Gabe Saez, a 16 year-old foreign exchange student at Plymouth High School is finding out just how passionate Americans are about high school football. After kicking a game-winning field goal against Harrison Central, Saez is currently enjoying somewhat of a small town hero status in Plymouth.
Last Saturday night, the Plymouth Big Red traveled three hours to Harrison Central in their week three match up. What many thought was a sure win for Harrison Central, turned out to be the welcoming party for Saez. Playing in his first American Football game ever, Saez was called upon to kick a 32-yard field goal with just five seconds remaining on the clock and his team down two points.
With three and a half minutes to play in the game, Plymouth punched in a touchdown but was stopped on the two-point conversion try. The Big Red defense forced a critical punt on the ensuing Harrison Central drive.
After struggling through the next three downs themselves, the Big Red found a way to convert a fourth down and six yards. Then they drew two Harrison Central penalties and ultimately found themselves on the two yard line ready to score.
Then it was Plymouth’s turn to get a little sloppy. The Big Red committed two false start penalties. Plymouth quarterback Hunter Bailey spiked the ball to stop the clock and set the stage for Saez.
“Harrison Central tried to ice him (call a timeout to disrupt the kicker’s focus), and it was funny because he was out there all calm just waiting to go out and kick,” Plymouth head coach Mark Genders said.
There was just one thing left to do.
“Coach pointed at me and said ‘your dad was a rugby player right? He was a winner right? Well so are you, now get out there and win it’ and I just kicked it right through,” Saez said.
“He put that thing right down the pipe,” said Genders.
Saez is a native of Madrid, Spain, the nation’s capitol and largest city. In America, he has found a host family in Plymouth, Ohio, a village with a population of approximately one thousand and surrounded by corn fields.
“It is a lot different, but I love it. The students and the teachers here are wonderful. I like it. It is nice and quiet,” said Saez.
Saez is also discovering the celebrity status attached to high school football heroics thanks to Twitter and the congratulations of classmates.
“I was surprised that in my first game, I was getting a chance to win the game for my team. I made the points and it turned out to be the best night of my life,” Saez said with a smile.
Saez made his debut on Saturday after taking his sports physical and finishing his required ten official practices before he could play. That delay caused him to miss the first two weeks of the season, but he arrived just in time to help give the Plymouth Big Red one of their most memorable wins in school history. His coach believes the kick was not a fluke.
“He can really kick. He shanked an extra point earlier in the game, but the game winner looked like it would have been good from 45. He got a leg into it and got the job done,” said Genders. “The coaches joke and call his leg a ‘boom stick’. We are lucky to have him.”
Saez’s father is the one who convinced him to go into the Foreign Exchange Student Program.
“I wasn’t so sure about coming to America. My dad talked me into it and I am so happy I did it now. My dad was a very good rugby player in Spain. I enjoy soccer, but football is my new second favorite sport,” Saez said.
The elder Saez would even like to see his son extend his stay.
“He wants me to stay here for two years and then go to college here. I have not made up my mind about it yet. I love Spain,” Saez added.
