The Big Game : Mt. Carmel in Range More Than Most With Abare Kicking

The football field at Mt. Carmel High will seem considerably shorter tonight for the home team than it will be for visiting San Pasqual.

An illusion? Tricky ground crew work?

No, it a phenomenon even San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan is aware of but can’t do anything about.

Mt. Carmel will be at a distinct advantage every time they cross the San Pasqual 35 simply because of the right leg of senior Pat Abare.

In Mt. Carmel’s 33-7 victory over Escondido last week, Abare kicked field goals of 47, 25, 30 and 34 yards without a miss. Both the 47-yarder and the four field goals in a game are school records.

San Pasqual, on the other hand, is still looking for its first extra point of the season. After its first attempt failed to reach the line of scrimmage, San Pasqual decided not to risk any more embarrassment and ran for the next three conversions in a 28-21 victory over Poway.

“We kicked the tee farther than the ball on the extra point,” Dolan said.

In all fairness, San Pasqual was without regular kicker Roger Hill, out with a muscle pull. Hill, who also plays fullback, should return tonight, but Dolan realizes he is still giving up quite a bit.

“(Abare) kicks 50-yarders like he was going out for a Sunday brunch,” Dolan said. “That changes your offensive philosophy when you cross the fifty. That’s usually no-man’s land.”

Even his own coaches were shocked by Abare’s 47-yarder.

“My special teams coach looked at me when I said ‘Let’s go for the field goal’ and asked me, “Do you know where we are?’ ” Mt. Carmel Coach Bill Christopher said.

Abare is a transfer from Mira Mesa. Christopher knew little about him before he walked into camp this fall.

“We played them last year, and I didn’t have anything down about him in the scouting report,” Christopher said.

It’s not likely he will be omitted from too many scouting reports this year.

“I’ve never had a kicker that works like he does,” Christopher said. “He has lifted weights as much as everyone else, and he went to kicking camp every summer to improve himself.”

Christopher also has sophomore halfback Tony Eannuci, who had 133 total yards and two touchdowns last week, and fullback Jeff Scott, who ran for 112 yards in 22 carries.

Whether Mt. Carmel ever sees the ball tonight is another story. Last week, San Pasqual ran 60 plays to Poway’s 33.

Senior tackle Lee Johnston (6-1, 262) anchors San Pasqual’s large offensive line, which opens holes for junior fullback Cullen Owen (23 rushes, 91 yards last week) and senior halfback Andy Bacon (18-126). Option quarterback Jon Ramirez added 40 yards in 12 rushes and threw for 49 yards on four completions in four attempts.