Here’s The Kicker

Nicholas Ferrara faces his hometown team this Friday.


BY JASON MOLINET

How did Nicholas Ferrara end up as one of the premier high school kickers anywhere? By raising his hand.

Ferrara has played football and soccer since he was 4. At some point his Hicksville youth league football coach asked a straightforward question.

‘“Who wants to be a kicker?’’’ Ferrara recalled. “No one raised their hand. Then he asked, ‘Who plays soccer?’ I raised my hand. And it went from there.’’

Ferrara has grown into the role nicely. The 6-1, 200-pound senior is a Rivals.com two star prospect and would probably be getting even more attention had he not ended the recruiting process just when it was heating up in June. Ferrara orally committed to Maryland, where he’ll be expected to compete for the placekicker job and eventually punt as well.

Ferrara started the summer making the rounds from one kicker camp to another: Tennessee, South Carolina, Penn State and Rutgers. Once he chose the Terrapins, Ferrara cancelled trips to Cal, Syracuse and Michigan, where an offer was reportedly waiting if he only travelled to Ann Arbor. But Ferrara, who made unofficial visits to the College Park, Md. Campus in the spring, was sold.

“They had my major and everything I needed,’’ said Ferrara, who plans to major business marketing. “I love the school.’’

Life was good – for about a week.

Then Ferrara rolled his right ankle while running July 5. He fractured his ankle. Yet the injury didn’t require surgery, just intensive physical therapy. Ferrara wasn’t even medically cleared for the season opener against St. Joseph Prep in Philadelphia. It was just as well. The game was played in a downpour, the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna.

St. Anthony’s lost 7-6 on a missed extra point.

“I mean it was frustrating enough being a senior on the team. We’re role models,’’ Ferrara said. “But it’s woulda, coulda, shoulda. Jesse Signa did everything he could. It was a hurricane — literally. I don’t know if I could do more.’’

Ferrara did plenty in Saturday’s blowout win over New Jersey power Delbarton. He was 7-for-7 on extra points and nailed a 37-yard field goal. He also punted and helped the Friars was the field position battle with his trademark powerhouse kickoffs. At the South Carolina camp, Ferrara averaged 82 yards on kickoffs.

His greatest personal challenge comes this Friday. Ferrara grew up in Hicksville; still lives minutes from Holy Trinity. Now he’ll get a chance to beat the Titans. Raise your hand if you appreciate the irony.