There Matt Gracey stood, watching an unknown constantly give the Heritage football coach reasons to … keep watching.
That grind, that grit, that determination. Gracey jokes an inexperienced sophomore had no business starting on the offensive line.
But Andrew Thom kept giving reasons for the coach to not look away, because of his play, attitude, and tenacity.
“He’s one of my favorites to watch grow up,” Gracey said.
A lot’s changed since that summer day two years ago when Thom started his path to football stardom. Thom is now an all-league lineman who’s played five positions on both sides of the line.
At 6 feet, the undersized tight end also caught his first-career touchdown pass in Heritage’s season-opening win over Evergreen.
That, in part, has Heritage’s record at 2-0 for the fifth consecutive season. The Timberwolves can go 3-0 for their second time under Gracey with a victory Friday at Kelso, the 3A Greater St. Helens League runner-up last season. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Kelso’s Schroeder Field.
Thom’s senior year remains in infancy, but already, he knows how he’ll sum up his career.
“The grind never stops,” he said. “And that’s what I’d teach my kids also is to never quit.
“I don’t want to fail. If I have the chance to do something, why not just go for it?”
Originally a baseball standout who also got cut from basketball as a freshman, Thom now calls football his full-time love.
But the gridiron motivation originated somewhat unconventionally.
Thom tells the story that’s widely known in his inner-circle of a social-media post with him and an Xbox video-game console. His mom, Gabby, had a small wager for her only son when the eighth-grade football season turned into more sideline watching than playing time: Turn out for high school football, and the Xbox is yours.
“That’s how my mom is — never give up,” Thom said. “That’s her No. 1 thing.”
That fueled Thom’s fire that’s never extinguished, and to thrive as an undersized lineman.
“When you play football, it’s another family,” Thom said. “Everyone has your back and now you have two families — you have your own family and you have your football family.
“They make it fun.”
Thom got a late-start to high school football compared to other incoming freshmen, but the motor’s never quit since putting on pads.
Gracey initially assumed, at best, he’d get a decent offensive lineman for two years, and possibly a season out of Thom on the defensive line, too.
But that’s the good problem with Thom, Gracey said. You put an expectation on him, and he’ll exceed it. That’s why he’s started at guard, tackle, center, tight end and defensive end over his career, and now as a senior, he’s a two-way starter for the first time.
“We need him on both sides of the ball,” the coach said. “Put a ceiling on that kid, and he’ll bust through it.”
Thom’s done so, making him a good ambassador for a Heritage football program trying to change its culture.
Last year’s Timberwolves broke a 25-game league losing skid by beating Battle Ground.
That game, too, was doubly special for Thom as he scored his first-career touchdown coming off a blocked punt on special teams.
And those strides and progress — much like Thom’s done throughout his career — are coming with the Timberwolves.
“Obviously, everyone wants to win,” he said, “but I want a different attitude.”
