Trent Seaborn, Thompson Rout Clay-Chalkville 37-13

ALABASTER, AL — Thompson finally settled its score with Clay-Chalkville, and it wasn’t close.

Behind four touchdown passes from Alabama commit Trent Seaborn, the Warriors scored 37 straight points and blew past the Cougars 37-13 on Thursday night, Aug. 27, 2026. The win snapped Clay-Chalkville’s 16-game winning streak and stood as the most lopsided result in the series’ history.

The victory carried extra weight in Alabaster. Thompson had dropped three straight games to Clay-Chalkville by a combined eight points, including a 28-24 loss in 2025. This time, the Warriors erased any doubt after the opening quarter.

Thompson coach Mark Freeman acknowledged Clay-Chalkville’s quality but made clear the Warriors felt the night belonged to them.

First Half Action

Clay-Chalkville struck first and looked every bit the No. 1-ranked program it entered as. The Cougars opened with a 13-play, 80-yard march that ate nearly six minutes off the clock. On fourth down near the Thompson 30, quarterback Cornelius Eldridge Jr. lofted a 31-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Nasir Ray for a 7-0 lead with 6:18 left in the first quarter.

The lead didn’t last. Roughly a minute later, Seaborn answered with a 47-yard strike to Mason McClure, who slipped behind two defensive backs after Seaborn broke containment to his left. A missed extra point kept Clay-Chalkville ahead 7-6.

On the first play of the second quarter, Seaborn flipped the game for good. He connected with Darion Moseley, who beat Braxton Burt with no safety help for a 56-yard touchdown and a 13-7 Thompson lead.

Seaborn wasn’t done. Late in the half, he capped a drive built on connections with senior running back C.J. Cowley, finding him wide open for a 7-yard touchdown with 1:06 remaining. Thompson took a 20-7 lead into the break, with Seaborn accounting for 211 of his 274 yards in the first two quarters on 14-of-17 passing.

Key Turning Points

The Warriors’ defense turned a competitive game into a runaway. After the Cougars’ opening drive, Thompson clamped down, holding Clay-Chalkville to 88 yards on 40 carries and pressuring Eldridge into a long night.

Just before halftime, Clay-Chalkville threatened to answer, moving into scoring range on a long completion. Instead, the Thompson defense forced and recovered a fumble to preserve the 13-point cushion.

Special teams and takeaways did the rest. A high punt snap set Thompson up at the Cougars’ 18 in the third quarter, leading to Moseley’s 27-yard field goal for a 23-7 edge. To open the fourth quarter, a 51-yard punt return by Rardrecus Addison down to the 18 set up Seaborn’s 15-yard touchdown on a throwback pass to tight end Tanner Ehmen, pushing the lead to 30-7.

Eli King’s interception at the Clay-Chalkville 41 gave Thompson another short field, and junior back Jafari Pegues punched in a short rushing touchdown for a 37-7 lead. Eldridge added a 5-yard scramble as time expired to set the final margin.

Seaborn finished 21-of-25 for 274 yards and four touchdowns and was never sacked. Moseley led all receivers with eight catches for 149 yards.

Seaborn, who is 271 yards shy of becoming the AHSAA’s all-time leading passer, admitted he had the game marked on his calendar since last season ended. He described the matchup as deeply personal, noting that three consecutive close losses to Clay-Chalkville fueled a stronger sense of purpose in him and his teammates heading into 2026.

Freeman pointed to his defense as the difference.

Freeman credited the defense for setting the tone, noting that Thompson’s ability to combine a dominant defensive effort with a rolling offensive attack makes the program especially dangerous. He also emphasized that the Warriors were determined to be physical Thursday night — and they delivered.

Moseley credited Seaborn’s poise in the pocket.

Moseley credited Seaborn’s protection and experience for unlocking the offense, adding that the Warriors entered the game with a chip on their shoulder and executed when it mattered most.

Clay-Chalkville coach Stuart Floyd offered a blunt assessment.

Floyd was blunt in his evaluation, saying the Cougars were thoroughly beaten and that the issues came down to discipline — a problem he took personal responsibility for fixing.

Floyd also tipped his cap to Seaborn.

Floyd acknowledged Seaborn as a generational talent at the high school level in Alabama, pointing to his ability to buy time and move around in the pocket as reasons why the Cougars were unable to generate any consistent pressure.

Final Outlook

For Thompson, the win caps a statement start. After outscoring Central-Phenix City (41-14) and now Clay-Chalkville by a combined 78-27, the Warriors have knocked off two of the state’s best programs in two weeks. Seaborn has thrown for more than 600 yards and eight touchdowns over the stretch, and with the AHSAA passing record within reach, Thompson looks like a serious contender to defend its state crown.

Freeman, though, waved off any talk of this being his best team.

Freeman said he was proud of the back-to-back wins over elite competition, but made clear the program isn’t resting on them. He stressed the need to build on what worked Thursday night and carry those strengths throughout the rest of the season.

Clay-Chalkville, the defending state champion in its class, still has plenty of talent and time to regroup. Eldridge, a junior who threw for 300 yards and three scores in the Cougars’ season-opening upset of Creekside (Ga.), remains a dynamic building block. The loss stings, but it came against a top-ranked opponent on the road, and Floyd made clear he expects his group to grow from it.

Both programs remain among the favorites in their respective classes. For one night in Alabaster, though, the gap between them looked wider than it has in years — and Thompson made sure everyone noticed.