The Carver-Montgomery Wolverines will face off against the defending 7A state champions, the Thompson Warriors, in a non-region game on Thursday night. Carver narrowly missed the playoffs in 2024 and appears poised to be one of the top teams in Class 7A, Region 3 this season.
The Wolverines made some changes from last year to this year, and they believe these changes will be the key factors that carry them into the playoffs in 2025. "When I got here, the players told me they wanted something new," said Wolverines head coach Mario White. "Nutrition, weight room, and conditioning, we really pushed and challenged them in these areas. It is time to see where we are. We know we are playing a great Thompson team. We see the mountain in front of us. It will serve as a great measuring stick to see where we stand in this brand-new program. We believe in ourselves and consistently approach football with discipline. We want to be accountable at home and on the football field. We know there are a lot of great football programs, and we believe that we have a great football program too."
Last season, Carver had an explosive offense with a seasoned quarterback and a lot of skilled positions. A lot of them moved on, but one. Wide receiver Zion Crumpton will make the move to quarterback for the 2025 season. "When I first got here, everyone told me that I didn't have a quarterback," added White. "Zion can make every throw and is a great leader. The guys believe in him. He missed three days this summer due to official visits and returned immediately to resume practicing. I think this will be his season to show his leadership ability. JT Tyus is another young guy. Last year, he didn't get many reps, but we have brought him along, and he has been impressive. Kymani Clary is another player who has joined us and has only been here for three weeks; we are now trying to get him up to speed with the offense. Crumpton has committed to play at South Florida.
The Carver running game is in good hands with Elijah Tarver. Tarver comes over from Percy Julian, where he rushed for 222 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns. "Tarver is a very explosive back and a downhill runner," said White.
The wide receivers are Derrion Ray, who hasn't played much football the last few years, and is still a dynamic player for the Wolverines. Mekhi Williams is another wide receiver who is very explosive, who transferred in. Adriene Kater is one of the fastest players on the team. Natorian Green could be the fastest on the team as a 10th grader. He is a very physical player who has the potential for a breakout season for the Wolverines.
The offensive line will need to play well for first-year quarterback Crumpton. Jayden Jackson, Korde' Rowser, LaRodney McQueen, and Tyi'Quauan Martin have plenty of playing experience and look to put it together this season.
The defense has a big weapon on the defensive front. Kalib Spivey transferred from Benjamin Russell and looks to make an immediate impact for the Wolverines' defense. "He is an outstanding kid, you don't even know that he is in the room," added White. "He is very humble, but he is a superstar when he takes the field. He has a great work ethic with tenacity, which is second to none." Spivey just picked up a college offer from the University of Miami a few days ago, and LSU back in late July. Elijah Peake is another big body that can give you a push in the middle of the defense. Peake holds a commitment to Western Kentucky. Jamares Harris is the other half of the bookends for Carver. With the nickname "SackChaser" on one side and Spivey on the other side, it will be a race to see who can get to the quarterback the most. Harris had an offer from Austin Peay back in early June.
With those three talented players up front, linebacker Jason Crenshaw looks to get a lot of tackles this season. Crenshaw holds an offer from North Alabama. Lamarion Wallace, another linebacker who can make plays for the defense. Jacorey Smith is another tough inside linebacker for the Wolverines, who transferred in from Park Crossing.
The secondary has Kendarius Reynolds, who is committed to Troy University. Reynolds is 6-foot-3 with long reach in the back end of defenses. A very physical player with that frame. Camare Jackson will play on both sides of the ball, said his head coach, describing him as a very physical player with great feet. As an offensive guy, he knows how to read the offenses. He will play the star position on defense. "We are looking forward to getting everyone on the stage, but when you face a team like Thompson, it will tell you how good you are real quick," said White.
The Thompson Warriors know how to win the big game. With three regular-season losses, they put it all together in the playoffs to get the 7A championship last season. With wins over Daphne (50-0), at #1 Auburn (34-21), Enterprise (31-7), and Central-Phenix City (21-7). Thompson has won five out of the last six state championships. Only a loss to Central-Phenix City (19-21) has been the only loss in that stretch of championship games.
One player who has played in those championship games is quarterback Trent Seaborn. The talented junior is 2-1 in the state championship games. Last season, the offense struggled at times during the regular season. If the offensive line comes together, this could be an incredible offense this season with all the skilled players around Seaborn. Last season, Seaborn completed 210-for-328 passes for 2,675 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. For his career, Seaborn has completed 510-for-748 passes for 6,453 yards with 68 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. What a career stats for most players.
