High School Football

Mariposa kicker gets second chance, lifts Grizzlies to title over Denair

Mariposa players and coaches celebrate their 17-14 victory over Denair in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII championship game on Friday at Turlock High School in Turlock, Calif., Friday, Nov. 22, 2019.
Mariposa players and coaches celebrate their 17-14 victory over Denair in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII championship game on Friday at Turlock High School in Turlock, Calif., Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. aalfaro@modbee.com

Mariposa kicker Nathan Kunz wasn’t thinking about the botched field-goal attempt at the end of regulation, or about the potential game-winning kick he missed on Oct. 25.

He was only thinking about his next kick attempt — a 28-yarder that gave his team a 17-14 overtime victory over reigning champion Denair and earned the Grizzlies their first Sac-Joaquin Section banner since 1995, Friday night at Joe Debely Stadium.

“I knew I was going to get another chance. I knew I’d make a second chance,” said Kunz, who missed a kick with 40 seconds to play against Denair on Oct. 25 that helped the Coyotes secure a 14-13 victory in Southern League play. “I knew I was going to win the section for my teammates.”

For the entire story, go to Front Row Preps.

This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 12:39 AM.

Julian A. Lopez
The Modesto Bee
Julian A. Lopez has been covering local sports for The Modesto Bee since August 2018. He graduated from Arizona State in 2016 with a BA in Journalism.
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