All-CVA: STAB’s Thomasson helped lead Saints to title

Frank Thomasson and his son Jack’s celebration was understated, but deeply meaningful. The two rejoiced immediately after a high school state title and the close of a storybook prep career in the only way that an ever-encroaching illness has left their family — with a high-five and a simple acknowledgement.
“He hardly ever talks anymore but he’d always know how many goals I’d scored and he’d say ‘Four goals?’ or ‘Seven goals?’ and give me a big high-five,” Jack Thomasson said. “It was a really cool feeling knowing he was watching and could keep track of how many goals I’d scored.”
Frank Thomasson is currently battling Pick’s disease, a rare neurodegenerative disease that has altered his mood and reduced his ability to speak. One of the few things it didn’t rob him of is his ability to follow one of his favorite pastimes, lacrosse, and his son’s achievements. Thomasson took inspiration from his father’s battle, scanning the stands whenever he needed to settle down during a contest.
“If I’m playing bad or something, I always look up in the stands to see him there and then things really start clicking,” Thomasson said. “I don’t know how else I can explain scoring 90 goals — that’s the only way. He had a huge impact on my whole career.”
This year, Thomasson gave his a father a chance to indulge his passion for lacrosse with one of the best season-long performances in Central Virginia history. The STAB senior broke school records at the traditional powerhouse in both goals (90) and points (120) in a season while earning All-American status, state tournament MVP honors and an All-State nod. Now the slight but relentless attacker can add All-Central Virginia player of the year to that laundry list of accomplishments.
“I saw Jack in the third grade and I kiddingly said I can’t wait until Jack is in the upper school at about 6-foot-1,” said St. Anne’s coach Doug Tarring. “It never happened, but we got more out of Jack at 5-8 than any kid I can ever remember at 6-1.”
Thomasson, senior Harry Snyder and sophomore Owen VanArsdale combined to create an overwhelming attack unit that put up mind-boggling numbers, combining for 169 goals and 96 assists. The trio, with Thomasson leading the way as the top finisher, fueled an offensive machine that helped spark St. Anne’s to a 16-5 record against a brutal schedule and a state title in a nailbiter against Norfolk Academy.
“We heard Harry Snyder was coming over from Woodberry and [associate head] coach [Bo Periello] was like, ‘he’s going to be a huge help because he’s going to be a nice support’,” Thomasson said. “Then there’s little Owen who’s the smartest lacrosse player I’ve ever met. In preseason we would get together in our little group and pass around and I knew something special was about to happen.”
Thomasson, who will suit up for The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., next season, averaged 4.3 goals per game and buried a stunning 53 percent of his 169 shots on the season. He also capped a rare state title double as a senior, winning a football championship last fall as a starting tailback for the Saints.
All the while, Thomasson has dealt with his father’s declining health, a process that began a couple of years ago. Frank Thomasson’s problems started slowly but grew worse as the disease’s impact wore on, taking away the majority of his verbal communication recently.
“His attitude toward life started to change — he’d get real frustrated with things and he wasn’t sure what he was doing,” Thomasson said. “Things have gotten progressively worse — his speech is minimized significantly — and seeing him change is really tough on the family. But we’re all there for him.”
It’s obviously been particularly tough on Thomasson’s mother, Merry, who has taken on the task of handling the fallout from the disease throughout the family while also helping Jack transition from high school underclassman to college-bound senior.
“My mom is the biggest trooper,” Thomasson said. “She’s a super woman, she’s the one that keeps us sane through all of this. You never see her down in the dumps or having a bad day or anything. None of this could be done without her.”
Throughout the massive change, St. Anne’s has remained a constant in Thomasson’s life, much as it has since he began attending STAB as a preschooler.
“I know nothing outside of STAB, I’m a little scared to leave the bubble next year,” Thomasson said. “But I’d take nothing back, I don’t regret anything about STAB, it’s been the world for me, it’s been great for me and my family.”
In his entire career though, there may be no sweeter memory for Thomasson than the one punctuated by a simple high five and a recognition of how many times he found the back of the cage. That moment he most certainly would never take back.