Griffins Dominate Kicking Game and Win a Thriller on the Road!

Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Honorable Mention Athlete of the Week has been awarded to Nels Haltom (Grossmont Football), a 5-foot-10, 180-pound sophomore kicker from Bountiful High School in Bountiful, Utah, who split the uprights on field goals of 52, 23 and 32 yards to lift the Griffins to a 37-35 win on the road over Orange Coast.  The Griffins played a great football game on the road this past week winning in the final second of the game with a blocked field goal.  The Griffins trailed 16-13 at the half but exploded in the 3rd quarter with two touchdown passes from Brad Cagle to Luqman Barcoo.  Barcoo a freshman from Chula Vista had 9 catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon.  El Capitan grad Brad Cagle threw for 3 touchdowns and 363 yards and 230 lb Sophomore running-back Tyree Range made his Griffin debut Saturday rushing for 73 yards on 12 attempts.  However, in an extremely hard fought well played football game - the outcome was decided in the kicking game.  Nels Haltom began the Griffins scoring with a 52 yard blast in the first quarter, "I assumed our punt team was out on the field, as the ball was snapped I realized we were actually attempting a field goal, a few seconds later I saw a young man drill a 52 yarder that was dead center with plenty of distance, it was a great kick!" comments Associate Dean of Athletics, Thomas Armstrong.  Haltom was outstanding the entire game as he finished 3-3 on field goal attempts.  With just four minutes left in the contest and only up two points (37-35) the Griffins were put in the one of the toughest positions a football team can find themselves in, they needed to punt from their own end zone.  Sophomore punter Blake Lester from Helix High School took the snap with his feet in the end zone, faced a fierce rush and calmly kicked a 48 yard perfectly placed punt that went out of bounds on the visitor sidelines and ensuring no return, that was Grossmont's first and only punt in the game.  The Griffins defense held strong forcing OCC to use the entire 4 minutes that remained in the game and with 1 second left on the game clock - both teams lined up for a game deciding field goal.  The Griffins blocked the attempt and won both the kicking game and the overall contest 37-35 on the road.  The Griffins play next at Saddleback College - game time is 6:00 PM (Saturday October 28th)