Smith Gets A Kick In Scarsdale Football Win

SCARSDALE, N.Y. -- Jeremy Smith made the Scarsdale varsity football team in 2011 as a defensive player and placekicker. However, the Raiders did not attempt a field goal last year.

The junior was hoping for an opportunity to show what his right foot could do and Smith received it Saturday.

Smith booted a 37- and 29-yard field goal and nailed four extra points in Scarsdale’s 35-34 overtime win over White Plains in a Section 1 Class AA football game.

Along with his kicking duties, Smith played middle linebacker on defense and was involved in the tackle of the game as Scarsdale stopped White Plains on a potential game-winning two-point conversion in overtime.

“When I was warming up I was kicking the ball well,” said Smith of pre-game warmups. “Coach (Andy Verboys) trusted me and I went out there and did it.”

Smith split the uprights on his 29-yarder in the third quarter, giving Scarsdale a 17-7 lead. In the fourth quarter, Scarsdale was halted on third down and a subsequent penalty pushed the Raiders back five yards. Even with this additional yardage, Verboys called on Smith and he had plenty of leg for a 37-yard field goal.

“After I kicked the first one it definitely boosted my confidence because I went out there and did what the team needed from me there,” Smith said. “After coach saw my first kick, he knew I could go out there and do it again.

“I took the same approach to that kick as I did on the first one. The second I made contact, it felt good.”

Smith said he played youth soccer from third grade through fifth grade before giving it up for football. Once he began with football, he would volunteer to kick, and this would continue when he joined the Scarsdale modified football team.

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