New Co. Athlete of Week is Freshman Kicker Who Won Job Just in Time for Playoff Heroics
Flatonia High School football player Uriel Manzano is a freshman who stepped in and grabbed hold of the starting kicker job for the Bulldogs football team.
Not only did he get the job, he impressed at a high level by booting a clutch field goal and two extra points to propel his team to an overtime playoff victory against Johnson City last Friday.
“He’s got a really good leg,” said Flatonia head football coach Chris Freytag. “He’s extremely intelligent. He understands the game of football. For a freshman to come in and nail a big field goal like he did shows a lot about his character and his ability to be a really good kicker. To throw him into that type of environment when it’s a crucial kick is asking a lot, especially of a freshman, and he responded. We had confidence in him that he’d hit the field goal and he did that. We’re really proud of him.” Manzano’s clutch nature has awarded him the nod for this edition’s Player of the Week.
Question: Can you describe the importance of the kicker on a football team?
Answer: “It’s really important whenever it comes to making them and just doing your job. At the end of the game, those one point or three point field goals matter a lot for the outcome.”
Question: Who’s a college or NFL kicker you look up to?
Answer: “I’ve looked up to many kickers. Justin Tucker. Mostly any NFL kicker.”
Question: How would you articulate your soccer ability?
Answer: “I’ve played soccer for a long time since whenever I was a little kid. I’ve really thought that it’s helped over time with the power of my leg and just the way I can kick the ball.”
Question: What’s the strongest part about your football team that you admire the most?
Answer: “I think the love that everybody has about each other. Just how we work as a team to get everything done.”
Question: If you had the money to buy one thing, what would it be?
Answer: “It would probably be something to help out my family or just something better for my family’s needs.”
Question: Who’s your favorite actor?
Answer: “I don’t really have a particular favorite actor. There’s a lot of actors that I like, but I don’t have a number one favorite. I like to watch a lot of different movies, like maybe the Tony Stark Avenger movies.”
Question: What was your mindset as soon as you found out you’d be taking over the role as starting kicker?
Answer: “I was excited. I knew it was going to be a lot of work to just do my best and do my job.”
Question: What’s the longest distance you can kick a field goal?
Answer: “I’m going to say probably around 35, maybe to be sure that I’d most likely make it.”
Question: Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been to?
Answer: “Tennessee to the Smoky Mountains.”
Question: What are your goals as a member on the football team?
Answer: “To just mainly do my job, do what I’m supposed to, and make my team happy.”
Manzano’s heroics are a prime example of how kickers play a huge part of the offense in football.
Fayette Co. Record’s Athlete of the Week
A Weekly Feature by BRIAN PIERSON
Recent FCR’s Athlete of the Week
Oct. 29: Dana Baker, La Grange football
Nov. 5: Kayme Schley, Fayetteville volleyball
Nov. 12: Kloe Kutac, Schulenburg volleyball
* As we begin a new year of county player of the week features, read about the new honorees in our Friday editions and then watch their interviews on our Facebook page a few days later.