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RAINBOW CITY, Ala. — Exhale, Rainbow City.
After 16 long years, the wait is finally over.
Westbrook Christian is a region football champion again.
The unbeaten Warriors rallied from their first halftime deficit of the season Friday night, defeating Whitesburg Christian 31-21 to capture their first region championship since 2010.
Westbrook improved to 9-0, overcoming four turnovers of its own while capitalizing on four Whitesburg miscues to secure the long-awaited title.
“It feels great to be 9-0,” Westbrook Christian head coach Steve Smith said during his postgame radio show. “And it feels great to be region champions.”
Westbrook Christian wasted little time taking control.
The Warriors recovered a fumble on Whitesburg Christian's opening possession, setting up a 32-yard field goal by Reid Barber with 8:16 remaining in the first quarter.
An interception on Whitesburg's second possession created another scoring opportunity.
Quarterback Brody Blevins capitalized with a 9-yard touchdown run at the 2:47 mark, extending Westbrook's advantage to 10-0.
Barber would become one of the night's most important contributors.
The senior kicker finished with three field goals and two extra points, accounting for 11 of Westbrook's 31 points.
His performance also increased his career total to 242 kicking points, placing him 10th on Alabama's all-time list, according to the game's reported statistics.
Whitesburg Christian refused to go quietly.
Running back Aidan Cook scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with 9:39 remaining in the second quarter, cutting Westbrook's lead to 10-7.
It was the first touchdown Westbrook's defense had surrendered in more than 25 quarters.
The momentum continued to swing toward Whitesburg when the Warriors recovered a Westbrook fumble near midfield.
Whitesburg capitalized with a nine-play, 44-yard scoring drive, taking a 14-10 lead with just 53 seconds remaining before halftime.
Barber answered with a 39-yard field goal as time expired, trimming the deficit to 14-13.
For the first time in nine games, Westbrook Christian headed to the locker room trailing.
With an undefeated season and a region championship at stake, the Warriors faced their most significant test of the year.
Westbrook Christian responded immediately after halftime.
Blevins directed the Warriors downfield on their opening possession of the third quarter and finished the drive with a short touchdown run.
He added the two-point conversion, putting Westbrook back in front 21-14 with 9:06 remaining in the period.
The Warriors' defense then delivered another pivotal play.
Defensive back Jordan Berry intercepted a pass, giving Westbrook another opportunity to extend its lead.
A 10-play, 45-yard drive ended with Sam Legg scoring on a 4-yard touchdown run with 38.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The score pushed Westbrook's advantage to 28-14.
Whitesburg's comeback hopes suffered another blow when Justus Jones intercepted quarterback Greer Lovell in the fourth quarter.
Barber followed with his third field goal of the night, connecting from 24 yards with 3:22 remaining to give Westbrook a 31-14 lead.
Lovell connected with Graeme Williams on a 69-yard touchdown pass late in the contest, accounting for the final 31-21 margin.
Westbrook Christian entered Friday having won 14 consecutive regular-season games and 17 of its previous 18 overall.
The Warriors had dominated much of their 2026 schedule behind a high-powered offense and a defense that had recorded four shutouts in its previous five games.
But Whitesburg Christian provided a different kind of challenge.
Westbrook trailed at halftime, saw its long touchdown-free defensive streak end and needed a strong second-half response to secure the victory.
The Warriors delivered when it mattered most.
Now, for the first time since 2010, Westbrook Christian can celebrate a region championship.
And with a 9-0 record, the Warriors have an opportunity to accomplish even more.
“It's been a great magical season up to this point,” Smith said. “But there's a lot of work to be done. We are not where we want to be.”
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