Javey Stinson shares a special bond with his brother Terrion Thomas on the football field.
Thomas, an all-around weapon for Grace Christian football, lined up at quarterback late in the Rams' home game against Sevier County. When the ball snapped, Thomas ran forward, and Stinson gave him an unscripted boost with a push that rocketed the senior into the end zone.
The touchdown helped extend Grace's lead into what became a 50-48 win over Sevier County on Oct. 8.
"I led my big brother Terrion to get two more touchdowns when we were down, and I pushed him into the end zone," Stinson told Knox News. "We've got that connection. He told me what I needed to do, so I did it."
for Week 8
The Rams defeated Sevier County (5-2) for the second season in a row. The backfield duo of Thomas and Stinson have powered Grace (7-0) to an undefeated record, and they accounted for seven total touchdowns in the win. Thomas had nine carries for 52 yards and four touchdowns while catching eight passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.
"A lot of it is his mindset," Grace coach Justin Price said about Thomas. "He loves Grace. He's invested so much into our program over the last four years. At the end of the game, we needed two yards to get (a first down) and you knew he was going to get them, no doubt."
Stinson finished with 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. He erupted in the second half for 104 yards as Grace mounted a comeback to amend a 35-23 deficit.
The sophomore running back knew an explosive second half performance was waiting for him.
"I told my linemen at halftime, 'It's going to be a bloodbath,' " Stinson said.
When Grace upset Sevier Countyin the 2025 TSSAA season, Thomas watched from the sidelines with a broken foot on a scooter as Stinson and his teammates celebrated on the field.
In 2026, he's been the driving force behind many Rams victories, including against one the top teams in Class 5A.
"I think it's huge for our program," Price said about the consecutive wins against Sevier County. "Grace over the last three years since we've been here, we continue to improve. I feel like we're trying to make this program as good as it can be, wherever that is. You can validate it when you beat a team like Sevier County. It just shows the respect we have for Sevier County when you beat a team like that, and it means a lot to us."
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Terrion Thomas, Javey Stinson's unique connection has Grace football undefeated
