Senior Nolan Foley handles punting and kicking chores for a second straight season for Center Grove.
Daily Journal file photo
The Center Grove player whose right foot is responsible for 166 career points fancies himself a punter first.
There is a strong possibility it’s there, and not as a placekicker, where senior Nolan Foley earns a spot on a college football roster next fall, be it at the Division I level or somewhere else.
Still, in a game carrying the importance of the one tonight, the fewer punts the better.
Foley would be perfectly content providing points for the Trojans in the Class 6A championship game against Fort Wayne Carroll inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Momentum is certainly on his side.
In last week’s 33-10 semistate defeat of Cathedral, Foley connected on field goal tries of 26 and 39 yards. His first was particularly critical after the Irish seized every ounce of momentum by racing to a 10-0 lead through one quarter.
“I feel like a lot of people overlook the position,” Foley said. “Like, against Cathedral, we just needed points on the board. And those points gave us momentum. It was super cold, and the footballs were as hard as a rock.”
Foley has converted 52 of 55 point-after tries and made five field goals this season. He’s made good on 11 field goals during his high school career, with a long of 41.
His punting average (34.9 yards through 13 games) this fall includes 13 boots that rolled to a stop inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Foley doesn’t go about it alone.
When back to punt, he awaits the snaps from freshman center Kobe Cherry; senior Cooper Rakow hikes the ball to junior Noah Coy, who holds for field goal and point-after kicks.
“The timing is definitely important, but this far into the season me, Cooper and Noah got it down,” Foley said. “Now, it’s about focusing on contact and confidence.”
Foley’s first points in a Trojans uniform came as a sophomore during late-game situations in blowouts of Decatur Central, North Central and Lawrence Central.
Days before a Week 7 game at Pike, he found out he was needed to fill in after the team’s starting kicker, senior Austin Watson, was quarantined due to COVID-19.
Foley made all seven point-after kicks in Center Grove’s 57-14 victory; he finished the season with 13 points, having missed only one of his PATs.
He became a full-time starter in 2021, adding his name to the list of outstanding Trojans kickers and punters during coach Eric Moore’s 24-year run as coach.
“Just to be a successor of all those guys, I mean, it’s super cool,” Foley said. “It makes people realize how important that position is.”
In recent weeks, Foley has benefited from Center Grove soccer player Landen Montfort joining the team to handle kickoffs.
“We’ve incorporated a long kicker, and that’s taken a little bit away from (Foley),” Moore said. “Everybody is like, ‘Man, that’s going to be a clash,’ but no. They’re friends. Nolan enjoys that. It takes that off his plate so that he can concentrate on extra points, field goals, and he’s an excellent punter.
“He’s probably one of the most improved kids we’ve got. All of his kicks were non-pressure last year. This year, every kick is pressure, it seems like.”
In last year’s 6A championship game, a 27-21 win over Westfield, Foley had his first point-after try blocked but made his next three.
He’s glad to be back as Center Grove attempts to be the first school to capture three straight titles in the 10-year history of Class 6A (Warren Central claimed four consecutive 5A crowns from 2003-06).
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Foley said. “Going to Lucas Oil Stadium four years in a row is unheard of, but of course, kicking indoors will be super nice.”
