Here are some things you don’t see every day, and they are happening in our town:
GIRL GONE STRONG: In the two games since she was crowned (with a helmet) as placekicker for the Santa Barbara High varsity football team, Alea Hyatt has made all six of her PAT (point after touchdown) kicks and three field goals, including a 36-yarder that sparked the Dons to a 27-20 victory over Pacifica. The field goals made history. Sue Skenderian, a soccer star like Hyatt, kicked three PATs for the Dons in 1992. Sarah Harbison made her only PAT attempt for San Marcos in 1999 and duplicated the feat in the Dons-Royals alumni game in 2010, scoring the last point of a 10-10 tie. Hyatt will be back in action Friday night, October 16, when Santa Barbara plays host to Dos Pueblos at Peabody Stadium.
NICK’S KNACK: It’s no secret now that former defender Nick DePuy has become a tremendous striker for the UCSB men’s soccer team. But even with opponents watching out for him, the 6’4” junior continues to score goals at critical times. He is the nation’s second-leading scorer with 12 goals, and seven of them have been game winners. Last week, DePuy broke a scoreless deadlock against UC Riverside in the second half by capturing a soft clearance and taking it up the left side, finishing with a laser shot to the far post. Freshman sensation Geoffrey Acheampong tacked on another goal as UCSB won, 2-0. Two nights later, in overtime against Cal State Fullerton, DePuy headed in a cross from Acheampong to give the Gauchos a 2-1 victory. DePuy has scored 21 goals since his debut as a forward last year, and UCSB is undefeated (15-0-3) in matches where he’s scored. The Gauchos, on the road this week, will start a three-game home stand Wednesday, October 21, against UC Davis.