Since first taking the baseball diamond at age four, Colby Thompson has enjoyed being in the middle of the action. No matter whether he’s playing third base, shortstop or second, the 5’11 Hilldale Hornets senior is ready for the next play.

“My favorite position is shortstop because of the action I get but every action has its opportunities to be a game changer,” said Thompson. “At third the line drive shots keep you on your toes while shortstop and second require you to cover a lot of ground to make the play. Making plays with my glove is my strength.”

Hornets head coach Nathan Frisby described Thompson as a difference maker no matte the position.

“Colby is the guy that you always know what you’re going to get. Great attitude, an even harder worker who is consistent and dependable,” said Frisby. “He’s a model student on and off the field. I only wish he wasn’t a senior.”

While many athletes may want to talk about performance statistics, Thompson lets numbers speak for themselves including his 4.39 GPA that has rewarded the 2021 senior with Valedictorian honors on top of his results playing baseball and football as well as his involvement with Spanish Club, Teens for Christ and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I’ve had to manage my time to stay on top of my classes through study and homework seven days a week,” said Thompson. “I took as many honors classes as I could plus concurrent enrollment through Connors State College. When I graduate, I’ll have completed 39 college credit hours.”

The dedication to details has resulted in numerous academic scholarships including offers from the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa and Oral Roberts. The college choice remains to be decided as Thompson plans to pursue a career in optometry.

Choosing to describe himself with words including competitive, hard working and kind, Thompson lives everyday with a commitment to character.

“Most important to me is being kind because it shows what kind of character you have,” emphasized Thompson. “Character in sports as well as life shows if you have integrity, leadership and if you can handle adversity. That also means doing the little things like picking up a piece of trash, volunteering to help others as well as getting somewhere 20 minutes early instead of being one minute late.”

Known to his teammates as “Niner” because he wears the same number nine jersey that his dad wore in high school, Thompson is ready for the next pitch as he leaves a footprint for others to follow.

“I want people to remember me as the kid who always worked hard and never gave up no matter the circumstances.”