At this time last year, Luke Eckert and P.J. Buck were wrapping up their first season of football at Center Grove High School.
They were the kicker and punter, respectively, for the Trojans freshman team.
How both sophomores have progressed in their first season of varsity competition has played a big part in the fact that coach Eric Moore’s program is one victory away from a second consecutive Class 6A state championship.
Eckert, a former soccer player, has split the uprights on 52 of his 61 point-after attempts and made six field goals. Fourth downs have been in the capable hands of Buck, who has punted 44 times for an average of 37.3 yards.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryBuck also has demonstrated an ability to be an opposing offense’s worst enemy by having 19 of his punts downed inside the other team’s own 20-yard line.
“I’m not surprised because I know the kids and what great athletes they are,” Moore said. “And I know their commitment for excellence in football. I know their character.
“But they are just 15, and when you play the game against the talent we play against … we were hoping for greatness, which we got. We were expecting anything to happen, and they’ve both really had great years.
“No matter what happens the next game, I’m pumped.”
Last season’s 6A state championship squad featured seniors doing the kicking (Nathanael Snyder) and punting (Drew Conrad).
Big shoes to fill, for sure.
Yet in each case, Eckert and Buck worked during the summer with their respective predecessors to make the canyon-width leap from ninth grade to varsity not so daunting.
Eckert began getting comfortable with his new role in the Trojans’ 19-6 victory against Carmel in Week 3. It’s the only time this season he has delivered two field goals in the same game.
“After the Carmel game I was pretty confident because I did really well that game,” Eckert said. “I played soccer last year, so I would stay here for the first 30 minutes and watch (Snyder) do extra points and field goals.
“I think he helped me the most just telling me to relax when I’m out there and to just have fun. Enjoy the moment.”
Eckert has kicked off for the Trojans a total of 80 times with 23 being touchbacks.
In Center Grove’s Week 7 romp at Pike, he kicked off what was then a season-high nine times. Then came the 62-6 sectional triumph against Jeffersonville and 10 kickoffs in a single evening.
Eckert has recorded at least one touchback in every game except two (Whiteland and the semistate at Ben Davis) this season.
After the 2015 season, Conrad worked with Buck on his punting two to three times a week on the varsity football field. Together they worked on technique, flexibility and various punting drills.
Buck said he was nervous prior to the season opener against Warren Central. However, all jitters ceased to exist after delivering the first varsity punt of his career.
“I’m surprised the season has gone as well for me as it has so far,” Buck said. “Coming into sophomore year as a punter, I didn’t believe I was going to start just because I am so young.
“Coach Moore and (special teams) coach (Ryan) Spoonmore helped build that confidence. I think it’s gone pretty well so far.”
In his team’s regional victory against top-ranked Warren Central, Buck had to sidestep a wave of Warriors defenders in order to get the punt away.
A similar situation occurred at the semistate game at Ben Davis, and Buck managed a 61-yard kick that helped swing both field position and momentum in Center Grove’s favor.
“(Buck) has probably been as talented a kid kicking the ball as I’ve seen in anybody we’ve played this year,” Moore said. “Against Warren, we had a breakdown up front, and he simply dodged them and kicked the ball.
“You can’t drive a car yet, but you can punt a ball with a kid four feet from your face.”
