Football, Basketball, Track & Field
Favorite athlete: Jaire Alexander
Favorite team: New York Giants
Favorite memory competing in sports: Game winning TD against Souderton
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Getting injured one of my first carries ever on varsity.
Music on playlist: Drake, Rod Wave, and NBA Youngboy.
Future plans: Attend Bloomsburg to play football and major in accounting.
Words to live by: “Embrace the process”
One goal before turning 30: Know I’ve given everything to achieve my dream.
One thing people don’t know about me: I’m the youngest of my siblings.
By GORDON GLANTZ
More than just neighborhood bragging rights were on the line when Souderton and Quakertown met in the annual 309 Bowl.
The 2024 season pretty much hung in the balance for a Quakertown football team that was 1-3, while Souderton was 3-1.
Another loss and a 1-4 record might have placed the Panthers in an insurmountable hole.
When they needed a touchdown in the final minute, it took three straight completions to Matt Thomas from quarterback Brady Martin – including one in the end zone as time expired – to give the Panthers a dramatic 35-34 victory that propelled them to an eventual 7-5 record and a berth in the District One playoffs.
“We were down a touchdown, going into that last drive, and there wasn’t much time left,” said Thomas. “There were maybe 20-30 seconds left. First play, I ran an ‘out’ route for about 10-12 yards. I got hit out of
bounds, so they called unnecessary roughness. The play ended up being a gain of about 27 yards. The next play, with about 13 seconds left, we called the Hail Mary. Brady Martin, our quarterback, did a good job. He bought some time and threw it up as a high as he could. I was able to come down with it, but I honestly thought the game was over. I forgot about the rule where the clock doesn’t start again until the chains move. At that point, we got up and spiked the ball.
“Then, on the last play, I ran an ‘in’ route by the end zone line. I made my cut, and (Martin) put the ball right on the spot.”
Victory had been snatched from the jaws of defeat. The 309 Bowl had been won.
“We got a nice trophy, which we hadn’t had for three years, so that was nice,” said Thomas.
To say the turn of events turned the season around is an understatement.
“It absolutely did,” said Quakertown coach George Banas. “From that game, we knew that we could come back from anything. It was a springboard for the rest of the season. We were tabbed ‘The Cardiac Cats’ because of always coming from behind and winning – or at least coming super close.”
The fact that Thomas – at 5-10 and a slight 155 pounds – stood tall with the game on the line was not a shock to the venerable coach.
“He is really one of our go-to guys in crunch time,” said the coach. “He caught all three passes on that winning drive against Souderton to get that walk-off win, which was absolutely amazing.”
Emotional Leader
The story behind the story of the 309 Bowl was that Thomas did more than catch those three passes on the drive. He provided the inspiration for the gut-check win with speeches to his teammates.
“Going into the Souderton game, with us being 1-3, I knew it was a must-win game,” said Thomas. “Before that, I never really did much talking. I got after them because going 1-4 - that could have led our whole season down a fast spiral. It was put up or shut up. I had to let them know how I felt.
“I said that we had to just stick together and grind throughout all four quarters. I knew we were the more conditioned team. Going into the second half, and in the fourth quarter, everybody on the field just had to give 100 percent effort. Not everyone would get a chance to play football after their senior year, and I wanted them to remember that.”
For Banas, it was all just typical Matt Thomas in full effect.
“Matty is just a super great kid,” said the coach. “He shows up and does whatever is asked of him. He’s super unselfish. He was our emotional leader – with pre-game speeches and halftime speeches – trying to motivate the kids.”
While he was once more introverted, Thomas has become the type of player others want to follow.
“I believe I can just lead by example, but maybe that’s not the best thing,” said Thomas. “Maybe I’m not as outspoken when I feel like I’m newer to a team. Once I feel like I’m in a groove, and I know that I have respect amongst my peers, I feel like a can lead.
“There is a thin line between being too aggressive with your teammates and being too passive, but I feel like I can motivate my team.”
Jumping In
While Thomas has committed to play football for Bloomsburg at the next level, he has decided to join the track team in a one-shot deal this spring.
“I was just looking for ways to stay consistent and improve,” said Thomas. “I was thinking that track was just a way to stay in running shape and get fast.”
However, it hasn’t exactly gone as scripted.
“I started off with some of the sprints, but the people who sprint are definitely fast,” he said. “I ended up doing pretty well with the jumping. I do high jump, triple jump and long jump.”
And Thomas has already come within inches of the longstanding school record for the high jump.
“And I have been doing it in running spikes,” said the Brooklyn native who has remained a New York Giants fan. “I just got some new jumping spikes, so I am hoping I can break the record. I think it goes back to the 1990s maybe.”
Banas believes it all fits into Thomas’ athletic profile.
