Easton High senior Thatcher Knox knows numbers, and what he wants to do for a career.
Knox plans to be a financial advisor. Although realizes there is bigger money to be made in New York, he prefers to work with people close to his hometown of Trappe.
“I would work on Wall Street, but I would rather open up a financial advisory firm on the Shore,” Knox says. “I like working with numbers. Math is my favorite subject. I think I am a good fit there.”
For now, Knox’s biggest challenge will be choosing a sport and a college. Knox carries a 4.1 grade-point average and has earned Bayside All-Conference honors in both football and lacrosse.
On top of that, his Easton coaches say he could play either sport in college. Furman University has recruited him for lacrosse, while McDaniel College and Salisbury University want him for football.
“I am looking at what colleges I fit best,” Knox explains. “If I like a college enough, I can put a lot of consideration into them no matter what sport I play. If I have a school I really like that contacts me about football, I’d consider them more. If it’s a lacrosse school, I can look at them more. You can work back and forth.”
Knox will have taken a combined six advanced placement courses in his final two years at Easton, including calculus and statistics.
He has also served as president of his class and is an officer for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Knox puts just as much time into sports as he does his studies and off-the-field activities.
His best sport is lacrosse. The 6-foot, 185-pound Knox, a defender, was a Bayside All-Conference pick as both a sophomore and junior. He led the Warriors in ground balls (107) and caused turnovers (27) last spring.
“I think he can play Division I lacrosse,” Easton Boys Lacrosse Coach Dennis Keenan says. “He has all the skills to do it.”
Knox often guards the other team’s best player. He makes it difficult for them to score with his quickness and physicality.
“He is very strong and gets a good read on what the other player is going to do,” Keenan says. “He is very tenacious and forces opponents into bad situations. He stays under control and he doesn’t get taken out of plays.” Keenan says Knox’s overall contributions to the program are what impresses him the most. Knox, who co-captained the football and lacrosse teams as a sophomore and junior, will finish his Easton career as a four-year starter in 2020.
He thrived with the Warriors from day one, and was named defensive MVP as a freshman. “He has been a fantastic player for us,” Keenan explains. “Not too many kids can hold up physically and mentally.”
On the football field, Easton’s football coaches love Knox’s versatility. He has played defensive end, linebacker, cornerback, and safety, as well as wide receiver, running back, and tight end on offense. “He is a utility player on both sides of the ball,” Easton Offensive Coordinator Matt Griffith says. “You could just move him around. He is very athletic and very strong.”
Knox made a lot of plays on defense and offense. He ranked second on the team in tackles (67) as a sophomore playing defensive end, and moved to linebacker as a junior, totaling three sacks and 52 tackles, including 11 for a loss. He scored eight touchdowns as a sophomore, rushing for 393 yards on 75 carries and catching 26 passes for 336 yards. “He has filled in at the positions where we needed the most help,” Griffith says. “We could rely on him to produce. He just found ways to make plays for us. He is not flashy, but consistent. He would just get the job done.”
