High school football: ‘Big play Todd’ Rogalski is St. Thomas Academy’s rare three

St. Thomas Academy athletics director Reed Hornung was discussing the Cadets football team in front of the school one morning early in the school year when he noted that, via his play, Todd Rogalski had earned the nickname “Big Play Todd.”

“No one had ever called me that,” Rogalski noted this week.

Not to his face up to that point, anyway.

But it had been said — or, written.

Gerry Brown is the legendary Cadets football coach after whom the home stadium is named. He still consumes St. Thomas Academy game film and sends his observations to current head coach Travis Walch, who shares the notes with his staff.

Rogalski was a kick-blocking menace last fall, Walch noted. He blocked approximately nine kicks or punts. And as his impact plays continued to pile up, Brown started referring to Ro