It’s always fun when a team or athlete can come out of nowhere and surprise everyone. Tift County’s Connor Thomas knows exactly how that feels. Last year, both Thomas and his Blue Devils ripped through the Region 1-AAAAAA field and won the region championship. They weren’t on anybody’s radar. Nobody thought they had a chance. In the process, Thomas emerged as the region’s best pitcher. He tossed 72 1/3 innings and finished with an 8-1 record. He struck out 95, walked just eight, and posted a microscopic 0.667 earned run average. Opponents hit just .191 against him. He also parlayed his success in 2015 into a scholarship from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
This season, Thomas again led his team to the playoffs. Though the Blue Devils couldn’t repeat as region champions – that title went to Lee County – Thomas still had a great season and is ready to begin the next chapter of his career. What makes him so good? His love of the game, his attention to detail, and his meticulous preparation. “Connor constantly works on his craft and his mechanics,” says Kyle Kirk, Tift County’s head baseball coach. “He’s also very smart about his between-game preparation and offseason. Connor does a tremendous job of listening to his body and his arm. He prepares accordingly and is always at his best.”
To view Connor’s full story, click here!
