Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week
Name: Allison Thomas
School: Canon-McMillan
Class: Senior
Sport: Soccer
Thomas’ week: Thomas had a hat trick and three assists in an 18-0 win over Trinity Monday, followed it with two more goals in a 4-0 victory over Belle Vernon Wednesday and finished the week with two assists in a 4-0 victory over West Allegheny Thursday.
The Big Macs entered a match Wednesday at Brashear with a 12-0 record and a 9-0 mark in Section 4-AAA.
“We want to go undefeated,” said Thomas. “We want to win a section title, then win the WPIAL title and then the state title.”
One Direction, Up: If Thomas has one weakness, it’s not in her game. It’s her affinity for the band One Direction. She has seen them in concert six times and has been following them since seventh grade.
“My mom says it’s time to get over it,” she said with a laugh. “They took over my life.”
Music calms Thomas and she can be seen dancing in the pregame warmups, mostly to One Direction music.
On the pitch, Thomas knows only one direction: toward the goal. As a midfielder and two-year captain, she has honed her skill to find the open teammate.
“She’s the most skilled player on the team,” said C-M head coach Dave Derrico. “She has the best vision of any midfielder. She started as a freshman and that’s rare for this program. She has a lot of confidence and she was good enough (to play) right from the start.”
Thomas patterns her game from Carli Lloyd, a midfielder on the U.S. women’s national team that drew 44,028 fans to Heinz Field in August after winning the World Cup.
“My parents went but I had soccer and couldn’t go,” Thomas said. “I did watch it on TV.”
Winthrop wins: Thomas also found a winning combination with Winthrop University, a Division I program in Rock Hill, S.C. That’s where she is headed to study math communication after graduation.
“It was awesome to get it out of the way early,” she said of her decision made in her junior season. “I just cleared it from my schedule.”
Winthrop is getting the career assist leader from Canon-McMillan. Thomas entered Wednesday’s match with 87, surpassing the record of 57 set by Sarah Zeh in 2010.
“She is one of the toughest players we’ve had,” said Derrico. “When she goes in for a tackle she comes out with the ball.”
Compiled by Joe Tuscano