Thomas hoping to excel at Southeast Prep in Texas

Former Morgan City High School football player Trent Thomas is hoping to advance to the collegiate ranks after joining Southeast Prep Academy in the Houston area.
Thomas joined the program after leaving Dakota College at Bottineau in Bottineau, North Dakota, in the spring.
Thomas said he left the North Dakota school because it was too far from home.
After sending film to the Southeast Prep coaches, he said they expressed interest in him and now he’s at the school as a wide receiver.
The institute describes itself as a prep program to prepare high school athletes for the collegiate level, according to its website.
According to its website, the academy does not have ties to an academic institute, but athletes are “urged” to take classes at San Jacinto Community College, something Thomas said he is doing.
As for football, he said that he reported July 1 for offseason team activities and conditioning and got a feel for the atmosphere and intensity.
Southeast Prep had a fall camp, and Thomas said the competition for one of the team’s spots was tough, but he got a spot in their rotation.
He has had to overcome a knee injury during his time at Southeast Prep, too, but said Sunday he expected to be back at practice this past week.
Thomas said in college, a player must learn quicker. He said the team’s offense is more complex than what was run during his high school career at Morgan City High School, during which he was both a wide receiver and a defensive back.
“That was kind of the toughest thing, catching up to the speed,” Thomas said. “Once I got used to that, it got pretty easy for me.”
Southeast Prep plays in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference in which NJCAA teams compete.
Thomas said he would like to compete in the conference, which he characterized as the toughest in the country.
However, he said his top goal is to earn a scholarship offer from Texas Christian University.