Eagles flying en route to 2-0 start
The St. Thomas football team has employed a winning strategy this season, one fans hope will eventually take the Eagles all the way to the TAPPS Division I state championship.
“We’re a grind-it-out kind of team,” said St. Thomas head coach Tim Fitzpatrick. “We’ll keep running the ball until someone stops us. Our goal is to wear down our opponents in the second half.”
That was certainly the case during St. Thomas’ first two ballgames. In the process of beating Altair Rice Consolidated 46-30 and rival Strake Jesuit 34-17, the Eagles outscored their foes 45-19 over the final two quarters.
St. Thomas will try to run its record to 3-0 when the Eagles travel to Santa Fe (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13.
The Eagles’ ground game has been in full flight the past two weeks, averaging nearly 440 yards. Against Rice Consolidated, St. Thomas had three 100-yard rushers. While the Eagles managed only one against Strake Jesuit, they ran for more than 300 yards to notch their second straight victory in the long-running series.
Senior running back Andre Pradia, a 5-foot8, 190-pound bruiser, has benefited from St. Thomas’ run-first scheme. Pradia, a returning all-state performer, ran 14 times for 215 yards and four touchdowns in the opener. For the season, he has racked up nearly 300 yards.
“Andre is squatty, powerful back,” Fitzpatrick said. “Andre has figured out that he’s a northsouth runner. If he can’t find the hole, he’ll run right over you.”
St. Thomas frequently hands off to sophomore William Heck (5-10, 160). Heck was the standout against Strake Jesuit, rushing 20 times for 140 yards and three touchdowns. Through two games, he has tallied more than 250 yards and four scores.
“We bring in William as a change-up,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s a little quicker than Andre, but just as effective.”
But the biggest surprise has been sophomore Michael Keating (6-2, 195). The back-up quarterback have given the Eagles another threat, rushing for close to 170 yards and two touchdowns.
While the Eagles haven’t thrown the ball frequently, they have a reliable starting quarterback in senior Michael Reul (6-0, 170), who played a pivotal role in St. Thomas’ 10-2 finish a year ago. Although he is a second-stringer, Keating has been equally productive.
The receiving corps features senior Doug Sauter (6-2, 170) and sophomore Drew Guidroz (6-2, 175).
“Doug is more of a possession receiver, while Drew is more of a speed guy,” Fitzpatrick said. “They complement each other.”
The defense remains a work in progress, with St. Thomas graduating a number of key contributors.
“The defense is very young,” Fitzpatrick said. “We have eight new starters in the mix. We’ve gone through some growing pains and given up a few big plays, but we’re improving.”
Fitzpatrick said it’s too early to tell if St. Thomas can replicate last year’s success. He’s rather let the season unfold week by week.
“Offensively, we’ve looked good, but we’re not as dominant on defense as we were last season,” Fitzpatrick said. Jeff Jenkins is a freelance writer and can be reached at jenkins.jeffreys@gmail.com.