Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Running back gets his kicks for Nashville

Volunteered for job and captured it

Two days before Nashville was to play Benton in its season opener, the Hornets were still searching for someone to kick field goals and extra points.

"We didn't have a kicker or a punter," Nashville coach Matt Gajewski recalled. "We were like 'Well, we'll just have to go for two if we don't have a kicker.'"

Gajewski asked for volunteers, and junior running back Tyler Meyer raised his hand -- even though he had never kicked a football through the uprights.

"We tested him out on the practice field and I said 'OK, he can kick then,'" Gajewski said.

Meyer's right foot has been as valuable as his legs in the Hornets' stirring march to the Class 3A quarterfinals. Meyer is 30-for-36 (83 percent) on extra point attempts this year and was 4-for-5 in Nashville's thrilling 48-41 double-overtime victory over Auburn in a second-round game Saturday.

Meyer was perfect with the game hanging in the balance, going 3-for-3 in the fourth quarter and overtime periods. That was in addition to rushing for a game-high 188 yards and one touchdown (a 54-yarder with 2:12 left in regulation) on 16 carries.

"He's just an incredible athlete to be able to kick like that and do everything else that he does as well," Gajewski said. "He's kicking over 80 percent on PATs, and most of the ones that he missed have been either bad holds or bad snaps."

Gajewski, who kicked for the Hornets during his playing days, and former Nashville kicker Jordan Fark gave Meyer some pointers on the craft. Fark handles the kicking chores for McKendree University.

Extra points are never automatic, particularly on the prep level, and Meyer knew what was at stake if he missed one in the fourth quarter and overtimes.

"Yeah, there was a lot of pressure there," Meyer said. "I just made sure I kept my head down, made solid contact and I knew it would go in. We do it all the time in practice. If we get a good snap and a good hold, it should go in."

Meyer had a starring role in what many in Washington County are calling the most electrifying win in Nashville High's history.

There were seven lead changes, six TDs and 50 points scored in the fourth quarter and overtimes. Nashville won it on Gannon Mamell's 10-yard run to open the second OT, and it's defense held firm on Auburn's turn from the 10-yard line.

"I think it was the best game ever played on our field," Gajewski said. "I played quite a few here myself and saw quite a few, but as far as being deep in the playoffs, double-overtime, back-and-forth action with two teams going at it, you couldn't really ask for more. It was just a great atmosphere, great game and fortunately for us, a great outcome."

The 15th-seeded Hornets (7-4) will play host to No. 3-seeded Tolono Unity (11-0) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals at Nashville High School. Nashville and 15th-seeded Wheaton North (7-4) are the lowest-seeded teams still alive in the playoffs.

Wheaton North takes on No. 11 Lake Zurich (8-3) in the Class 7A playoffs.