Franklin senior J.D. Sever has made four field goals this season, including three last week in a 22-21 victory over Whiteland.
Daily Journal file photo
J.D. Sever entered the boys state track meet in June seeded 25th in his preferred event, and wound up taking home a ninth-place medal.
It’s called exceeding expectations, though in the case of Sever, one of the top students in Franklin’s senior class with a 4.4 grade-point average, the bar had already been set impressively high. By Sever.
The residual effects of that day on the Indiana University track are evident this season, as Sever has established himself as one of the county’s top placekickers in the Grizzly Cubs’ 3-1 start while doubling as a center midfielder for Franklin’s boys soccer squad.
He credits his success on the track for helping light the fuse to what’s transpiring now.
“It was just a great moment for me,” said Sever, alluding to his time of 39.35 seconds — a shade over a second faster than the 40.36 he ran at the Greenfield-Central Regional eight days earlier — in the 300-meter hurdles.
“My sophomore year I didn’t make it out of regional, so getting ninth, it really sparked my confidence, and just showed the hard work I’ve put in can bring success.”
Like a lot of children being introduced to organized athletics, Sever grew up playing soccer. In time, however, he sought to give football a try, too, a pursuit that put his time management skills to an even sterner test.
Most of Sever’s after-school practice time is spent with soccer, though he gets over to the football stadium as often as he can to participate in special teams work.
“It definitely gets busy throughout the week,” Sever said. “My first year of doing football was my sophomore season, and I definitely had to work a lot on kicking a football to get the form down.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing football when I was younger, just messing around. I’m friends with some of the kids on the football team, so I thought it would be fun to be teammates with them.”
Going into tonight’s Mid-State Conference game at Martinsville, Sever is 4 of 5 on field goal attempts and 14 of 15 on point-after kicks. He accounted for 10 of Franklin’s points a week ago with three first-half field goals and the game-winning PAT boot in a thrilling 22-21 downing of Whiteland.
Sever, whose longest field goal in practice is 55 yards, has also delivered 21 kickoffs through four games, averaging a distance of 53.2 yards with five touchbacks.
The Grizzly Cubs’ soccer team is also flourishing, as evidenced by a 7-2 mark heading into its Thursday night match at Martinsville. Sever produced a goal in an 8-1 win over Shelbyville, as well as finding the back of the net in a 5-1 conquest of Decatur Central.
Franklin football is tied with Plainfield for the top spot in the Mid-State standings with a 2-0 ledger. Grizzly Cubs soccer took a 4-0 league mark, and sole possession of first, into its showdown with the second-place Artesians.
Detect a common denominator?
“J.D. is an exceptional kid, and an exceptional athlete,” Grizzly Cubs football coach Chris Coll said. “Soccer is his first priority, but he gets over to our practice two to three times a week depending on his game schedule.
“He was kicking for us last year, and you could see the potential. He has a really strong leg. The football really comes off his foot.”
Sever has yet to commit to a school — or a sport, for that matter — in college. Soccer, football and track all remain in play, but those are decisions for down the road. He would like to eventually major in engineering, a pursuit that will likely influence Sever’s eventual choice of school.
In the meantime, he’ll just keep on kicking — at least until it’s time to focus on clearing more hurdles.
TONIGHT’S GAMES
Harvest Prep (Ohio) at Center Grove, 7 p.m.
Franklin at Martinsville, 7 p.m.
Greenwood at Plainfield, 7 p.m.
Whiteland at Perry Meridian, 7 p.m.
Triton Central at Indian Creek, 7 p.m.
Milan vs. Greenwood Christian, 7 p.m.*
Roncalli at Guerin Catholic, 7 p.m.
Edinburgh at North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.
* – at Center Grove Middle School North
