HS Football Season Preview: Thompson Tommies

The Tommies are the defending 9-man North Dakota state champions

THOMPSON, N.D. — Thompson may have won the 2016 North Dakota 9-man state title, but the squad lost a large class of seniors from the championship team.

Head coach Brady Schwab says that doesn’t affect his team’s expectations though, and the game itself is almost a secondary aspect.

“For us, I think this season and our expectations every year are the same,” Schwab said. “We’re going to try to create young men that are good citizens that do what they’re supposed to do, and whatever they accomplish in football is a bonus on top of that. Obviously, when we go out on a Friday night, we’re trying to be a good football team and a disciplined football team. Those expectations haven’t really changed for the last number of years.”

When it comes to putting together a winning team, the Tommies do have some holes to fill, the biggest of which come from the guys who are supposed to make the holes.

“I’m the only returning lineman from last year,” center Ryan Williams said. “I’ve got to be a leader and step up with those younger guys. Most of our improvement can definitely come from our line play.”

For this new batch of seniors, it is all about working toward the goal of capping off their high school careers with back-to-back state titles.

“Just the feeling of being there last year, and then being there against this year would just be amazing,” fullback/middle linebacker Trey Larimer said. “It would be an awesome feeling getting back there again.”

Thompson opens the season on August 18 against Cavalier.