Our national high school notebook this week includes a long kick worth only one point, two more noteworthy boots, an extended season and a rivalry game drawing crowds that would make colleges envious.
UNUSUAL XPT David Rosenbaum from Wilson High of Washington, D.C., converted a 51-yard kick on Oct. 3, longer than the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association, Maryland and Virginia state records. However, this effort might soon be forgotten because it was worth only one point.
Wilson was assessed three personal foul penalties for celebrating a punt return touchdown against Spingarn (Washington, D.C.), pushing the extra point attempt back 45 yards.
Given that Wilson was leading 40-0 in the second quarter and Rosenbaum is a soccer recruit with a big-time foot, Wilson coach Horace Fleming allowed the senior a shot at a 51-yard extra point attempt.
He hit it with room to spare, Fleming told The Washington Post. It was beautiful. Rosenbaum has already committed to the University of Virginia on a soccer scholarship. There is no official record for longest extra point, but Rosenbaums might be a good place to start a new category.
A REAL KICK The same week Rosenbaum converted his memorable extra point, two other state kicking records fell.
First, Gerry McGroarty of Bishop Hoban (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) hit a state-record 64-yarder on the final play of Hobans 52-0 victory over Bishop Hafey. McGroarty had been named homecoming king during halftime of the contest.
And in Kentucky, Aaron Pettrey of Raceland converted a state-record 58-yarder in his teams 48-20 win over Berea.
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER WEEK For the second straight year, the Virginia High School League has decided to extend its football season one week to accommodate a weeks worth of games that otherwise might be canceled.
The VHSL made the decision following the fallout from Hurricane Isabel, which devastated parts of the state, particularly in the south. The southeast part of the state went almost three weeks without high school football.
Last year, the sniper killings in northern Virginia, D.C. and suburban Maryland put high school sports on hold for nearly three weeks, as well, also prompting the VHSL to extend the football season.
HO, HUM 35,000 AT BIG GAME If there's any bigger annual regular season football rivalry than the one played in Louisville, Ky., we're not familiar with it. On Sept. 26, the St. Xavier vs. Trinity game was played at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on the University of Louisville campus..and a crowd announced at 35,800 showed up. That isn't surprising since the event has averaged over 30,000 fans since the game has been played at the current site. A state record turnout of 37,252 was on hand in 1998.
This year, the game matched an 0-4 record Trinity team against a 3-1 record St. Xavier squad. Records notwithstanding, this is THE game on the high school football schedule in Kentucky.
It's a community social event surrounding a football game between rival schools which have tradition-laden programs. Trinity, a 14-time state champion, had lost its first four games after winning 25 in a row and the last two state Class 4A titles.
Featuring high school All-America quarterback Brian Brohm, Trinity was taking on a St. Xavier team ranked No. 1 in the state 4A ranks. Trinity won the game, 17-6, to end the victory drought, but St. Xavier leads in the overall series between the schools, 30-26-2.