Eight games into the 2007 high school football season, the Thomson Bulldogs find themselves undefeated. And on Friday night, the Bulldogs go after their eighth victory in nine tries this season when they travel to South Augusta to take on the Cross Creek Razorbacks in another key region showdown.
Thomson goes into the game atop the region standings after the Glenn Hills Spartans handed Cross Creek the Razorbacks' first loss of the season last week.
"It's nice to be in first place," THS Head Coach Luther Welsh said. "I just hope we can find a way to stay there. ...(Cross Creek has) a very good football team and they're going to ready to play football Friday night."
Meanwhile, Thomson's latest win came against the Harlem Bulldogs by a score of 35-7 in the annual homecoming affair Friday night in The Brickyard.
Thomson started the game slugging, scoring only one touchdown in the first half - a 7-yard Brandon Turman touchdown pass to wingback Jeremy McGahee.
But the black and gold Bulldogs found a spark at halftime, scoring twice within about 60 seconds late in the third quarter to blow open the game.
Defensive end Justin Samuels picked off the pass of Harlem's Wesley Morris and trotted, untouched, 21 yards for the score with under 6:00 to go in the third.
Harlem (2-6) got off one play from scrimmage after the kickoff. Then Darius Eubanks intercepted another Morris pass, and Thomson fullback James Bonner scored from the 21 on the next play.
"I just think we did pretty good on defense tonight," said Thomson defensive back Tresvantis Chambliss, who picked off two of Morris' five errant passes on the night. "We're coming together, and we're trying our best to get ready for all the teams that we play."
Thomson (7-0-1) made the score 28-0 with 8:09 remaining in the game after the second of Chambliss' interceptions. He wrestled the ball away from a Harlem receiver in mid-air and was knocked out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Quarterback Brandon Turman punched in on the next play.
Meanwhile, Thomson's defense - one of the best in the CSRA - remained stout against Harlem. The red and black Bulldogs' lone score came late in the game as second and third teamers filled THS' defensive ranks. The score came on a 7-yard touchdown run by Harlem running back Seth Hill found his groove.
Thomson's defense will be tested this week against Cross Creek. The Razorbacks have an outstanding quarterback and running back, said Coach Welsh.
"We've got to play good defense and stop them every chance we get," Coach Welsh said. "I guess you could say, we've got to keep their quarterback and running back harnessed up, because both of them have a lot of speed."
MIRROR REPLAY
Thomson 35, Harlem 7
Star of the game: Thomson defensive back Tresvantis Chamblissintercepted two Harlem passes.
Play of the game: Thomson defensive end Justin Samuels picked off aHarlem pass in the third quarter and took it 21 yards for the score.
Up next: Thomson (7-0-1) travels to Cross Creek in a big region showdown.
