The Game Plan by Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



There’s an age old argument in the game of football. Are kickers really football players? Many people think they aren’t, because they don’t get involved in tackling.

Others realize that whether they’re football players in the mind of old-school purists, a place kicker is often an important ingredient to a winning team.

Take for example, the New England Patriots former kicker Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri is the only kicker in history with two game-winning field goals in the Super Bowl.

For our local high school teams, the kicking game could present quite a challenge this year, after the graduation of some outstanding kickers.

At Mortimer Jordan, head coach Greg Watts has to find a replacement for Tyler Kimbrough, who made several clutch kicks during his junior and senior seasons, including hitting the game-winner against arch rival Gardendale last fall.

Kimbrough hit 40-yard-plus field goals regularly and his kickoffs often went for touchbacks.

At Fultondale, head coach Keith Register must find a way to replace German-exchange student turned kicker Chris Carlsen.

Carlsen, went 4-of-5 on his field goal attempts, but his biggest contribution to the Wildcats playoff run last year was the help he provided the Fultondale defense.

More than 70 percent of Carlsen’s kickoffs went for touchbacks, forcing the opponent to start their next possession from the 20-yard line—80 yards away from the Wildcats goal line.

At Gardendale, new head coach Chris Fancher has to find a place kicker to replace Riley Krieder.

Krieder made all but one of this field goal attempts in 2007 and was almost automatic on point-after touchdown kicks.

He proved himself in the clutch when he made a 43-yard field goal in a driving rain last year, during a key Rocket victory.

One coach who can read this column without concern is Corner head coach Jeff Smith, who has his kicker returning from a year ago, part-time track star and part-time soccer player turned football player Katelyn Geddings.

Geddings proved to be a key component to the 2007 Yellow Jackets and I’ve been told she can consistently hit from 40 yards out.

Geddings finished tied for second in the area in total field goals made and should be even better this year.

They may not be respected, but kickers can be a valuable part of a winning team.