Copyright © 1999 The Seattle Times Company
Posted at 08:27 a.m. PDT; Wednesday, June 23, 1999
Prep football
Make way for that other guy
by Sandy Ringer
Seattle Times South bureau
They usually came to watch Paul Arnold. They often couldn't keep their eyes off Joey Thomas.
And Thomas promises they'll see a lot more of him over the next few years.
Thomas, who played in the shadow of the All-American Arnold at Kennedy High School the past two seasons, is destined to shine as a defensive back at the University of Washington, according to Kennedy Coach Bob Bourgette.
"He's going to be a sleeper; he's going to shock a lot of people," Bourgette said. "People are going to see Joey."
Fans can get another glimpse Friday as Thomas takes part in the Class 3A/4A All-State football game at Everett Memorial Stadium. He is one of nine South King County players on the West team that also includes Tahoma's Tony Davis as an assistant coach. The other players are Arnold, LeGary Mitchell of Renton, Robin Miller of Kent-Meridian, Russell Dokken of Kentwood, Brett Thompson of Auburn Riverside, Kyle Stewart and Kai Ellis of Kentridge and Rob Enghusen of Liberty.
Hopes for double duty
Thomas, Kennedy's starting quarterback the past two seasons and a three-year starter on defense, hopes to see some double duty in Friday's game, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
"I'm hoping to get some snaps on offense. I don't care if it's at quarterback, wide receiver or running back - I just want to be on the offensive side for one more game," Thomas said, "because it will probably be my last.
"They're crazy if they don't play him at quarterback a little," Bourgette said. "But he's far and away the best defensive back in the state."
Thomas began turning heads as a sophomore, when he intercepted seven passes, then enjoyed an all-state season as a junior. But all the hoopla heading into the 1998 season was focused on Arnold, considered one of the top running-back recruits in the nation. In Kennedy's opener against Bellarmine, Thomas got as many looks as Arnold.
"People came in to look at Paul, but Joey had a heck of a game," Bourgette said. "UCLA went crazy about him."
But, like recruiters from other Division I schools, the Bruins coaches weren't crazy about Thomas' academic standing. His grade average hovered in the C range - in part, Thomas admits, because of a lack of effort his ninth- and 10th-grade years and in part because of a learning disability that only recently was diagnosed.
"In the beginning, I had everybody (looking at him)," said Thomas, who was a repeat All-State choice despite intercepting just one pass - he had only a handful of passes thrown in his direction last season. "If I would have had the grades, I could have gone anywhere. But people started looking at that, and one by one they started bailing."
When Coach Rick Neuheisel left Colorado for the University of Washington, he decided he couldn't let Thomas slip through the cracks. The Huskies signed him to a letter of intent, taking the chance he'd score well enough on his SAT's to qualify.
"They stuck by me and showed a lot of faith in me, just like I have faith in myself," Thomas said.
He needed a score of 1,010. He got a 1,030.
Wants to play as freshman
Thomas plans to repay the Huskies for sticking with him - and stick it to the ones who didn't. He doesn't intend to redshirt this fall.
"I want to be on the field - I don't care, I'll start on special teams - I've got a point to prove," Thomas said. "A lot of people passed me up. These guys stayed with me. I'm going to make everyone who passed me up pay for it. I'm playing with a purpose."
Thomas says he didn't really mind playing in the shadow of Arnold this past season.
"I liked it actually," he said. "I got so much exposure - he brought the people. I just had to play football. People would say, `Who's that No. 2? He's not too shabby.'
" ... I think I wrote my own ticket," Thomas said. "I think I played good enough. If I would have had the grades all along, I could have gone anywhere."
Bourgette believes Thomas will go a long way with the Huskies.
"He's the type of guy nobody really talked about all season," Bourgette said, "but he's going to show up. He's going to play for the University of Washington."
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