Das Boot

Imagine a typical high school kicker.

A soccer player in football gear that just wanted to keep busy in the fall and usually is the butt of most people's jokes.

That's not Wilson's Ben Hopewell.

"He's a football player," smirks Green Hornet skipper Derek McDaniel.

Along with playing at safety, Hopewell handles the kicking duties for the up and coming Hornets, but the "K" next to his name is his badge of honor. Since he first walked onto the gridiron he's wanted to boot the ball through a deceivingly narrow goalpost while everyone else spent their time trying to smash through the end zone.

"In little league they had kicking tryouts and I just kicked it the furthest so I decided to work on it," Hopewell states plainly. "I'm good at it, and plus you can get full rides into college and a better education."

Far from the glory of a running back that steals headlines every game, Hopewell's moments of greatness come with a few seconds on the clock, heart beating in his chest, anticipating the opposing team trying to "ice" him and a booming crowd echoing in the background.

"Just keep your head on straight and do the same thing over and over again, and stay focused," Hopewell says. "Don't let them ice you and let it get to your head and just know you can make it."

Hopewell has faced those high-pressure moments where the game is on the line. Once, he was ridiculed for shanking a 55-yard field goal wide left and allowing Stuarts Draft to win 6-5 on Sept. 1.

"I just moved on and didn't think about it," Hopewell shrugged. "It was a big game but there will be more big games."

Hopewell got his chance to redeem himself a few weeks later on Sept. 21, the pressure wasn't as great but Hopewell was standing set up 52 yards from the uprights.

"Well we had bobbled a snap earlier but I had confidence in [placeholder] Torrance [Hailstock]," Hopewell says.

The Nelson coach tried to ice the kicker twice, but Hopewell shook it off and ripped the ball through the uprights - a career best.

"I just remained focused and did the same thing over and over again," he says.

Most NCAA kickers don't hit from 52 yards out, even some of the pros have trouble with it. Hopewell still thinks he needs a little work though.

"They are professionals they know what they are doing," he says.

The best way to describe the junior is as a weapon, the red button McDaniel can press whenever the time calls for it.

"All the coaches talked about it," McDaniel says, motioning to his assistants for consensus. "It kind of changes the way you think as an offense. Jerry [Cash] is always near me saying 'We are in field goal range,' and I'm serious because when you don't have a kicker like that you're thinking four down territory but with Ben, when you get inside the 40 we got a chance."

He's not just a field goal kicker either, his biggest impact this season is felt during Hornet kickoffs and might offer some explanation why Wilson has only allowed 47 points all season.

"What goes unnoticed is his kickoffs," McDaniel states like he's giving up a secret. "The opposing team starts off on their 20. He's averaging 59.7 yards on his kickoffs so basically they are getting the ball on 1/3-yard line. I think he has kicked 90 percent in the end zone and not only is he kicking it deep he's kicking it high. So you got time to get down there."

Kicking isn't like the other positions on the football field; it is more about consistency than memory. Hopewell talks repeatedly about how he just does the same thing over and over.

"It's mostly doing the same thing over and over again," Hopewell explains. "I work over the summer, I'm kicking every day in my back yard. Sometimes I don't go three-step I go no-step just working on hitting the ball."