A kicker’s worst nightmare

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Upland rented an indoor soccer facility for practice this week, hoping to keep the football team out of the smoky air, but one aspect that couldn’t be replicated was the kicking game.

That came back to hurt the Highlanders as Kyle Hughlock, who came into the game against visiting Los Osos seven for seven on field-goal attempts this season and 20 for 27 for his three-year career, missed all three tries against the Grizzlies, including two in the final three minutes, allowing Los Osos to escape with a 24-21 victory.

‘The young man had to come out and make a field goal in a tough situation with no practice, basically, all week,’ Upland Coach Tim Salter said. ‘The only kicks he got in was during warmups.’

Los Osos kicker Josh Repp didn’t have any difficulty on his only field-goal attempt, kicking a 26-yarder with 6:18 remaining to give the Grizzlies their final three-point lead.

Hughlock missed a 47-yarder wide right with 2:37 left. Tre’Shawn Robinson managed to strip the ball from Los Osos quarterback Richard Brehaut and teammate Richard Hopkins recovered at the Los Osos 22-yard line with 2:24 remaining.

The Highlanders ran the ball twice for short gains, then threw incomplete, setting up Hughlock’s third miss of the game, this time from 32 yards with 1:09 left. He was wide right again.

Los Osos improves to 6-2 and 2-1 in the Baseline League. The Highlanders fall to 5-3, 2-1.

-- Dan Arritt

-- Image from www.weplay.com