The Woodland Beavers have an interesting story on how the their long snapper, holder, and kicker teamed up to become a reliable force
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
There was no drama Friday night for the Woodland Beavers.
The game did not come down to the final minute with a field goal to determine the outcome.
The kicking unit was barely needed this week. Still, the kicker, the holder, and the long snapper got plenty of opportunities with extra points.
The Beavers rolled to a 40-0 homecoming victory over R.A. Long, improving to 4-0 in the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League.
Even if the field goal unit was not needed in this one, the Beavers sure do love the fact that they can rely on this special group of special teamers.
A week ago, the kicker, snapper, and holder, along with their linemen, were clutch, and they did so with a school-record performance.
Josiah Graham drilled a 32-yard field goal in the final minute, lifting the Beavers to a 34-31 victory over Hockinson. The snap from freshman Evan Martynowicz to the junior Alec Martynowicz — yes, they are brothers — was true, and Graham was money.
It was the second field goal of the game for Graham and the Beavers.
A few days ago, Woodland coach Glen Flanagan and others looked at the school record book and they could not find any other instance when Woodland kicked two field goals in a game. Ever.
Oh, and it turns out, it is believed Woodland’s season record is … two field goals.
“My mind was blown. I was like, ‘No way. That’s crazy.’ But apparently it is,” Graham said.
To be fair, field goals at the high school level, especially at small schools, are rare. Still, two? Just two?
Flanagan laughed when he thought about it. This is his first year as the head coach, but he has been with the program as an assistant coach for the previous 29 seasons. He knows his Woodland football. He said he was handed the record book three decades ago from a coach who had years of Woodland football knowledge, too.
Of course, Graham and the Martynowicz brothers had no knowledge of school records when they lined up to try to win the game last week.
“It was very exciting, loud, and nervous. We got it done,” Graham said.
The game was tied prior to that second field goal.
“I wasn’t thinking a lot. I just got to do what I’ve got to do,” Graham said, remembering that moment. “Just put it through the uprights.”
Graham knew he would have to be counted on as the team’s kicker going into this season, so he said he has been working more on that skill. He had a breakthrough this offseason, giving him more confidence when he prepares to make a kick.
As far as the snapper and holder combo? That’s a wild story, too.
A year ago, Evan Martynowicz was in the eighth grade, watching varsity games.
“I want to do that,” Evan told himself. “And I want to be doing that my freshman year. I don’t want to wait two years.”
So Evan asked Flanagan what he needed to do in order to become a varsity player by this fall, as a freshman.
“He said kicker or long snapper,” Evan recalled.
Well, he figured he wasn’t going to be the kicker because he wasn’t going to beat out Graham for that spot. But Woodlland’s long snapper last year was a senior. There was a need.
“I went for the long-snapping route. I started learning through tutorials,” Evan said.
He found videos online and went about perfecting the art of the long snap. In other words, he pretty much threw a football between his legs, while being in an upside-down position.
“It was pretty hard, honestly,” Evan said. “It felt uncomfortable at first.”
Here’s the thing. One can practice long snapping alone, but it is much better with a partner, with a holder.
Enter Alec, who just might be nominated for older brother of the year for his efforts. Instead of telling his younger brother to take a hike, he told his brother to hike it to him.
Alec Martynowiwcz was not a holder until he started working out with his younger brother for the last six months.
There they were, outside, in the street, in front of the house. Snap after snap after snap.
Rumor has it that Alec, on one knee in the traditional holding position, would look back to make sure the kicker was ready before signaling to Evan for the snap. Mind you, there was no kicker.
Alec was smart enough to know that just snapping and holding all the time would not help if they did not get the timing down perfectly. And in order to snap it just right for a potential kick, the kicker must be ready before the holder gives the snapper the signal. So they pretended there was a kicker.
Granted, that might be the longest explanation of a snapper-holder training session you’ve ever read, but the point is: These guys dedicated themselves to working this craft, this often overlooked specialty in football. A few months later, they were instrumental in winning a football game.
“When Evan snaps it to me, I always think it’s going to be a good snap,” Alec said.
Whoops. We jinxed Evan. There was one bad snap on an extra point in the win over R.A. Long.
“Got that one out of the way,” Evan said.
And another extra point was blocked Friday night.
But again, there was no drama. Woodland scored six touchdowns in the win. Elijah Andersen rushed for four touchdowns and he passed for one. Will Clemens had a spectacular catch on the TD pass from Andersen, and Clemens also had a pick six for the Beavers.
If Woodland ever needs another field goal, though, the Beavers believe.
“It’s hard to find a snapper like that and a holder like this,” Graham said, pointing to the Martynowiwcz brothers. “It makes my job a lot easier.”
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