An artist at work
Frontier punter Matt Darr helps Titans flip field position; kicking coach thinks senior could play Sundays
| Thursday, Dec 10 2009 11:16 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Dec 10 2009 11:25 PM
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Casey Christie / The Californian Frontier punter, Matt Darr in practice.
Casey Christie / The Californian Matt Darr punting for Frontier High.
Casey Christie / The Californian Matt Darr punting.
Casey Christie / The Californian Matt Darr punting series.
Casey Christie / The Californian Frontier High punter, Matt Darr in action.
Casey Christie / The Californian Frontier High School kicker, Matt Darr.
His team nursing a 16-14 lead late in last week's Division II Central Section semifinal against Visalia-Redwood, Frontier coach Rich Cornford did the math. His Titans couldn't quite run out the clock, he figured, at least not without risking a fumble. So instead he had quarterback Josh Legorreta take a couple of knees, ran the clock down to 8.5 seconds and called on his not-so-secret special teams weapon.
Matt Darr came in, boomed a kick that took about all the time off the clock before it landed and forced Redwood to return the kick for at touchdown if it were going to win. The tackle was made at the 50, and Frontier advanced to today's Division II title game at 7 p.m. at home against Fresno-Edison.
"We had fumbled so much we didn't want to risk it there," Cornford said. "And we know Matt can get a good punt off with just one step, so we didn't think it would be blocked. We thought we could win the game that way."
Now the No. 3-seeded Titans (11-1) take on No. 5 Edison (9-4) in a matchup of teams perhaps bound for Division I next year. Each would like to take a section title in tow. For Frontier, that would be championship No. 1 in just year No. 3 of the varsity program.
"The school is just abuzz," said Cornford, whose team sports a balanced offense that has gained 1,993 rushing yards and 1,813 passing. "... People are coming to expect that Frontier is serious about its athletics."
Watching the scene from the sideline will be Lorenzo Alvarez, the Bakersfield College kicking coach who got Darr into punting in the first place. Now the senior is one of the nation's top-rated high school punters. He has verbally committed to play at USC and will participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio next month.
"We've had some great kickers and punters come out of here," said Alvarez, who has tutored numerous Division I talents, including Washington's starting punter, Will Mahan, and Rutgers' starting punter, Teddy Dellaganna, who both played at BC. "Matt, in my opinion, has as much talent as anybody I've seen come out of here, and maybe more. I really honestly think if he continues to do the things he can do, we'll watch him on Sunday and Monday nights."
That's still a ways in the future, but there's no arguing that Darr has risen to this position quickly. It was on a family trip to Hawaii in eighth grade that Darr first met Alvarez, who noticed Darr's brother's Centennial jacket on the flight.
When the Darrs found out what Alvarez did, Matt mentioned that he'd like to learn to punt. And so, back on the mainland, off they went.
Sort of.
"It took a little while," Alvarez said. "He was one of those kids who toe-punched the ball, and I watched him and thought, 'Well, this is going to be fun.' But he's been a tremendous, tremendous surprise."
Darr isn't your typical punter in a lot of ways. He grew up as a shot put and discus specialist -- and he still is, considering he won the CIF State Championship in both events last spring -- and plays a whale of a linebacker for the Titans, as well.
"In fact, UC Davis was going to offer him a scholarship as a linebacker until they realized (USC had already offered)," Cornford said. "He's far and away the toughest punter I've ever had. I can't imagine there being a tougher one."
But clearly, Darr was born to punt as well. He says that from childhood, he has always had a knack for swinging his leg in a straight line, making his punting motion very efficient. The throwing events have greatly strengthened his legs over time. Most of all, he's got a work ethic that fits for a position that often is practicing by itself, away from the rest of a football team.
"I've never had a problem going out by myself and working on that art and perfecting it," Darr said. "The great thing about kicking and punting is that if you have success, you get to share it with the other 40 or 50 guys on the team."
Darr, who has landed 16 of his 28 punts inside the opponents' 20 and averages 44.9 yards a kick, hasn't had a punt return against him of longer than 10 yards all season.
"If you get a good punter, he's worth his weight in gold because of field position," Alvarez said. "They can get you out of a hole and get the opponent into a hole. It can make you or break you."
And if Frontier is to squeak the program's first section title against Edison, Cornford knows it'll be close. He also knows he's got a special-teams weapon like few others.
"That," Cornford said, "is obviously awesome."
