Kickers put best foot forward, often changing game’s momentum

JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — Needing momentum for a win sometimes rests on the foot of a player who has his own workouts and might even spend more time in a different locker room.

But their value can’t be underestimated.

That’s how Matt Green, the head football coach at Marble Falls High School, and Kurt Jones, the head coach of Burnet, feel about their kickers.

Marble Falls senior Gavino Tinajera has been called upon to connect on several field goals this season, including two against Burnet on Sept. 7. In all, he has connected on eight attempts of at least 20 yards with the longest being from 38 yards.

Burnet junior kicker Tyler Torres has made 23 extra points and all eight of his field goals with the longest being 40 yards.

Torres made four field goals in the 32-6 win against Llano from 38, 21, 33, and 29 yards as well as a 26-yard field goal in the 33-12 victory over Marble Falls.

Torres is simply following in a long line of excellent Bulldog kickers that includes Ross Evans, who helped Texas Christian University win the 2011 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin; Austin Huff, who played for Texas State University for a year; and current Southern Methodist University punter Alex Melvin.

“I think we’re blessed,” Jones said. “It’s hard to find kids who go out and kick and punt the ball.”

Burnet begins developing kids who want the job in the eighth grade, so graduation doesn’t cause a drop-off, he added.

But he admits it’s tough because these kickers and punters must be willing to take on the responsibility of flipping field position on kickoffs or punts and knocking down game-winning attempts through the uprights.

“People underestimate how valuable it is,” Jones said. “Tyler does both for us. That’s a big-time weapon. He can boot (a field goal) 40-plus yards.”

As for the Mustangs, it’s been the momentum changes that have helped, Green said.

With three seconds left in the first half and Marble Falls trailing Austin Crockett 21-14 on Sept. 9, Tinajera trotted onto the field and connected on a 29-yard field goal. Green later said those three points helped the players stay engaged in the contest, which the Mustangs won 44-21.

Tinajera was enticed to join the football team because of the other fùtbol team – soccer. Burnet also added the sport last year, and the team played a sub-varsity schedule. It will play a varsity schedule in 2017.

Green asked boys head soccer coach Rick Hoover to recommend a soccer player to him with a strong and accurate kick to suit up for the football team. When Hoover joined Green’s football staff, Hoover became the kicking coach.

“He and I work together very well,” Green said.

And what Green has seen is a work ethic from Tinajera to master the kicking duties for the squad.

“Nobody on our staff was a kicking guru,” he said. “A lot of it is good accurate ability and repetition.”

So Green didn’t have second thoughts in sending Tinajera onto the field to attempt field goals because the senior has been consistently hitting them in practices.

“He had the confidence to do it,” Green said.

But the added benefit of having one athlete play both sports is it builds friendships between the two teams.

“We want kids to be multi-sport athletes,” Green said. “It does open that door to players on both sides. I hope it’s a model for all our other athletes in other sports. It’s very doable, and we encourage it as a coaching staff.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com