Warner ’ 72 at the 1972 Western Maine Tournament where he won a Vinall Trophy for “ Most Outstanding Performance ”
Rondeau ’ 97 at the 2015 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
“ Congrats Payton on scoring 1,000 points !” Rondeau said . “ I ' ve enjoyed watching you over the years , as you represented Thornton Academy with skill and class . You should be proud of all the hard work that lead up to this milestone . I hope you take time to reflect on the years , months , and hours that you put into the game ; that brought you to this moment . Along with the people that have supported , guided , and pushed you to become the player you are . Good luck in your future endeavors ; on and off the court .”
The only other Thornton Academy players to reach the 1,000 point mark are Bob Warner ’ 72 , who scored more than 1,200 career points , and Suzanne Picard Rondeau ’ 97 . Warner and Rondeau continued on to have successful college careers and are also members of the Thornton Academy Athletic Hall of Fame . Both are proud of Jones ’ achievement .
“ Congratulations Payton , on reaching the 1,000 point mark as a TA Trojan !” Warner said . “ You are in rarified air indeed , and should be so proud of such a great accomplishment , the hard work and dedication required to reach such a lofty goal . I ’ m sure that the qualities that have enabled you to succeed on the court will serve you well in life after basketball . Well done Payton .”
The last four years has seen a progression of success for the boys varsity team , culminating in a trip to the Class A State Championship game in the 2019-20 season . Though the game ended in a close defeat to Edward Little , the Trojans were favorites to return to the game , and perhaps win it , going into this season . COVID-19 impacted these plans however , as the season was shortened to 10 games and no playoffs were allowed . Jones has played on varsity since his freshman year and says his 1,000 point mark wouldn ’ t have been possible without help .
“ I think that by having four great teams in a row , my personal success is just a byproduct of that ," Jones said . “ They ’ ve not only helped me become a better player , they made me a better leader also .”
Way to go Coach Eric Marston ’ 91 !
Coach Marston posted his 100th career victory this past season , becoming the winningest coach in the history of the girls ’ basketball program at TA .
Coach Davies presents Jones with the game ball from his 1,000 point game at Senior Night .
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