聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Carlyle's Andrew Kehler is closing out his high school football career with an award-winning season, even though his team- the Estevan Elecs- had what coach Mark Schott calls 鈥渁 disappointing season,鈥� finishing at the bottom of the Moose Jaw High School Football League.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kehler- one of the Elecs' captains- was a bright spot during a challenging year for the team, according to Coach Schott.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ndrew just finished up a terrific season and career for the ECS (Estevan Comprehensive School) Elecs,鈥� says Schott.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kehler ended the season with the Elecs' Most Valuable Player award and Special Teams Player of the Year award, along with the award for MJHSFL's league passing leader.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Quarterback Kehler also led the MJHSFL in completions and passing yardage with 96/169 for 56.8% and 1,600 yards. He also earned the third largest single season passing yardage total in league history (1,600 yards) and the second highest career passing yardage total (3,523 yards) in league history.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kehler earned a spot on the MJHSFL's Individual Category Leaders List with his 2016 passing yardage and as a punter, he earned 4th in the league, with 31 punts for 982 yards (31.68 yards per punt).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The grade 12 student at Carlyle's Gordon F. Kells High School first began playing football in Estevan in junior high. 鈥淚n grade seven, I wanted to play football,鈥� says Kehler. 鈥淎 bunch of us from Carlyle went to Estevan and from there, I worked my way through the system.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In Kehler's inaugural season, while playing for the Estevan Miners, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player. From there, he played for the Estevan Chargers and the Estevan Steelers, before joining the Elecs when he was in grade 10.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wearing jersey #9, Kehler was soon switched from receiver to quarterback, a position he has held throughout his career with the Elecs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ndrew joined our team during his grade 10 year, our 2014 season,鈥� says Schott. 鈥淚n his first game, he played receiver but then was switched to quarterback for the following game and has stayed there since. He has been the leader of our offence since he became our quarterback and was very effective at moving the ball through the air for us over his three-year career.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 found out that I was moving from receiver to quarterback through a text from my coach,鈥� says Kehler. 鈥淲e had a quarterback who was om grade 12 and I was only in grade 10 then, so I did feel pressure. But by grade 11, I started to relax into the role. I wasn't a receiver for very long-only once- but being a quarterback means getting hit and having a bunch of people in your face all the time. I love the sport, so the practice schedule isn't burdensome to me. Nothing about football is.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As a high school player, Kehler also experienced a taste of football fervour in the U.S., when- as a member of the 麻豆视频 Sask Selects- he played two years at a tournament in San Antonio, Texas.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n 2013 and 2014, we went down there and played against some of the best teams in Texas,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n our first year- 2013- we had no wins and in our second year, we came in second-place, behind the Alamo City Red Raiders.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n Estevan, we practice at the school and play at Woodlawn Park,鈥� says Kehler. 鈥淲e get about 200 people at a game. In San Antonio, we played at a really huge high school field and the crowds were really big.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e practiced in Moose Jaw, prior to going to the U.S. and we were from different places in the province, so we didn't practice every day. We practiced about 10 times as a team before we went to the U.S., but once we聽 were there, we practiced every day. It was a great experience.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kehler says that a few other memories are stand-outs for him during his tenure playing for the Elecs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e were playing the (Moose Jaw) Central Cyclones,鈥� says Kehler. 鈥淚t was my first year playing quarterback and we had a game that went into overtime. We lost by two points in the end. That would have been my first win as a high school quartberback.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淒uring our second game this season- also in Moose Jaw- they put me in defence for one play and got a quarterback sacked. That was pretty remarkable.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat I learned is that you just keep looking forward after a game,鈥� adds Kehler. 鈥淵ou never give up.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here have been few other quarterbacks in the history of the Moose Jaw High School Football League that have moved the ball as effectively as Andrew did over his tenure as quarterback,鈥� says Schott. 鈥淎s evidenced by the fact that he sits second on the league's all-time career passing yardage list.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗alfway through the season, Andrew also began punting for us and continued to do so this year. He did a great job helping us in the field position battle with his great punts,鈥� adds the coach. 鈥淎ndrew also spent some time playing outside linebacker this year in a couple of games and even had some tackles and a quarterback sack!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ndrew was extremely dedicated and committed to the (football) program,鈥� adds Schott. 鈥淗e rarely missed practice despite travelling from Carlyle. We're really appreciative of Andrew and his family for the commitment that they have shown and for being great supporters of our team.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔ootball taught me to be a leader,鈥� says Kehler. 鈥淚 learned integrity by staying with the organization and not missing practices, for example.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔ootball's been my focus,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚n Estevan, it's a pretty tight team and we've all become pretty good buddies.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although Kehler is now looking forward to a post secondary career with an aim to study computer science he encourages potential players to play football.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or smalltown guys who might not have a local team, there are still opportunities to play football,鈥� he says. 鈥淚'd like to thank Estevan for giving me the opportunity to play for them, since I was an out-of-town player. The awards mean a lot to me and it is a great honour to receive them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's an awesome sport.鈥�
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