ADA — As a first half in which everything that could possibly go wrong was going wrong for Whitehall wound down Friday night, senior Camden Thompson knew someone needed to make a play.
That much was obvious to anyone in the stadium. What makes Thompson different is that he possesses the ability to do it. And so when pre-district opponent Forest Hills Eastern, up 14 points, threw a deep pass toward the end zone on the final play of the first half, Thompson grabbed it out of the air and went to work. He weaved his way through traffic, making his way to one side of the field and then the other, going 90 yards for a touchdown that changed the complexion of the game and set the Vikings on a path that ended with a dramatic 28-21 comeback win.
"I knew they were going to try something deep, and we needed something to spark us up going in the half," Thompson said. "I had to return that...The first half really wasn't our game. We had a bunch of horrible turnovers, horrible mistakes. The worst half of football we've played all year. We come out here in the second half and we get it done. That's what we're about. The job's not finished. It's on to game two. It's the playoffs, baby."
There were many plays that helped boost the Vikes to victory Friday, but coach Tony Sigmon made no pretense of hiding that the interception return was the biggest one, at least in terms of providing a mental lift.
"If we go in there (at halftime) at 14-0, I think we're still in it, but it looks different," Sigmon said. "Our kids just did a wonderful job. When that happened, I think that was that moment where it's like, 'We're going to do this because we have the momentum.'"
Thompson also intercepted the ball on the final play of the game, another Hail Mary by the Hawks, to secure the win following teammate Gavin Craner's winning touchdown run. He also contributed one of the game's biggest offensive plays. Facing a fourth-and-4 near midfield and the game tied at 21 with a few minutes to play, with the specter of FHE having plenty of time to get downfield for a winning score if a fourth-down attempt failed, Sigmon and the Vikings didn't hesitate. They put the ball in the hands of their most talented athlete - even if no one involved could remember what exactly the call was.
"I forgot what play was called," Thompson grinned. "I just knew if no one was open, I was getting that first down. I stretched out for that one."
"We called touchdown, so we failed," Sigmon chuckled. "Honestly, I'd have to watch the film. Everything just happened so fast. That's the thing. He's a dynamic football player, and sometimes things go bad. He was able to make plays."
Thompson's exploits on the playing field are the stuff of Vikings' legend; he's already the basketball program's all-time scoring leader with a full season to play and has earned a scholarship to Western Michigan University to play football (he also plans to play basketball). But his contributions aren't limited to individual success.
From all outward appearances, Thompson oozes positivity, and rarely misses a chance to express his love for his teammates. He did it again Friday, lauding his current teammates while also expressing regret on behalf of the players a class ahead of him that no matter what happens in next week's district finals game against Big Rapids, it won't change the outcome of the Cardinals' postseason upset of Whitehall a year ago.
That much was obvious to anyone in the stadium. What makes Thompson different is that he possesses the ability to do it. And so when pre-district opponent Forest Hills Eastern, up 14 points, threw a deep pass toward the end zone on the final play of the first half, Thompson grabbed it out of the air and went to work. He weaved his way through traffic, making his way to one side of the field and then the other, going 90 yards for a touchdown that changed the complexion of the game and set the Vikings on a path that ended with a dramatic 28-21 comeback win.
"I knew they were going to try something deep, and we needed something to spark us up going in the half," Thompson said. "I had to return that...The first half really wasn't our game. We had a bunch of horrible turnovers, horrible mistakes. The worst half of football we've played all year. We come out here in the second half and we get it done. That's what we're about. The job's not finished. It's on to game two. It's the playoffs, baby."
There were many plays that helped boost the Vikes to victory Friday, but coach Tony Sigmon made no pretense of hiding that the interception return was the biggest one, at least in terms of providing a mental lift.
"If we go in there (at halftime) at 14-0, I think we're still in it, but it looks different," Sigmon said. "Our kids just did a wonderful job. When that happened, I think that was that moment where it's like, 'We're going to do this because we have the momentum.'"
Thompson also intercepted the ball on the final play of the game, another Hail Mary by the Hawks, to secure the win following teammate Gavin Craner's winning touchdown run. He also contributed one of the game's biggest offensive plays. Facing a fourth-and-4 near midfield and the game tied at 21 with a few minutes to play, with the specter of FHE having plenty of time to get downfield for a winning score if a fourth-down attempt failed, Sigmon and the Vikings didn't hesitate. They put the ball in the hands of their most talented athlete - even if no one involved could remember what exactly the call was.
"I forgot what play was called," Thompson grinned. "I just knew if no one was open, I was getting that first down. I stretched out for that one."
"We called touchdown, so we failed," Sigmon chuckled. "Honestly, I'd have to watch the film. Everything just happened so fast. That's the thing. He's a dynamic football player, and sometimes things go bad. He was able to make plays."
Thompson's exploits on the playing field are the stuff of Vikings' legend; he's already the basketball program's all-time scoring leader with a full season to play and has earned a scholarship to Western Michigan University to play football (he also plans to play basketball). But his contributions aren't limited to individual success.
From all outward appearances, Thompson oozes positivity, and rarely misses a chance to express his love for his teammates. He did it again Friday, lauding his current teammates while also expressing regret on behalf of the players a class ahead of him that no matter what happens in next week's district finals game against Big Rapids, it won't change the outcome of the Cardinals' postseason upset of Whitehall a year ago.
"These guys, I love all of them," Thompson said. "I've grown up with them my whole life. Just to do this and keep advancing, keep winning, that's amazing. I love
these guys to death and we've just got to keep rolling."
Of course, it is easy to say things in public - harder to live it behind the scenes. Sigmon said for Thompson, it's not an act.
"He's special," Sigmon said. "We're very fortunate to have him on our team. He's a great kid. He might do all that stuff on the field and everything, but you know what you don't see? You don't see him ref a youth basketball tournament, or when a kid's having a bad day, being able to put his arm around him and telling him it's going to be okay."
Gesturing toward his young son running around in the end zone after the win, Sigmon added, "That one right there, who's playing, he gets to see that quite a bit. That's pretty special."
"He's special," Sigmon said. "We're very fortunate to have him on our team. He's a great kid. He might do all that stuff on the field and everything, but you know what you don't see? You don't see him ref a youth basketball tournament, or when a kid's having a bad day, being able to put his arm around him and telling him it's going to be okay."
Gesturing toward his young son running around in the end zone after the win, Sigmon added, "That one right there, who's playing, he gets to see that quite a bit. That's pretty special."
