And then he heard that sound. Pigskin on human skin.
“When you hear that thump of the guy’s hand on the ball,” Wurzelbacher said, “it’s just an awful feeling.”
Michael Staderman blocked the kick, preserving a 37-36 victory for the Rockets and ending the Rams’ bid for a piece of the Greater Catholic League Central Division football championship.
It was Badin’s third one-point loss of the season. Extra points were the difference in each of those defeats.
“I feel like I’m going to make every one,” Wurzelbacher said. “It’s always just one little thing that goes wrong. Whether it’s my kick or something else, it doesn’t really matter. We’re a team, so it’s on all of us.”
The junior free safety has had a roller-coaster campaign as a kicker. He replaced Grant Fields during the Week 1 game at Woodward and has tallied 31 kicking points, hitting 22 of 29 extra points and 3 of 4 field goals.
Wurzelbacher missed a conversion kick in the second quarter against McNick, yet booted a 22-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation to make it 30-30.
“We were at the point where we were really solid in the middle of the season,” Wurzelbacher said of Badin’s kicking game. “I think we’re still solid. The last game, it just got a little rough again. I don’t really know why.”
Rams coach Bill Tenore said the extra-point issues have been exasperating.
“We work that one special team 20 minutes minimum every day,” Tenore said. “If you get a reputation that your kicks can be blocked, it’s a regular part of your opponent’s game plan. We have a good holder (Danny Wolf). We have a good snapper (David Guilford). We have a good kicker. We have our best linemen in there. I guess we just have to keep working at it.”
Wurzelbacher just started place-kicking this season. He’s done a lot of punting through the years and leads Butler County with a 38.3-yard average in 2010.
But Wurzelbacher isn’t Badin’s punter anymore. Senior Patrick Coyne, who began the season as the Rams’ starting punter and quarterback, has returned from a broken collarbone and is doing the punting.
Coyne — who’s also playing some tight end now that senior Jeff Smith has become the clear No. 1 quarterback — has only punted four times, but owns a 38.8 average.
“Pat was the punter before he got hurt,” Tenore said. “That’s why we gave him a shot to punt when he came back, and he’s doing a good job. It also gives Wurzelbacher an opportunity to come off the field and get a break.”
Wurzelbacher doesn’t have a problem with the switch.
“I don’t feel offended,” he said. “It’s whatever can help the team.”
Wurzelbacher said he takes kicking seriously and will continue to do so. And if a decisive kick is needed in Saturday’s playoff opener at Richwood North Union, Wurzelbacher said he’ll be ready.
“I’ll make it,” he said. “No doubt, I’ll make it.”
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