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Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009

James Burns: Leather feet steal spotlight

Left over from Monday's National Football Foundation Playoff Luncheon at the Lodi Elks Club:

One by one, head coaches from six divisions, took turns sharing thanks and praise. They touted their top players -- "Hey, we'd like to think we got this kid who can run through buildings" -- and those of their opponents, too.

They talked about Folsom's quarterback, Rio Linda's wide receiver, Oakdale's running backs and Del Campo's defensive ends. Not one mentioned a kicker, which seemed a bit odd considering recent history.

You could make the argument that kickers -- often former soccer players -- shaped and defined the Sac-Joaquin Section's first round last week.

Yes, kickers.

There was Los Banos' dramatic victory over Modesto, a game decided by two kicks pulled wide left.

Modesto's Jesus Ontiveros was nails from short range in the pregame, drilling his kicks through the uprights in a light drizzle. When the rain went away and the heat was turned on, Ontiveros buckled, shanking two potential game-winners. The first was a field goal with seconds left in overtime, and the other an extra point.

With ice water in his veins, LB's Freddie Romero, an ex-soccer player, calmly booted his PAT through for the victory.

But look up and down the brackets and you'll find a handful of games decided by the Leather Feet, not the Leather Heads, proving that kickers aren't a throwaway position.

Patterson missed a point-after attempt in the fourth quarter that probably would have extended its season.

There was a field goal and onside kick recovery that helped spur Casa Roble to a 35-28 victory over Manteca. The game was billed by luncheon MC Len Frizzi as the greatest comeback in the section's playoff history, and you'd be a fool to disagree.

Casa Roble trailed 28-3 in the third quarter, and went on to score points faster than AC Slater in a "Saved By the Bell" football montage.

But according to Walker Vick, section Hall of Fame member and former Manteca High athletic director, it wouldn't have been possible without the kicker.

Finally, some props.

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This week's Burning Question has to do with the vacant Golden Valley coaching position, and I'll put this to you, the reader, in an online poll:

Would you support the creation of a teaching position to bring in an off-campus football coach?

Visit mercedsunstar.com to cast your vote or leave a comment.

Before you vote, two thoughts to mull over: the benefits of a successful football program (revenue, school pride, etc.); and the number of teachers who were pink-slipped because there simply wasn't enough money to sustain their salaries.

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No doubt, this debate found its way to a Thanksgiving dinner table in Dos Palos and Los Banos.

Kevin Schofield vs. the rest of Merced County's stars: Who should be the Sun-Star's Player of the Year?

Emphatically, according to online voters, the answer is Kevin Schofield, who received more than 1,000 votes in last week's online poll.

The poll won't impact the Sun-Star's decision, but it has forced The Burn List to take a closer look at Schofield.

And the more TBL reads and sees and hears, the more methinks Dos Palos' two-way dynamo is worth every vote.

James Burns is sports editor of the Sun-Star. He can be reached at jburns@mercedsun-star.com.