Mikel Van Pelt (14) and the Gibbs Eagles faced the Fulton Falcons in a TSSAA Region 2-4A game on Bob Black Field on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY DAVE LINK
Placekickers dream of attempting a last-second field goal, and some wait years for the chance to try one.
Gibbs junior Mikel Van Pelt got the chance in just his second game as the Eagles’ starting kicker.
It was Aug. 30, and Gibbs trailed rival Halls 22-19 after a fourth-quarter touchdown by the host Red Devils.
The Eagles started the final drive on their side of the field and began moving toward field-goal position.
“I was like, ‘Oh, man, this is going to come down to a field goal,’” Van Pelt recalls.
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