Back in August, there were some things Bridgeport High School football Coach Josh Nicewarner knew to expect once the pre-season drills began. He knew he had a lot of holes to fill as 18 positions saw starters graduate.

 

What he didn’t know was who was going to fill them all. Among several August surprises was one that Nicewarner didn’t expect and one that has paid dividends for the Tribe all season long.

 

“For the most part, we didn’t have a whole lot of people penciled in to positions because we didn’t have a whole lot of people back to pencil in,” said Nicewarner. “One of the guys coming back that didn’t start or play a ton had worked hard in the weight room, but if you’re asking me if he was on my radar as someone that was going to make an impact, I can honestly tell you the answer is no.”

 

The person in question was junior John Thomas. Although already in the BHS football system, Nicewarner candidly admitted that there hadn’t been preseason talk among the staff about the 6’0, 250-pound junior stepping up this year.

 

“When you watch him now people may not believe that it was well into August before we started noticing him and then we really noticed him,” said Nicewarner. “We knew he was a big physical kid that was strong, but he did haven’t playing skill and the football IQ coming into the season. He quickly changed our minds.”

 

As mentioned earlier, Thomas did go at it pretty hard in the weight room in the summer months and offseason. And while that made a difference, that wasn’t THE difference.

 

The difference took place in December of 2015, and in January and February of 2016. It took place in one on one competition and in what is arguably the most grueling of sports. John Thomas’ transformation from a name on the roster to one of the “the names” on the roster took place on a 42x42 wrestling mat.

 

“I’ve been around football a long time and no one will convince me that wrestling isn’t the best offseason preparation for a football player. John Thomas is a walking, talking example of that,” said Nicewarner.

 

Ironically, Thomas began realizing it last year. In fact, he said it was during his sophomore season of football that he thought he could use the same tools in wrestling and apply them in football. After what turned out to be a pretty good year of wrestling in the 2015-16 school year, he began to grasp things he previously didn’t.

 

“Wrestling has helped because it teaches you leverage and using your body against someone in a way that can help you dominate them physically. If you’re not physically better head to head, knowing how to use leverage can give you the advantage,” said Thomas. “This August, I felt like I did pretty good and a couple of weeks into practice I thought I did well enough to start on defense. That happened and, I can’t remember what game it was, but I started feeling like if I paid attention and used what I learned I could more  than hold my own.”

 

Through 11 games Thomas has done more than hold his own. Yet even though Thomas’ wrestling coach, Adam King who is also an assistant football coach, noticed progression last year in wrestling, he was hopeful – and not convinced – it would carry over.

 

“Early in wrestling and in football, he didn’t get it mentally or physically, but he stuck with it and the thing is that he just got aggressive. He’ll tell you he’s not the best athlete on the mat or the football field, but his skill and competitive nature makes up for that,” said King, who stepped down from coaching wrestling for the upcoming year. “To see him this year in football is amazing, particularly how he tosses people. He gets his hands extended and goes to work.

 

“John knows it’s all about leverage; the same thing you do in wrestling,” King continued. “When you use your leverage, particularly as a bigger guy, it shows you understand how the body works and why you win battles from the waist down a lot of time in the trenches.”

 

Thomas and King both mentioned “leverage.” And Nicewarner wasn’t too far into his conversation about Thomas when he did the same.

 

“The base fundamental of football is all about leverage. I know it’s nice to talk about the quarterback, the wide receiver and the running backs, but we have our success on both sides of the ball when the line is doing their thing. That means getting low and using your leverage because the low man wins,” said Nicewarner. “That’s wrestling and more importantly, it taught John Thomas things mentally that no coach can teach. In wrestling it’s one on one and you can’t look to your right or left for help. If you win, it’s on you. You can’t blame anyone when you come up short. That’s a mental aspect I can’t teach in football, but the kids I’ve had in wrestling understand that well and it’s served them and our team well.”

 

Thomas comes in after a guy like Noah Markley, who graduated last year with three state titles under his belt. Markley was a state championship wrestler who went three years without anyone being able to block him on his way to all-state honors. While Thomas isn’t at Markley’s level, his numbers show that he’s having a pretty good year.

 

As a tackle on defense, heading into the Roane County game, he was fifth in tackles with 35 stops. He’s done that through, yes, leverage and strength to get separation from the person across from him and make the play.

 

“Typically, the lineman are to protect for the linebackers, but we’ve somewhat overhauled that thinking even back to the latter part of my playing days (in 2000),” Nicewarner said. “My defensive coordinator wanted the front four to make plays. That’s something we’ve continued to do and if you’re in the top four or five in tackles it’s indicating a good season.”

 

Thomas was quick to thank Nicewarner and King as well as special attention paid to him by assistants John Cole and Jason Nicewarner.

 

“Coach Cole is helping with technique and things like that and Coach (Jason) Nicewarner is working hard to help me read the offense to get an advantage,” said Thomas. “I still need work in both areas, but I’m going to keep working hard to get there.”

 

Getting to where he wants to be could help the Indians get to where they want to be – and that’s back  to Wheeling Island in December for a fourth straight state title game. If they get there, they’ll have guys like John Thomas and the Indians’ wrestling program to give some of the credit to.

 

Editor's Note: Top three photos (by www.benqueenphotography.com) shows John Thomas in action this season, while he's shown second from left on the wrestling podium at last year's Big 10 Conference Championship in a season where he had more  than 27 wins.