York Catholic kicker Moore commits to Cal (Pa.)
A bit of news to pass along about one of the area's top kickers... York Catholic's Brett Moore has made a decision on his college future. The senior kicker, who competed in the Chesapeake Bowl regional all-star game in December, has accepted a scholarship to California University of Pennsylvania. Moore fielded interest from a wide array of colleges -- including a few D-I schools -- but found a fit in Cal, a perennial PSAC contender in recent years. From a Scout.com press release: "I made my commitment to California University of Pennsylvania," said Moore. "I had a great visit and just felt it was a great opportunity for me. I took several other visits and had other offers but the Cal Penn opportunity had nothing negative about it. It was all positive. I am not going on anymore visits. They really showed me they wanted me and I really want to be with them. I called Special Team's Coach (Larry) Wilson and let him know I was ready to commit now. I am glad it's over and I can't wait to get there." The Vulcans finished 10-2 last season -- their fourth-straight season with double-digit wins. Moore almost saw his kicking career derailed by a string of injuries after his freshman season. Moore broke his right hip three times in nine months, and had to sit out his sophomore season. Daily Record/Sunday News reporter Steve Navaroli wrote a neat feature on Moore in November 2009, which I've reposted here after the jump. **************** Moore than a kicker (Nov. 2009)By Steve NavaroliDaily Record/Sunday News The jersey number just doesn't look right. A kicker wearing No. 55? He must not be very good. Wrong. York Catholic junior Brett Moore is smooth, powerful and has the mental approach that every kicker needs. "A lot of people think, 'Who is this lineman coming out to kick the ball,'" Moore laughed. "A couple of field goals and they start to turn their head a little bit." Moore is almost a microcosm for the entire Irish team (7-4) that will travel to Elizabethville to take on top-seeded Upper Dauphin (9-1) in Friday's District 3 Class A semifinal contest. The team of 26 is not what you would expect, especially for the school more known for its legendary basketball program. Just ask Reading's Holy Name, the No. 4 seed which lost an exciting 23-22 decision to the Irish last Friday. "We really stepped up and showed everything we have," Moore said. "We are ready to take it to Upper Dauphin. This is really huge for us. We are finally starting to click with this elite bunch of juniors. The back combination of Nick Full (555 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Christian Bohn (325, two) are bruising. Quarterback Adam Sentz has speed with 537 yards rushing and has topped 1,000 yards passing. Wide receiver Gary Laucks (47 catches, 605 yards, eight TDs) has great hands and can fly. The best part? All are juniors. Then there is Moore, who nailed a 36-yard field goal -- that would have been good from 50 -- and had two kickoffs go for touchbacks at Holy Name. Moore is the hidden weapon for the Irish. He can score with his leg and pin opponents deep on kickoffs, which is pretty amazing considering he had to sit out his sophomore season after breaking his hip three times in less than nine months. It was a week after his freshman season ended and Moore went to kick a Nerf ball with his friends and heard what he described as "a loud crack." His hip bone had sheared from his body. His doctors told him that the muscle had grown too fast for the growth plate in his hip area. The kicking motion was too much for his bones to handle. Fortunately, the doctors at Johns Hopkins and York Hospital advised that surgery would not be the answer. The same advice applied a few months later when he went to kick a soccer ball at his house and a third time after that. Certainly, the power of youth, a lot of rehab and a good growth spurt helped. So did determination and giving up soccer to focus on his love. Moore began the season with some time at defensive end, which explains the jersey number. Now he works almost exclusively on his place kicking and weight training with the goal of kicking in college. He attended the Penn State and Matt Stover kicking camps and learned a great deal. He also did his best to forget the physical concerns. "You have to have the right techniques or you won't be able to kick the ball and that is a lot of the camp instruction," Moore said. "I think I am past it. I put it in the back of my mind and hopefully it doesn't happen again." With a 44-yard field goal at York Suburban this season, Moore earned a spot in a national kicking showcase and looks forward to an upcoming regional showcase in Pittsburgh where he could get ranked by ESPN and Rivals.com. Much like his Irish teammates he will take the field with, don't count him out. Steve Navaroli is a sports reporter for the Daily Record/Sunday News. Reach him at 771-2060 or snavaroli@ydr.com.