Telegraph Staff Writer
Union County High School varsity football players celebrated overcoming a 10-0 second-half deficit and defeating Dixie County 28-12 on Oct. 8 in Cross City, but they also had another reason to celebrate, giving Head Coach Andrew Thomas an ice bath near the game’s conclusion in recognition of his 100th career win.
Thomas was greeted to the sight of his children holding a banner touting the accomplishment, while he was presented with a commemorative plaque and football after addressing his team post game.
Though honored, Thomas said the focus at that time belonged to his players.
“For it to be here is pretty special to me,” Thomas said, alluding to the fact that Dixie County High School is his alma mater (Class of 1995), “but at the end of the day, it’s a big win for these kids.”
Thomas, who’s in his 11th season as a head coach, now has a 100-26 record. Most of his victories occurred at Trenton, which gave him his first head-coaching opportunity in varsity football. In five seasons there (2011-15), Thomas went 60-5, winning state championships in 2013 and 2015.
The Florida State University graduate accepted the head-coaching position at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, Alabama. He went 13-8 in two seasons before returning to Florida, where he accepted the job of coaching Ocala’s Trinity Catholic. Thomas went 13-9 in two seasons, coaching the Celtics to an 8-4 mark and a playoff appearance in his second season before resigning and accepting the job at Union.
In his first season at Union, Thomas guided the Tigers to a 6-3 regular season. Union won its first two playoff games against Bell and Fort White by a combined score of 89-0 to advance to a regional-final game for the first time in nine years. The Tigers then lost 18-7 to Madison County to finish the season with an 8-4 record.
Thomas has a 16-6 career postseason record.
With the recent win over Dixie, the Tigers are 6-0 for the first time since 2015.
Dixie was celebrating homecoming, making the night more special for Thomas, but the time to dwell on the personal accomplishment would come later.
“I’ll think about that a lot more tomorrow and smile about it,” Thomas said following the game.
