Carlisle kicker has made most of opportunity

Move from soccer to football a smooth one for Garrett, who has been solid.

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer Updated 9:28 AM Thursday, November 12, 2009

CARLISLE — His fall sports plans changed on picture day.

That’s when Kris Garrett went from soccer player to football place-kicker.

“He showed up on picture day,” Carlisle coach Bill Jewell said. “I guess they’d decided that there were not enough boys for the boys soccer team at that time. He came over and said he wanted to kick.”

Knowing that he’d lost last season’s kicker, Josh Couch, to graduation, Jewell wasn’t sure whether the team would even attempt extra points this season. Then Garrett and fellow soccer players Kyle and Jesse Rote came on board. Garrett won the place-kicking duties, and Kyle Rote earned the job for kickoffs. Kyle Rote booted the onside kick that Carlisle recovered to start the second half of last week’s 21-13 win over North College Hill.

Thanks to the addition of Garrett, Carlisle has been kicking extra points and field goals all season. Garrett has converted 3-of-4 field goals and 34-of-39 extra-point tries so far. In a win over Preble Shawnee, the Carlisle junior hit eight straight PATs.

He’s just one of the many reasons Carlisle is playing in the Division IV Region 16 semifinals at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, against Alter at Monroe High School.

Garrett’s second PAT last week put the Indians up for good over the favored Trojans.

“Yeah, I was pretty nervous about that kick at first,” Garrett said. “But I just convinced myself that it was just another extra-point try. It helped to calm me down. I knew that everything was going to be all right.”

Garrett boomed the extra point to give Carlisle a 14-13 lead. About seven minutes later, Carlisle scored again. Garrett’s PAT put the Indians ahead by eight points.

Garrett said it took a couple games to get the timing down between center Seth Everhart, holder Nick Reynolds and himself this season.

“But once Seth gets the ball to us, and Nick gets the ball down, it’s all up to me to put it through (the uprights),” Garrett said. “That’s a tough situation to be in, but that’s what being a place-kicker is all about.

“I just try my best when I’m out there. Each game, I just hope that my teammates give me the chance to score. I just try to give back whenever I can.”