“His vertical is phenomenal,” he said. “He never high jumped before. His first meet, he goes out there and hits 6-2. The school record is 6-5. And he doesn’t even have jumping spikes yet. He is just incredibly athletic.”
No Fear
While Thomas has dealt with some serious injuries – a season-ending broken collarbone as a junior and a broken ankle that limited him to just a handful of games during basketball season -- he still plays with no fear while going both ways.
“He takes shots, and you think he’s never going to get up,” said Banas. “It takes a little longer for him to get up off the turf, but he shakes it off and jogs back to the huddle. He never had to come out of a game injured. He never asked for a blow to come off the field.
“He was always undersized but an extremely talented player. He was always in the back of my mind because of that effort that he gave. He had zero fear, whatsoever, going against anybody twice his size.”
Thomas takes his reputation as a matter of pride.
“I feel like football is such a physical and violent sport,” he said. “If you don’t go in with the mindset that, unless you can’t get up, you better get back up. If you can’t do that, then it’s not the right sport for you. My mindset is that, if my legs are both working, I can make it back onto the field.”
Despite being more diminutive, college coaches – primarily from the competitive PSAC – came calling for Thomas.
“When you have the Julian Edelmans and others, who were so successful in the NFL at that size, I think it sort of helped Matty,” said Banas. “Now, people aren’t scared by that type of size.”
Scared? No.
Amazed? That’s another thing.
“For this kid to be able to do those types of things on a Friday night at the varsity level, at that weight, it is amazing,” said Banas. “I don’t even know if there is anything he needs to work on, other than maybe gaining weight.
“He’s just an awesome kid. He’s going to do great things at Bloomsburg. They are getting a great kid.”
Root Causes
Thomas attributes his spunk to losing a lot to his older brothers – Isaiah and Jahshua (he also has two older sisters, Cynthia and Salena) -- and from not having much handed to him.
“Ever since Pop Warner, there was no team that ever made me a starter right away,” he said. “The grind is important. If you don’t enjoy waking up and putting in the work, you are not going to be very successful.
“And that’s true in whatever you do, whether it is in the sports world or the business world. If you don’t, you are not going to be very successful.”
Hence his words to live by: Embrace the Process.
“You have to be able to embrace the process and everything that comes with it,” said Thomas.
This has manifested itself in an insatiable drive to keep getting better.
“I haven’t seen a kid with such great work ethic in a long time,” said Banas. “He would do his workout with us, and then I would see him at the local park, or some other place, just doing extra things on his own.”
A Hard Loss on the Hardwood
Anthony DaCosta, Quakertown’s basketball coach, got a sense of Thomas’ character by the way he stayed engaged with the team while injured this season.
“He came to the games to watch the other kids play and to provide support,” DaCosta said. “From that standpoint, he was still involved.”
Thomas, who averaged 7.3 points per game from the off-guard spot, felt it was crucial to act as a part of the team.
“We didn’t have a great record, but I just wanted to help the guys and motivate them and keep them all on the same page,” said Thomas. “That’s what my role was.”
The loss of his presence on the court was definitely felt though.
“His time with us was limited, but he was able to return in time for the end of the season,” DaCosta said. “That really affected us, because he was a pretty scorer of the basketball. That impacted things.”
Complete Package
Banas teaches Thomas in Civil Engineering and Architecture class and has appreciated getting to know him from that perspective.
“His personality his phenomenal,” said Banas. “He is an easy kid to talk to. He’s not afraid to open up and have some really good conversations.
“He’s a very diligent student. I have him first period of the day. Not everybody is very vocal or alert that early in the day, but he and I have had a ton of different conversations throughout the year, whether it’s about football or life in general.”
Thomas prides himself on being a solid student, sporting a 3.1 GPA. He plans to major in accounting at Bloomsburg.
“I knew I wanted to be in the business world,” said Thomas. “I see what my older brother does, and I enjoy seeing some of the things that he does. As for accounting, I’m pretty organized. I take pride in my organizational skills, so I felt that was a good fit.”
Thomas also helped Banas coach youth football.
“He helps out in the community an awful lot,” said Banas. “He works well with the younger kids. He came and helped coach youth football teams, all the way through his high school career.”
Thomas found the opportunity a rewarding one.
“For football, we have a lot of volunteer opportunities, so I just help out as much as I can,” he said. “I like to help coach Banas out with his Pop Warner team whenever I get a chance. I love coaching up football, especially if I can help getting kids better.”
As for himself getting better, Thomas knows his was not a solo flight.
“I definitely want to thank Coach Banas and the coaching staff,” he said. “Thanks for just believing in me and giving me in the opportunity.
“And then, there are my parents (Julia Lopez and Bobby Thomas). Even though they didn’t understand much about football, they gave me all the support I needed. And mostly, probably both of my older brothers. They motivated me and helped to develop as a person.”
