Rising Stars: Brennon Thompson

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It runs in the family.

Usually that saying is saved for some sort of quirky trait or unique characteristic a family possesses, but for Brennon Thompson, it means a little bit more. The 6-foot, 180-pound junior defensive back/wide receiver for East Ascension is the younger brother of Southern University linebacker Blake Thompson, and the younger cousin of Shawn Jr. and Shazz Preston, currently at Mississippi State and Alabama, respectively. And judging by the look of it, the Spartan’s star is following right in the family footsteps.

“(My family) is always telling me to keep working,” Thompson says. “Put your head down and work, no matter what. It doesn’t matter what everybody else is doing, just keep doing what you’re doing. Focus on yourself. Focus on getting better each and every day. Because when you do, you’re bettering yourself so when you step on the field, it comes easy to you.”

He sure does make it look easy at times.

Even after suffering a pre-season leg injury that was supposed to keep him out his entire junior year, Thompson committed to his physical therapy plan and managed to battle back by Week 6 of the regular season.

Prior to his return, East Ascension held just a 1-4 record. The Spartans would go on to win four of the remaining five games once Thompson was back in the action. “The guys were excited for me to come back,” he says. “They were ready. I told them before every game, ‘When I come back, I want us with no losses. No losses when I come back, I promise you.’ I would tell him that every day. I promise you we’re not going to lose another game.”

Thompson helped East Ascension earn a 15 seed in the Division I playoffs, and he plans on even more success coming in his senior season. He’s already begun racking up some college offers and looks poised to join his family in Division I college football by next fall.

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