The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Avon specialists are integral to success
High school football coaches across the country dream of having a top-tier kicker or punter on their team.
But what about having both? Avon coach Mike Elder is fortunate enough not only to have a state-ranked kicker, but also a state-ranked punter on his team.
Junior kicker Nathanial Vakos and senior punter Arlind Bengu’s talents were on full display in a double-overtime victory over rival Avon Lake on
Aug. 29.
Vakos — who is ranked sixth nationally among kickers in his class and 13th among punters — went 3 of 3 on extra points and converted 2 of 3 field goals, hitting from 22 and 28 yards out. His 28-yard field goal occurred in overtime and gave Avon its first lead of the contest.
“Going through this three years in, it comes more and more (naturally),” Vakos said following the Eagles’ win over the Shoremen.
“This was the first game of the year, so it was a little spooky, but I just stuck to my teammates. We work on this every day, we keep a good trust in each other and after that is history.”
The strength of Vakos’ leg was on full display Aug. 29 as the three-year starter booted several kickoffs through the back of the end zone, preventing Avon Lake from returning the ball.
“Our plan going in was for me to use my leg and utilize it as far as I can,” Vakos said. “We didn’t want to give any returns on kickoffs, and I (was) consistent with that. It worked out in the end.”
Bengu punted three times in the contest and twice pinned the Shoremen deep in their own territory. His first punt of the night was returned for a touchdown. However, Elder doesn’t want to see all of the blame placed on Bengu for the special teams hiccup.
“We know we have two weapons — we have a great punter and we have a great kicker,” Elder said. “Now we have to cover those punts a little better and we have to make sure the snaps, the holds and the blocking for all of those is good, too. There’s 11 people that make those successful, but the two that actually touch the ball with their leg are special. We’re aware of that, and we need to continue to make the other 10 guys
around them special.”
What makes Vakos and Bengu even more special is the fact they are both able to punt and kick at a high level. This is a rare talent for a high school player to possess.
“We have two scholarship kids on our team — a kicker and a punter — which is unique and rare,” Elder said. “Ironically, Vakos is a really good punter and Bengu is a really good kicker, too. They are just not as good as each other on that side of the ball, so one kicks and one punts for us. They are both capable of doing the other.”
Vakos is looking to keep the momentum going this fall after making all 61 of his PAT kicks and connecting on 6 of 7 field goal attempts in 2019. He can also make long-range field goals for the Eagles if called upon.
“He’s a very athletic kid and a very talented soccer
player as well,” Elder said. “He’s been our starting kicker since his freshman year, and he’s only a junior now. He was really good as a freshman, but he’s just gotten bigger and stronger. He’s able to put the ball in the end zone consistently, which is a big deal for high school football because there’s no return.
“I think in two years he’s missed maybe two extra points out of probably 130 attempts. He’s automatic there, and from a fieldgoal perspective, he’s really good. His range ... we feel like 45 yards and in we’re in field-goal range, which is nice.”
Vakos also plays soccer for Avon, while Bengu is solely focused on punting duties for the Eagles.
Elder said both are unlike any kicker or punter the program has seen before during his tenure. He knows both players will
help contribute to the Eagles’ success.
“We’ve had some really talented kickers, but (Vakos) is a Division I talent as a kicker and he’s probably a Division I soccer player, too, if I’m being honest,” Elder said. “We’ve had kickers who have been good and consistent but nobody with a stronger leg than him and who works at it as hard as that kid.
“We’ve never really had a kid like (Bengu). We had a kid named David Orlando a few years ago, and he ended up going to kick at Tiffin University, so he has a Division II scholarship to be a punter. In high school, he played slot receiver and corner for us and was a threeway player. Arlind just focuses on punting, and that’s the only time we’ve ever had a kid do that. He has the strongest leg and is as good as I’ve ever coached, without question.”