ILS1
10-10-2008, 05:03 AM
JOHNSTOWN, Colo. — When Hillary Cito began kicking for the Roosevelt High School football team, she would tuck her hair into her helmet so opponents wouldn’t know they were playing against a girl.
Her booming leg, trained on the soccer field, caught the eye of Roosevelt football coach Ed Eastin during last year’s powder puff game.
“I looked at one of the guys and said: ‘What is that? Who kicks the ball like that?’” Eastin said. “It went way far.”
Eastin tracked her down, and Hillary jumped at the chance to join the football team.
“I knew they’d protect me,” Hillary said. “They treat me like family, like I’m their little sister.”
Their “little sister” has turned into a prolific kicker, with just one missed field goal and one missed extra point after a touchdown this season.
“In practice, she’s kicked up to a 42-yarder,” Eastin said. “She’s got the leg, and when she hits it right, it’s good to go.”
It wasn’t her goal, but Hillary also ended up a finalist for homecoming queen at Roosevelt’s homecoming game Friday night.
She already had kicked two points after touchdowns by halftime when she doffed her helmet to be escorted to midfield for the ceremony.
The tiara went wide left, to a classmate standing next to Hillary. She wasted little time congratulating the winner before jogging back to the locker room to join her team. Her brown hair fell down below her helmet, partly covering the number 7 on her jersey.
“I want to keep it down,” she said. “Let them know.”
In the second half, Hillary kicked field goals of 36 and 38 yards to help her Roosevelt Roughriders defeat the Windsor Wizards 20-7.
Story Link (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27102298/)
Her booming leg, trained on the soccer field, caught the eye of Roosevelt football coach Ed Eastin during last year’s powder puff game.
“I looked at one of the guys and said: ‘What is that? Who kicks the ball like that?’” Eastin said. “It went way far.”
Eastin tracked her down, and Hillary jumped at the chance to join the football team.
“I knew they’d protect me,” Hillary said. “They treat me like family, like I’m their little sister.”
Their “little sister” has turned into a prolific kicker, with just one missed field goal and one missed extra point after a touchdown this season.
“In practice, she’s kicked up to a 42-yarder,” Eastin said. “She’s got the leg, and when she hits it right, it’s good to go.”
It wasn’t her goal, but Hillary also ended up a finalist for homecoming queen at Roosevelt’s homecoming game Friday night.
She already had kicked two points after touchdowns by halftime when she doffed her helmet to be escorted to midfield for the ceremony.
The tiara went wide left, to a classmate standing next to Hillary. She wasted little time congratulating the winner before jogging back to the locker room to join her team. Her brown hair fell down below her helmet, partly covering the number 7 on her jersey.
“I want to keep it down,” she said. “Let them know.”
In the second half, Hillary kicked field goals of 36 and 38 yards to help her Roosevelt Roughriders defeat the Windsor Wizards 20-7.
Story Link (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27102298/)