One of the specialties that has made North Central College senior Thomas Skokna an elite receiver in NCAA Division III came about unwittingly.
Skokna, a Hinsdale Central graduate who leads Division III in receiving touchdowns this season, gains a lot of yards after catches and traces that back to his childhood.
“I honestly think it’s because I come from a family of 10,” he said. “I liked to talk trash to my older brothers, and I got good at running away from them. I guess it made me better in the long run.”
The 5-foot-9 Skokna put that skill on display during NCC’s 35-27 win over Wisconsin-La Crosse in the third round of the playoffs at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville on Saturday. He had nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown for the defending national champion Cardinals (12-0), who are ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll and will play No. 3 Bethel (12-0) in the quarterfinals on their home field at noon Saturday.
Skokna caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Garret Wilson in the second quarter that gave NCC the lead for good against No. 16 La Crosse (8-3), and it was his yards-after-catch ability that finished the job. Skokna juked his way down the field and then tiptoed along the sideline for the last 10 yards.
“That catch was insane,” Wilson said.
When Wilson decided to transfer to NCC from Oklahoma State, he said Skokna was the first person to contact him. Once Wilson arrived in Naperville, he and Skokna went out to eat and started to build the chemistry that has helped turn Skokna into one of the most productive receivers in the country.
“He was the first one to reach out to me when I announced my commitment,” Wilson said. “He was the first guy to take me under his wing. He’s a true captain. It started in the summer. That’s how we built up on the field.”
Skokna, who didn’t play much for NCC until last season, has 73 catches for 1,143 yards and 23 touchdowns and is a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, the Division III version of the Heisman Trophy.
“It is very gratifying,” he said. “It’s been a crazy course, but I’m happy with how it played out. A bunch of guys along with me are the reason I’ve had the success I’ve had.
“Our program is good. You’re not going to come in and play right away. You have to earn your spot.”
Skokna was one of the last players NCC coach Brad Spencer pursued as the recruiting coordinator before he took over the program in 2022.
“It’s hard to get over how far he’s come,” Spencer said. “He didn’t dress as a freshman, JV as a sophomore and then he was our leading receiver last year. Now he’s leading categories nationally.”
Spencer recalled a moment from a recent practice.
“He looked at me and laughed and said, ‘Do you believe I didn’t even dress my freshman year?'” Spencer said. “He’s got a good sense of humor about it. He has a good understanding of where he came from.”
Skokna said he wasn’t ready to play as a freshman. The program invested in him, and he put in the work, becoming the CCIW offensive player of the year.
“It’s just remarkable,” Spencer said. “He’s a testament to our program and our staff, somebody that comes in and doesn’t play right away and works, and now he leads the nation.”
Skokna’s story is one of the reasons Wilson understood the type of program he was joining.
“In today’s college game, if you’re not playing right away, you’re leaving,” Wilson said. “He’s a guy that did the dirty work. He did all the right things to get to where he is.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter.
