After an 0-3 start to the season, the St. Thomas Eagles football team finished out the fall climbing back up with a 7-6 record. The team boasted three shutout victories (48-0 vs St. Pius X; 55-0 vs St. Dominic Savio Catholic; 55-0 vs TMI-Episcopal School) and a redemptive win over St. Michael’s in the playoffs.

“I am definitely most proud of the way the team responded after the 0-3 start to finish 7-6,” Head Coach Rich McGuire said. “Probably the revenge win over St. Michael’s in the playoffs was the highlight.”

On November 1, the Eagles lost to the St. Michael’s Warriors 24-14. The game proved to be a motivating tool for the team to perform at a high level for their next games, in which they beat TMI-Episcopal 55-0 and Trinity Christian 31-19.

When it came time to compete against the St. Michael’s team again in the playoffs, the Eagles had been preparing for the opportunity to prove themselves. On November 22, just three weeks after the loss that set off a series of wins, St. Thomas beat St. Michael’s 21-7. The Eagle defense held St. Michael’s to just one touchdown on their home turf.

“The team improved every week, playoffs included,” McGuire said. “The win against St. Michael’s was the high point for sure.”

The Eagles’ season drew to a close shortly after the final St. Michael’s showdown when the team lost to Liberty Christian on November 30th. Despite the playoff loss, the team has much to be proud of. The shutout wins and Warriors vs. Eagles redemption arc serve as good memories and benchmarks of a well-fought fall season.

Looking ahead to next year, McGuire believes that St. Thomas will continue its impressive football legacy and build upon the successes of this season.

“We’ll bring a lot of kids back on both sides of the ball which should be a positive for next season,” he said.