Thomas big in big games
North Little Rock’s running game isn’t just a one-man show.
Not with juniors Oscar Adaway and Tyler Day and sophomore Brandon Thomas.
But as the 2017 season progressed, Thomas took over as North Little Rock’s No. 1 running back and proved to be one of the best offensive players in Class 7A.
Thomas, 5-11, 185 pounds, rushed for 1,597 yards and 13 touchdowns on 209 carries in 13 games. He averaged 122.8 yards per game and 7.6 yards per carry.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has named Thomas as its All-Arkansas Preps sophomore player of the year.
“He’s done it all year long,” North Little Rock Coach Jamie Mitchell said. “I’m so proud of
Brandon. Brandon is a hardnosed, tough kid. He’s a fantastic young man.”
Thomas saved his best performances of the season for North Little Rock’s biggest games.
In a showdown Oct. 27 between then-No. 2 North Little Rock at then-No. 1 Bryant, Thomas had a season-high 25 carries and finished with 170 yards and 1 touchdown in the Charging Wildcats’ 25-14 victory over the Hornets. That victory helped North Little Rock earn the 7A-Central Conference’s No. 1 seed in the Class 7A playoffs.
In the Class 7A state championship game Dec. 2 against Bentonville at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, the Charging Wildcats turned
to Thomas when they were down 14-0 in the first quarter.
Thomas’ first-half touchdown runs of 24 and 8 yards allowed North Little Rock to get back into the game, as it pulled within 16-14 before halftime. North Little Rock went on to defeat Bentonville 44-37 for the school’s first state championship since 1972 when it was Ole Main. Thomas finished with a season-high 199 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries against the Tigers.
It’s the second consecutive season that a 7A-Central Conference sophomore running back has been named All-Arkansas Preps sophomore of the year. Little Rock Catholic’s Samy Johnson earned the honor in 2016.