A, Region 3. But everybody is just on hold with a lot of these very good high school players. He also coached softball, powerlifting, girls and boys basketball. She was just sad and disappointed to watch me like that. Highland Home has been a revolving door of head coaches visiting Faulk, including Tennessees Josh Heupel. Thompson's commitment to Freeman shows that the program is now joining that competition. Theyve got a great group of young players coming back.. "I think they can recruit with the best they've proved that in the past. The quintet started. Ty Branyon. Freeman's decision . Moore heard those private-school whispers, too. And Updates from all around. Jaiden Thompson (3) flies high to block a shot. Simpson spent the previous two years coaching the Eagles after taking over for Andrew Zow ahead of the 2019 season. Media. With one of the states largest high school athletic programs at the Class 7A level, Hester said it would be beneficial for the school in many ways. And the results speak for itself: over the past five seasons, the Warriors are 62-6. Class 7A is the biggest classification in the AHSAA, which makes Freeman the architect of the biggest turnaround. He felt he was on his way. He wants to be recruited at the highest level possible, but he doesnt fret about it, either. Since then, Ive made it a point to keep up with Thompson. But in the fall, while it was hard for people who only knew Thompson as the top-notch ballplayer and smart, all-around good guy to tell the difference when he was on the court, one visitor to a Central preseason game could easily notice: his grandma, Phyllis Ann Faulkner. I think Auburn has to make a decision: Do you want to continue to battle Georgia and Bama guys in recruiting, or do they want to just go find really good high school players and build their name off that? His record at Thompson in nine seasons is 83-18 and 21-2 in the playoffs. Valid CPR and First Aid, TB Test, Fingerprint Process, NFHS online coaching certificates; Heat Illness Prevention. 1 recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. After National Signing Day, Harsin hadnot visited Montgomery Catholic, which is 50 minutes from Auburn. Thompson graduated in 1962 from Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas and went on to play at Louisiana College. Shade thought Harsin did a good job communicating through his assistants, especially Etheridge. The challenge facing Harsin as he enters his second season at Auburn is making inroads while his program is geographically sandwiched between Nick Sabans established Alabama machine and Kirby Smarts emerging Georgia juggernaut.