The weather is changing. Fall fashion is in full effect. Classes are steadily rolling and midterms are out of the way. That only means one thing. Homecoming. Alonzo Thomas is witnessing his third Prairie View Homecoming, and for the third year in a row, there is only one thing on his mind. Another championship.
Thomas led the pack in the 2005 cross country conference championship here at home, and he hasn’t stopped since. The Dallas native has been a major force on the team that brought the first place trophy to “the hill,” for the first time ever.
The team, coached by Clifton Gillard and Chris Clay, won the SWAC championship and to anyone’s dismay it was well deserved. In fact, to Gilliard’s predecessor, Coach Wright, it may have been the start of a tradition long awaited for. In the Nov. 2, 2005 edition of The Panther, you will find on the front page a superb example of Prairie View pride. The cross country champions gathered around the tombstone of the late Coach Wright holding their index finger high in the air. The picture couldn’t scream, “We are number one,” any louder. If you knew Wright, you could feel his smile.
The first team all-SWAC performer [Thomas] joined forces with his SWAC coach of the year [Gilliard] in Clinton, Miss., to compete in the 2006 championship. As fate would have it, they received the same outcome, another first place. Still spearheaded by Thomas, his efforts received a second place finish. All though he was the first Panther to cross the finish line, it was a team effort to pull off this win. An outcome that made a Gilliard a little nervous, but of course overwhelmed, was never overshadowed by “luck.” Again, the team put in many hours of hard work.
Now, in 2007, the Panthers have arrived at their all too familiar crossroad. The team will travel Monday to Jackson, Miss. and take all of their ammo with them. “I feel like we are all together as a team. We needed one to step up, and he has,” Thomas said. Preparing for battle is only part of the puzzle. Completing the task is the other half.
“Our team has prepared well and come next week, I think we should have a good performance,” said Gilliard.
Both Gilliard and Thomas agree that this season has been better for him. He is performing better now than he has in the two previous years. Thomas is ready. He says, “I haven’t run like this at this point in the season ever.”
So it is complete. The fall recipe compiles a mixture of midterms, Homecoming, Panther pride, and a championship. Thomas is joined with his teammates who are also top performers, and they are ready for another ring. How’s that for spirit?