"He is building a great legacy," said Warriors head coach Trent Seaborn. "He gets better each year. He is faster and stronger as a player. He has a great composer. He is very confident and takes on the leadership role for our team. I really could let him run practice; he knows the ins and outs of what we want to accomplish." Seaborn has offers from Alabama, South Carolina, FSU, and a lot of others. Seaborn was just named to the 2025 Preseason MaxPreps Junior All-American Second Team. Two other young quarterbacks are behind Seaborn this season. Oregon transfer Zealand Danielson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, and eighth grader Jahari Nation look to gain valuable experience for the Warriors this season.
The running back room is loaded. RJ Evans returned and had a good season for Thompson last season. Evans can run it and is a valuable weapon out of the back field on short passes. KJ Jackson, a 5-foot-10, 196-pound senior running back, will be a load around the goal line. Sophomore Urijah Casey, a transfer from 6A Gardendale, rushed for 871 yards on 163 carries and eight touchdowns, along with 13 receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns, in his freshman year.
The wide receivers group is young, but they are very talented. Darion Moseley will be one of the top targets with great speed. The junior WR had 53 receptions for 757 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and was voted the MVP in the 7A Championship Game. Sophomore Dedrick Kimbrough is a big target, especially around the end zone. Kimbrough can make plays all around the field with his incredible speed and size. Kimbrough has an offer from Alabama. Pryce Lewis is one of the two seniors in the group. Last season, he had 36 receptions for 413 yards and two touchdowns. He holds offers from UAB, Kennesaw State, FIU, and Jackson State. Trey Knight, another senior, will get playing time with the receiving core.
Junior Tanner Ehman will bring a new look to the Warriors' offense this season, as they usually go with four wideouts, but they will have Ehman at tight end. Ehman was a Prattville player last season as a sophomore and appeared frequently on the field for the Lions. At 6-foot-4, 213 pounds, he brings another big target to Seaborn, especially around the goal line.
The Thompson offensive line will play a crucial role in the offense's success in 2025. Connor Kinnell, who will start at center, brings some experience, having played in some games last season. Parker Mittelstadt will anchor the Warriors' offensive line, and he is a good one—a 6-foot-5, 275-pound monster at the tackle position. Jared Flakes, Micah Walker, and Tommy Williams will get playing time this season. "I have two of the best offensive line coaches in the world," added Freeman. "They do a great job, and we get better every week. We currently have around 10 offensive linemen, which provides us with depth, but it is a work in progress."
The Thompson defense will be anchored by one of the best in the state, Cam Pritchett. At 6-foot-4, 240-pounder who has the quickness to fly off the line and get to your quarterback. Pritchett has committed to Oregon and has his college choice behind him, allowing him to concentrate on the field. Peter Ramil is another key defender on the defensive front. He took an official visit to South Florida in early June and committed to the University of South Florida. Ami Moala, another transfer from Utah, comes into the season at 6-foot-2, 350 pounds and has committed to North Carolina. Moala is not just a large body that takes up space, but also possesses the speed and strength to get back into the opposing backfields. Senior Noah Streeter is another key lineman who brings a lot of experience along with Wesley Gover. "We have a lot of depth at the defensive line spot," said Freeman. "Noah Streeter is a good football player. He brings a lot to us."
Linebackers Kevin Davis (star) and Chance Strown lead the way and will be called to continue the Warriors' stingy defense of the past. Both have playing experience, but will have bigger roles this season.
The secondary has defensive backs Damonte Tabb, Trenton McCorvey, Terry Robinson, Antoine James, and Mike Fleming—a high-speed group of defenders. Tabb has offers from Presbyterian College and Western Illinois. The secondary has great speed as a unit. McCorvey plays like having another linebacker on the field that can play around the line of scrimmage or cover in the secondary. James, who played in Clearwater, Florida, last season, brings more depth to the Warriors' secondary.
In the kicking department, a lot of experience has been lost from last year. Ethan Black will handle the kickoff duties, field goal, and punting. The Warriors have invested time in the kicking aspect, but until game time arrives, it remains unclear how these new Warriors will respond.
One thing is for certain: the 2025 season is right around the corner, and everyone is excited to see how their team responds.
