A center fielder and standout hitter for the Belton baseball team, he grew up playing football as a quarterback and wide receiver and got varsity time at both positions as a sophomore last year.

With that versatility, the 6-4 Thornton has evolved into the consummate teammate willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. So when Tigers coach Rodney Southern approached Thornton, a team captain, about switching from starting quarterback to wide receiver during the second week of the season, he agreed without hesitation.

“He asked which one I could help the team better at and I told him receiver,” said Thornton, who leads all area players with 29 catches. “I was still wanting to play quarterback, but as the season has gone on, I enjoy receiver. I figured it would open our offense more. He just told me, ‘We’ll need a lot of plays out of you at receiver.’”

And that’s precisely what the 0-4 Tigers, who host District 12-5A opponent Killeen Shoemaker (1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Field for homecoming, have gotten from their newfound weapon.

During the last six quarters (the second half at Mansfield Timberview and last week’s loss at Harker Heights), Thornton has reeled in 23 passes from sophomore quarterback David Ash for 291 yards.

Thornton had a school-record 14 catches against Heights, breaking Chad Tidwell’s mark of 12 set in 1990.

While making most of his catches in the middle of the field on crossing patterns, Thornton also has shown his speed, going deep for a 37-yard score to give Belton a 13-0 lead in the first quarter against the Knights.

“I think our offense has just clicked,” said Ash, who has completed 66 of 112 passes for 805 yards. “Our offensive line is blocking really well and Kevin’s running great routes and getting open. He’s had some pretty amazing catches. He’s just got a gift for getting open.”

Added Southern: “We’re also working him some at safety on defense, which has helped him on offense. He knows when and where to get open and he’s catching the ball when it’s thrown to him. Second, he understands the game better. You combine those things and he just loves to do everything he can to win.”

Thornton has been a pleasant surprise on offense for the winless Tigers, who have struggled to establish a running game (49 yards per game) to complement the budding passing attack.

After completing 12 of 30 passes for 192 yards last year, Thornton likely was the top choice to be the starting quarterback this season.

But on the second series in Belton’s season-opening 43-8 loss to Ennis, Thornton - who caught 15 passes for 193 yards last year - found himself lined up on the outside and caught the Tigers’ first two passes of the year, both from Ash.

The move seemed simple, but Thornton admitted it took a bit for him to adjust to the physical part of the position.

“You block more and hit more,” he said. “It hasn’t been too hard because I played quarterback and every receiver position, so it’s been a pretty easy transition.”

In Belton’s second game against Round Rock McNeil, Thornton played exclusively at receiver but caught just three passes for 11 yards, and he was shut out in the first half against Timberview. He has exploded since, accounting for 291 of the Tigers’ 572 yards in the last six quarters.

“David and I, we’ve gotten on the same page the last couple weeks,” Thornton said. “He knows when I’m going to run a certain route or check hot. He seems to find me pretty well.”

With 29 catches, Thornton is on pace to break Darren Brinkley’s single-season record of 63 catches, set in 1993. And to help Belton get on the winning track, Thornton said he’ll be more than happy to shoulder an even bigger role on offense.

He added: “No matter what it is I want to give 100 percent, whether it be quarterback, receiver or running back. I just want to help our team win.”

cmeister@temple-telegram.com