Paratrooper
11-16-2005, 08:05 PM
BRIDGE CITY - A.J. Hecker has a college plan that resembles his solutions for high school and Hurricane Rita - just keep kicking, no matter what.
A Class 3A all-state kicker in 2004, the 5-8, 150-pound Bridge City senior has no intention of discontinuing his "toe work" after the 2005 Cardinals playoff run.
When February arrives and it's time for National Signing Date, Hecker hopes his scholarship opportunity comes. But if it doesn't, he plans to do the same thing in college that he did about six weeks ago at Belton High School.
"I know I'm going to college," Bridge City's place-kicking standout said. "I know that I'm going to kick. I just don't know where. I feel I can beat anybody out for the job."
The Hecker family evacuated to that central Texas community for a couple of weeks during mid-season. While other Golden Triangle high school football players used the time to allow their bumps and bruises to heal, Hecker kicked and kicked and kept on kicking.
"I always practiced five or six times a week," he said. "That kept me in shape. I kicked the whole time."
Hecker had the chance to get exposure to Central Texas 5A football at Belton. He never stayed there long enough to kick for Belton's varsity because UIL rules required evacuees to wait 15 days in order to gain their varsity eligibility.
After he played one week for Belton's junior varsity, Hecker had a job to finish for the Cardinals.
Bridge City coach Claude Tarver definitely would consider Hecker's performance well done. He's converted 43 of 44 extra-point kicks this season with one blocked. He's booted eight field goals in his senior year with his career-long traveling 47 yards against Hamshire-Fannett.
The Cardinals (8-1) face the Jasper Bulldogs (7-3) on Friday night at 7:30 in the Class 3A Division II area-round playoff game at Silsbee's Tiger Stadium. Such types of matchups often come down to the ability of a long-distance kicker to provide the game-winning points. Could Hecker's chance pop up Friday?... and if it does, what's his range?
"On a calm day during a game, I feel comfortable kicking from 55 (yards) in," Hecker said.
That's pretty close to the same number which Tarver threw out a few minutes earlier.
"He can hit anywhere from 50 in," BC's head coach said. "He's the best kicker I've ever had. He's very consistent. He has a strong leg and when he misses, he doesn't miss by much.
"What's really impressive is how his leg has gotten stronger, especially in the last few weeks. He kicks off so much into the end zone that it gets 'em (BC's opponents) started on the 20."
Hecker booted two first-quarter kickoffs into the end zone at The Reservation last Friday night in BC's 42-20 victory over Cleveland. Only one of 10 Cleveland offensive possessions started in Big Red territory during that bidistrict game. That was the game's final possession which resulted from a successful Cleveland onside kick.
Cleveland had to travel an average of 70.6 yards a drive in those 10 possessions. That's largely because of Hecker's leg.
As for the trip to The Reservation, it brought back memories for A.J., as well as for his father Alvin, a member of a PN-G state finalist team in the mid-70s. Hecker grew up wearing the purple and white at PN-G games. A.J. transferred to Bridge City after participating his freshman year in the Indians' football program.
"It was me and my parents' idea to move," the former Groves Middle School student recalled. "I always wanted to be an Indian. But I just felt it wasn't the best thing for me. We moved before my sophomore year. I knew I would get a chance over here. I didn't think I'd get a chance over there.
"I have no regrets at all. I'm real content where I am. At the end of last season, I started receiving a bunch of mail from colleges."
While Hecker's specialty has been place-kicking, the BC star has the ability to expand those horizons on and off the football field. He can punt and can play receiver for the Cardinals. At age 14, he was a top-ranked Black Belt in gymnastics.
Regardless of where he goes, A.J. has to keep on kicking.
A Class 3A all-state kicker in 2004, the 5-8, 150-pound Bridge City senior has no intention of discontinuing his "toe work" after the 2005 Cardinals playoff run.
When February arrives and it's time for National Signing Date, Hecker hopes his scholarship opportunity comes. But if it doesn't, he plans to do the same thing in college that he did about six weeks ago at Belton High School.
"I know I'm going to college," Bridge City's place-kicking standout said. "I know that I'm going to kick. I just don't know where. I feel I can beat anybody out for the job."
The Hecker family evacuated to that central Texas community for a couple of weeks during mid-season. While other Golden Triangle high school football players used the time to allow their bumps and bruises to heal, Hecker kicked and kicked and kept on kicking.
"I always practiced five or six times a week," he said. "That kept me in shape. I kicked the whole time."
Hecker had the chance to get exposure to Central Texas 5A football at Belton. He never stayed there long enough to kick for Belton's varsity because UIL rules required evacuees to wait 15 days in order to gain their varsity eligibility.
After he played one week for Belton's junior varsity, Hecker had a job to finish for the Cardinals.
Bridge City coach Claude Tarver definitely would consider Hecker's performance well done. He's converted 43 of 44 extra-point kicks this season with one blocked. He's booted eight field goals in his senior year with his career-long traveling 47 yards against Hamshire-Fannett.
The Cardinals (8-1) face the Jasper Bulldogs (7-3) on Friday night at 7:30 in the Class 3A Division II area-round playoff game at Silsbee's Tiger Stadium. Such types of matchups often come down to the ability of a long-distance kicker to provide the game-winning points. Could Hecker's chance pop up Friday?... and if it does, what's his range?
"On a calm day during a game, I feel comfortable kicking from 55 (yards) in," Hecker said.
That's pretty close to the same number which Tarver threw out a few minutes earlier.
"He can hit anywhere from 50 in," BC's head coach said. "He's the best kicker I've ever had. He's very consistent. He has a strong leg and when he misses, he doesn't miss by much.
"What's really impressive is how his leg has gotten stronger, especially in the last few weeks. He kicks off so much into the end zone that it gets 'em (BC's opponents) started on the 20."
Hecker booted two first-quarter kickoffs into the end zone at The Reservation last Friday night in BC's 42-20 victory over Cleveland. Only one of 10 Cleveland offensive possessions started in Big Red territory during that bidistrict game. That was the game's final possession which resulted from a successful Cleveland onside kick.
Cleveland had to travel an average of 70.6 yards a drive in those 10 possessions. That's largely because of Hecker's leg.
As for the trip to The Reservation, it brought back memories for A.J., as well as for his father Alvin, a member of a PN-G state finalist team in the mid-70s. Hecker grew up wearing the purple and white at PN-G games. A.J. transferred to Bridge City after participating his freshman year in the Indians' football program.
"It was me and my parents' idea to move," the former Groves Middle School student recalled. "I always wanted to be an Indian. But I just felt it wasn't the best thing for me. We moved before my sophomore year. I knew I would get a chance over here. I didn't think I'd get a chance over there.
"I have no regrets at all. I'm real content where I am. At the end of last season, I started receiving a bunch of mail from colleges."
While Hecker's specialty has been place-kicking, the BC star has the ability to expand those horizons on and off the football field. He can punt and can play receiver for the Cardinals. At age 14, he was a top-ranked Black Belt in gymnastics.
Regardless of where he goes, A.J. has to keep on kicking.