Garaway’s Colon gets his kicks and then some
Garaway kicker Gio Colon might not be the biggest guy in the field, but one thing is certain: He has the biggest leg. Colon recently crushed this 48-yard field goal to break the Garaway team record for longest field goal made.
Many high school football players dream of making game-winning catches, firing perfect spirals into the end zone for a touchdown or making game-saving tackles.
Garaway’s Anderson “Gio” Colon has invested his time in perfecting the kicking game, and his recent effort turned into a magical moment that brought the crowd to its feet.
With the Pirates facing Tuscarawas Valley in week seven, a Pirates drive stalled out on an errant snap that forced quarterback Brady Geibel to simply fall on the ball at the TV 31-yard line.
Most high school teams would opt to either go for it on fourth down or punt and try to pin their opponent deep in their own territory because almost all high school kickers can’t fathom kicking a field goal of that length.
However, not all kickers have the leg strength and accuracy of Colon.
The Pirates’ kicker lined up for a 48-yard field goal, bringing the crowd to a frenzy of anticipation because the home crowd knows what kind of power lurks behind Colon’s stocky frame and big leg.
Colon didn’t disappoint.
His kick soared into the Sugarcreek night sky, end over end, just like he would envision it. As the ball continued its flight, the crowd could sense it was going to be close. The kick was right down the middle, but did it have the distance?
The crowd’s roar moments later told anyone within earshot of the final result.
The kick was good, and Colon had set the Garaway school record for length of a made field goal.
The crowd went wild. Colon’s teammates went wild. There were probably Trojans players who were impressed.
As for Colon, he simply turned to the Pirates’ sideline and began a leisurely trot off the field, almost as though nothing special had happened.
“That was amazing,” Garaway assistant coach Dave Shutt said following the game. “You just don’t see that kind of thing in high school football.”
One would never know it was a monumental achievement from Colon’s reaction, and even after the game, he took it all in stride as many people came up to congratulate him on his successful long-range missile.
“It felt great. I really felt the whole time I could make it,” Colon said. “My only concern was what was going to happen if I missed it.”
That didn’t happen, and Colon’s legacy as a Garaway kicker continued to grow. Since taking over the position midway through last season, Colon has been just about as automatic as can be, although he did miss a rare extra point earlier in the game when he stubbed his toe on the turf before striking the ball.
“That was all on me, totally my fault,” he said. “I just kicked the ground somehow.”
With his leg strength and accuracy, Colon continues to make his case as one of the finest kickers in the state.
He said his success comes from a ton of practice, and his calm, cool demeanor on kicks speaks volumes as to the ice in his veins. He is able to push aside any drama and tense moments regardless of the score and focus on doing the many little things good kickers do every single time they strike a ball.
In addition to his field goal kicking prowess, Colon also has been an asset on kickoffs, routinely smoking the ball into the end zone where, according to OHSAA rules, it can’t be returned.
“I’m harder on myself than anyone,” Colon said.
Everyone knows what Colon brings to the table, and everyone was waiting for this moment for him to show off just how big his leg is, and he came through, driving home a kick that would have been good from 50 yards.
Chances are good his new record will stand a long time, unless he himself decides to break it again.