Port Clinton's Thorbahn grabs perfect pass to continue career at University of Findlay

Adam Thorbahn did everything he could to help Port Clinton football reach the postseason and then try to win a game.

He was trying to extend his career. No worries, Thorbahn heads to the University of Findlay as a tight end.

Thorbahn established a program record with 13 receptions, for 101 yards and one touchdown against Oak Harbor in Week 10 and added 141 yards and two scores on six catches against the top seed in the region.

Port Clinton lost both games. He finished with 890 yards and 10 touchdowns on 57 catches as a senior.

"When it comes down to it, I'm proud of how we fought and I fought personally," he said. "We never gave up. The last two games we went through so many injuries. We could have folded and not played hard. Oak Harbor, some people didn't think we'd come that close.

"We battled while going through adversity. Senior year didn't go as we hoped but there's a lot to be proud of and not that Average Joe sees."

Thorbahn certainly showed flashes, but emerged as a pass catcher as a senior.

"I've always been a good blocking tight end," he said. "I was a good blocker before I was a receiver. The receiver part was the proud part that evolved as a senior. That was my goal after making a state run, I wanted to get back.

"Against Edison, even though we lost, that was the first game I broke 100 yards receiving. On our last drive, I ran a hitch and go and Cam [Gillum] lobbed it up. It was a 30-yard reception, it got us going. We drove to the 5, but couldn't cap it off.

"That was the sad part."

Thorbahn started playing tight end in eighth grade. He started one game on defense as a freshman, before adding tight end his final three years.

"Losing Josh [Hurst], Tyler [Webb], Garrett [Cornell], I knew I'd have to step up in a big way to become a receiving threat," he said.

Port Clinton won 13 games, including the first regional crown in program history and the third Sandusky Bay Conference crown.

"Making that state run with my teammates, we've always been together and seeing that hard work pay off making it that far was icing on the cake," Thorbahn said.

Findlay reminds Thorbahn a bit of what he's used to.

"Just the atmosphere in Findlay," he said. "How the coaches have treated me. It's felt like home. Those things make me excited. I'm going to be spending four years of my life there. It's going to become my home.

"It's got to be the right place for me. It has a home feeling, smaller town, but not that small a town. My goal is to make an impact at Findlay. It's another step and everyone will be fighting for a spot. Being the best I can be while fighting for a spot.""

Thorbahn, a 1,000-point scorer, will miss basketball. Football recruiters came for him sooner, including Notre Dame College, where older sister Hope played basketball.

"I've always been around basketball," he said. "Basketball has always been a part of my life. Even though it's over competitively, I'm always going to have a basketball in my hand when I don't have a football in my hand."

Thorbahn experienced the gamut of emotions the last several months.

"It was stressful," he said. "Exciting. It's tough to make that decision, these coaches want you bad and they recruit you hard. It's hard to pick one. All those feelings in one. I was always talking about where I'll go to college and call home for four years.

"It was always on my mind. I'm happy with my decision and excited and relieved. So many things in one."

Thorbahn grew up through the recruiting process.

"You have to mature making a decision like this," he said. "This is the biggest decision of our lives. From football to the the money aspect, I'm a student first and then an athlete. You have to know it's a fit for you every day.

"What's the school like and does it feel like you belong? How do you like the team and the coaches and how do you interact with the team and coaches. It all checked off and then some."

mhorn@gannett.com

419-307-4892

Twitter: @MatthewHornNH

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Adam Thorbahn carves out historic niche in two sports for Port Clinton