The St. Louis U. High football team had high hopes for the Kirkwood game with the return of injured junior stars Isaac Thompson (COVID-19, stomach bug) and Derrick Baker (ankle). Sadly, the game was forfeited due to COVID related reasons on Kirkwood’s side. The Jr. Bills are scheduled to play against Lindbergh this Friday. 

         “What I see from our guys is we are a resilient group of young men,” said head coach Mike Jones. “We have had some injuries that have kept some guys out. We are back to full strength.”

         The absence of Thompson and Baker thus far put SLUH in a tough position on offense against offensively explosive teams like St. Mary’s and De Smet, because SLUH was missing two of its most important offensive pieces, making it hard for the team to keep up on the scoreboard at times. 

“(Derrick) was questionable for the game (against Vianney) and he came in and steadied the ball and added diversity to the offense,” said assistant head coach Adam Cruz. “He brings balance to the offense.”

         Thompson, SLUH’s primary receiver, led the team’s receiving core last year in touchdowns (6), and was also essential on defense, as he also had two interceptions. Thompson is a Division One-caliber player, and has offers from big schools like LSU, Penn State University, and Florida State University.

“He’s one of the top players in the country for a reason on offense and defense,” said coach Adam Cruz. “It’s really exciting to have Isaac back, he’s a great football player on both sides of the ball—he’s a game changer.”

He contracted COVID-19 prior to the start of the season, which caused him to miss a vital two weeks practicing with the team. To add insult to injury, Thompson contracted a stomach bug that kept him out against both St. Mary’s and De Smet. 

Derrick Baker transferred to SLUH from Affton for this year, which was surprising because his contributions on the football field in the 2019-2020 season weren’t questionable. Baker led the Cougars in rushing yards in his sophomore season with 1,364 on the ground and 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 3 receiving).

“My primary reason[to transfer to SLUH] was to come and receive a great education that SLUH has to offer and be a part of the SLUH family and of course contribute in sports,” said Baker. 

Baker’s transfer came at a vital time, as SLUH had just lost its best running back when Kellen Porter graduated. Porter led SLUH’s backfield last year with 16 rushing touchdowns, and his departure put a large hole in SLUH’s offense that otherwise had depth coming into this season. However, Baker’s ankle injury was tough to deal with, and it hindered his hopes of making a name for himself quickly.

“(Getting injured) felt bad,” said Baker. “I really felt like I let my teammates and coaches down, and also my family. It felt like all the effort they put into getting me into this school was a mistake.” 

         With two key components back, the SLUH football team feels optimistic and ready to take on Lindbergh.

“I would say (having them back) injects some life and balance, like I said offensively, Derrick adds an element that we’ve been missing,” said Cruz. “Isaac on the defensive side of the ball helps our defensive backs, who have done admirably, but we’ve had to start a few sophomores in his place.”