FIRST AND SHORT

These boots are made for winning: memorable kicks in recent playoff history

JR Radcliffe
jr.radcliffe@jrn.com

Eric Fridl delivered a kick for the memory banks when his 51-yarder as time expired lifted Catholic Memorial to a wild win over Wisconsin Lutheran in Level 2 of the Division 3 playoffs Friday.

It called to mind some other recent playoff outcomes that involved the field-goal unit.

2013: Colin Downing, now the punter at Iowa State, didn't hit a game-winner, but he did hit all his team's points in Whitefish Bay's 6-3 win over Wilmot in Level 1 of the playoffs. Wilmot was in striking distance to tie the game in the final seconds but went for the touchdown on fourth and goal from the 3, and Bay stuffed the attempt.

2012: Mitch Meindel of Catholic Memorial not only kicked the game winning field goal as time expired in a prequel to what happened Friday with Eric Fridl, but he also caught two touchdowns in a 24-21 upset of Wisconsin Lutheran in Level 3. CMH went on to win the state title.

2010: The fair-catch kick, one of our favorite quirks in the sport of football, came into play when Greendale's Andrew Brees attempted a 66-yarder in the final seconds for Greendale against Milwaukee Pius, one that sailed just wide and left Pius with a 22-20 win. With wind at his back and 8 seconds on the clock, Greendale fair caught a punt and had the option to set up for an uncontested kick that would have counted for the winning points.

2010: High-school football fans perhaps thought of Sam Oliden and South Milwaukee when they heard of Fridl's big kick. Oliden kicked a school-record 52-yard field goal as time expired to help his team win a 26-23 battle against Milwaukee Pius in Level 2 at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Oliden, also the Rockets' quarterback, played a role in all 26 points.

2009: Levon Myers didn't kick the field goal, but he did block one. The Franklin lineman, now at Northern Illinois, blocked an extra point against Lake Geneva Badger with 3:29 to go, and the Sabers held on for a 27-26 victory and advanced to Level 4.