Those that follow the Bradford football team from afar may not be familiar with Brett Thompson.
But, if you’ve attended an Owls game and seen an opposing ball carrier run to Thompson’s side of the field, his defensive capability is evident.
The senior outside linebacker’s name hasn’t shown up on the stat sheet much this season, but Thompson’s field awareness and reliable tackling have been defensive assets for the Owls.
“The way our defense is set up, we’re trying to push the ball out to him,” Bradford coach Jeff Puglio said of Thompson. “He’s about as sure of an open-field tackler as I’ve seen. He will make the play and he’s not afraid to shed blocks and get out there.”
Thompson doesn’t play offense — and that’s fine with him. His 57 total tackles, 19 of which have come solo, are each second-most on the team.
“I’m not really a big offensive guy, so I put all my effort into defense and focus on that,” Thompson said. “The entire defense works together and builds me into it.”
Thompson also has a team-high 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. His first interception of the year came last week against Punxsutawney, a first-half momentum changer that rescued Bradford’s defense in its own territory.
“The main thing I focus on is keeping people inside and hitting people as hard as I can,” Thompson said. “I contain the outside; no one is allowed outside me. Force them into the free safety and inside linebackers.”
Thompson’s quiet-but-steady demeanor allows him to lead by example, whether it be in games or practice.
“You can always count on Brett — he’s going to be here at practice every day, he’s on time, he works hard while he’s here, and he’s kind of what you want to model a football player after,” Puglio said. “He lets his actions on the field do his talking. He doesn’t talk, he just plays. And he plays all-out.”
Thompson is one of 14 seniors that will play their final home game at Parkway Field tonight against Central Clarion. That group includes a handful of rarely heralded difference makers that spans beyond Thompson.
Kaleb Schenfield has provided stability to a defensive secondary that has sustained a handful of injuries. Schenfield, a senior, has played consistent snaps at cornerback.
“He’s done a really good job for us,” Puglio said. “He’s had to step up this year with the injuries, and has really played himself into a solid corner. He’s gotten really good rep-wise and is playing stronger and stronger each week.”
Puglio also complimented the work ethic of Ryan Ward, a senior receiver/defensive back that has brought intensity to Owl practices all fall. The group has endured unprecedented circumstances, including a pandemic which nearly wiped out its junior season.
“They’ve been through a lot of different things,” Puglio said. “They were here at the tail end of our playoff runs and they’ve kind of struggled the past few years. They’ve shown perseverance. They show up, which is really important. You’ve got to be able to show up and grind it when things aren’t always going your way.”
As for tonight’s opponent, Central Clarion (2-4) has reversed the trajectory of its season as of late. Four consecutive losses to start the season preceded back-to-back wins over Kane and Ridgway, and with three weeks remaining in the regular season, the Wildcats now turn their sights to a District 9 playoff berth.
“Big and physical up front,” Puglio said. “They get after it. It’s going to be a task for us to handle. The message this week has been, can we play for a full seven seconds?”
The Owls and Wildcats are scheduled for a 7 p.m. kick-off, with senior night activities planned for 6:20 p.m.
“We tend to get into our initial assignment, then we stop,” Puglio said. “Whistle to whistle — can we do that? Can we get a little more aggressive between the whistles? If we can do that and pay attention to detail, we can hopefully slow them down and get our offense going again.”
