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All-TSF: Kicker Primer

Kickers are worth their weight in gold in high school if you are fortunate to have a good one. They have become valuable weapons with their ability to dictate field position and getting points on stalled drives. We are seeing more and more kickers reaching double-digits in field goals made during the season. It is a position that has become an integral part of the Friday night game plan. Coaches know the importance of a lethal leg and its ability to add one and two more wins during the season. That could be the difference between sitting at home in November or advancing in the playoffs.

East Central K Nick Stidham  (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

East Central K Nick Stidham (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

VOTE NOW for your pick at kicker and all of the other positions.

Here is a look at the kicker nominees for the 2015 Postseason All-TSF Team:

NOMINEES: Nick Amaya (Monroe); Cole Carmosino (McNicholas); Matt Coghlin (Moeller); Connor Davis (Indian Lake); Jared Dougherty (Highlands); Xander Haley (Lebanon); Austin Jackson (Turpin); Cooper Johnson (Urbana); Charlie Kuhbander (Springboro); Chris Landgrebe (Madeira); Connor Maciag (St. Xavier); Jerred McGuire (Fairfield); Mason Molique (Ryle); Jack Nguyen (Lakota West); Sean O’Brien (Cincinnati Country Day); Julian Pletz (Edgewood); Ethan Schulte (Dixie Heights); Hamilton Scott (Holy Cross); Dylan Shomper (Tippecanoe); Noah Sofio (Reading); Nick Stidham (East Central); Alex Story (Carroll); Nate Strong (Wayne); Allen Waltz (Summit Country Day); Paul Young (Ross).

Wayne K Nate Strong  (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Wayne K Nate Strong (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

THE CAST: There are 26 kickers on our list of nominees – 12 seniors, 10 juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Junior Carmosino had the most field goals with 12 while senior Strong had the most kicking points with 92 followed by junior Kuhbander with 91.

COGHLIN EYES ELITE STATUS: Coghlin has been named First Team Postseason All-TSF in each of the last two years. No player has ever been a three-time First Team member. The Moeller senior has set the bar pretty high and it will take a special leg to top his feats. The Michigan State-bound Coghlin finished his career with the Crusaders connecting on 137/139 extra points, 32/55 field goals for 233 points in his career. He ended up hitting on 11 field goals of 40 yards or more with a long of 54.

DOUBLE-DUTY DOUGHERTY: What a three-year run Dougherty had at Highlands. The senior winds up with 249 points going 204/213 extra points and connecting on 15/26 field goals. Dougherty was also a starting linebacker for the Bluebirds.

MOLIQUE THE FRESHMAN FREAK: The only freshman to make the entire list of nominees for the 2015 Postseason All-TSF Team is Molique from Ryle. The youngster had ice water in his veins knocking down 49/50 extra points and 11/13 field goal attempts in varsity debut.

Lakota West K Jack Nguyen (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Lakota West K Jack Nguyen (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

MR. PERFECT: In two seasons as Lakota West’s kicker, Nguyen never missed an extra point hitting 76-76 of attempts and all nine of his field goals. The very last field goal of his varsity career was a 48-yard game winner against Sycamore as time expired in Week 9.

ALMOST MR. PERFECT: Senior Davis was perfect on all 33 of his extra points and on 11/12 field goals as Indian Lake made its first-ever playoff appearance. The senior had five games with two field goals.

MY-OH AMAYA: No one goes into next season any hotter than Amaya having gone 6-7 on field goal attempts in the Fighting Hornets final four outings of ‘15. His last three field goals were from 41, 42 and 48 yards.

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