Fall Notebook /Sam Farmer : La Canada’s Meyers Gets a Kick Out of College

It was a high school reunion of sorts. Washington State punter Rob Meyers, who played for La Canada High, kicked to Stanford’s Alan Grant, who graduated from St. Francis.

Grant returned the punt the length of the field to score in the game played last season.

“I went to the wrong side and by the time I realized my mistake, he was long gone,” said Meyers, a junior whose 38.3-yard punting average is second-best among returning Pacific 10 Conference kickers.

Meyers, who also played linebacker and running back for the Spartans, says his concept of the game has changed dramatically since he left high school.

“There’s a lot more to the game now,” he said. “Now, every facet of the game is important. I’ve realized how hard everybody works at every position. Every player is bigger and faster.”

However, at 200 pounds Meyers is lighter than his high school weight of 212. But, he says, he hasn’t lost any upper-body strength and has developed powerful legs.

“I started lifting weights with my lower body,” said Meyers, who previously relied solely on running for leg strength. “I had to start lifting. I was fighting a dead leg halfway through last season.”

Flexibility, too, is vital.

“When it gets cold here (Pullman, Wash.), you have to stay loose,” he said.

Rocky Mountain High: The Occidental men’s soccer team will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., this weekend for what could be the squad’s toughest matches.

Saturday, the Tigers face Colorado College, ranked fifth in the Division III Far West Conference last season. Occidental defeated Colorado College, 1-0, last year.

“We expected them to be in good shape but we outran them,” senior goalkeeper Chris Owen said. “It was the bright spot of the season.”

Sunday, Occidental plays St. Johns, the top-ranked team in the Far West Conference last season.

The Tigers open the season at home today against Pt. Loma.