Kicker makes a little history in St. Michael’s loss
St. Michael’s Keene likely first female player to score in a New Mexico state football championship
LAS VEGAS, N.M. — What started as a simple casting call for a chance to have a little fun became more than Milena Keene could have ever bargained for.
It ended with tears rolling down her cheeks and hugs from teammates and fans, each the result of overflowing emotions from being on a high school football team that came up short of a state title.
As much as it all hurt, Keene smiled knowing she has enough fond memories to last a lifetime.
“I came out here looking to have some fun and maybe prove to myself that I could do it,” said the St. Michael’s senior following Saturday’s Class 3A state championship football game, a contest her Horsemen lost to Robertson, 28-7. “These guys, a lot of them were already my buddies, but they all accepted me as part of their team and these last few months we’ve become more than anything I could have wanted.”
With her successful extra point attempt in the third quarter following the Horsemen’s only touchdown, Keene became what is believed to be the first female player to score a point in a New
Mexico state championship football game.
“It all happened so fast that, you know, I didn’t really have a chance to think about how special it was,” Keene said. “It was one of those unexpected touchdowns and everyone was kind of running onto the field for the kick. I don’t think I really even thought about what it all meant.”
The moment came and went so quickly that basically anyone not knowing the St. Michael’s kicker was a girl wouldn’t have understood the historical significance.
Like she said all season, it’s not like she’s the first girl to put on a football uniform.
Girls have been a regular sight on football rosters in New Mexico for the past two-plus decades. Some have made local — and even national — headlines for scoring touchdowns or making big contributions.
That includes former St. Michael’s player Jocelyn Fernandez.
None of them, however, reached a title game and scored until Saturday.
St. Michael’s coach Joey Fernandez said there will soon come a day where girls will have checked enough boxes for people to quit talking about landmark achievements as though someone had reinvented the wheel. Keene is a special player, he said, and not all that dissimilar to anyone else he has coached throughout the years.
“I’m just glad I get one more turn with her once track starts,” Fernandez said. “She kind of came out [to football] because we were looking for help. She didn’t make all the practices, but the kids on this team, they’ve accepted her as one of their own. We call it a brotherhood but, really, it’s a big family.”
St. Michael’s twice drove within field goal range during Saturday’s first half, bypassing medium-range field goals for fourth-down conversion attempts. They failed on both, keeping Keene on the sideline.
Earlier in the week, she had made a handful of kicks from 40 yards during practice. Each attempt at the end of those two drives would have been shorter.
Fernandez said he opted to keep the
offense on the field because he assumed his team would pick up the first down and sway the momentum in the Horsemen’s favor each time.
Regardless, Keene was just happy to be part of the magic carpet ride that was the 2021 season. She played in three state championship games since the spring: Two for girls soccer and then Saturday’s football game. She was also part of the spring’s track and field championship squad.
“It’s been a crazy year, for sure,” she said with a smile. “I never really thought being on the football team would mean this much, but I’m glad it did. A lot of people have come up to me since it all started, and I think it means a lot more to them than I expected. I’m just kicking, and I know there have been girls like Jocelyn before me, but to be in this place and get a chance to be with these guys, it’s been really special.”
And, it seems, historic.