Nov 8, 2017 3 min read

Name: Seth Phillis

School: Burgettstown

Sport: Football

Class: Sophomore

Phillis’ week: The Blue Devils’ placekicker made a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give Burgettstown a thrilling 31-28 victory over Neshannock in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA football playoffs Friday night.

The victory snapped a 40-year victory drought in the playoffs for the Blue Devils. Their last postseason win came in 1977 against Beth-Center, 7-6. In that game, the Bulldogs failed on the extra-point attempt and two field-goal attempts, one from 36 yards and another from 31. The latter came with less than two minutes remaining.

“I was a little nervous,” said Phillis, who plays wide receiver and cornerback. “It was just like practice. We practice special teams a lot in practice.”

Phillis is 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts, making one from 19 yards in a 45-0 Homecoming victory over Brownsville. He has made 37 of 39 extra-point attempts and has made all his attempts in the past four games.

“It’s important to follow through and don’t pick your head up,” said Phillis, who handles all the kicking responsibilities. “Most of my kickoffs make it to the end zone. I’m still working on my punts. I’m better on my kicks than I am on my punts.”

Phillis credits his kicking success on soccer, which he has played since his youth. He plays on the BAYSA – Burgettstown Area Youth Soccer Association’s spring travel team as a defender.

When the stars align: Making a field goal, especially in high school, is no easy task. Everything must go right, from the alignment of the offensive line to the snap and hold before the kick.

Phillis’ attempt got off to a worrisome start, when Burgettstown head coach Mark Druga noticed one of his guards was missing, somehow forgetting he was supposed to be in on the play.

Burgettstown was forced to call timeout with only 4.5 seconds remaining, freezing its own kicker.

“We were shooting for the 20-yard line (before trying the kick),” Druga said. “We felt that was just in his range. When I sent him out there, I had all the confidence in the world in him. The one crazy part was we were all lined up and we were waiting on our guard, who had a lapse of awareness. He trotted out, and he is not the fastest kid, so that caused some tension.

“It was a one-shot deal.”

But Cole Strain’s snap was good and Ryan Lounder made a perfect hold for Phillis’ kick, which came from the right hash mark.

“They all did a good job,” said Phillis. “Everything was perfect.”

The kick sends Burgettstown to the Class AA quarterfinals Friday against top-seeded Steel Valley at Dormont Stadium.

Compiled by Joe Tuscano