Range's kicker is ready for call

Placekicker Pat Majernik is ready to strike again against Crestview.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORTH LIMA -- If the South Range-Crestview High football rematch Friday night in a Division V regional semifinal playoff game turns out to be another barn-burner, the Raiders again will have their "Mighty Mite' placekicker waiting in the wings to try to pull out a victory.
He's Pat Majernik (5-foot-9, 150 pounds), a senior and three-year starting placekicker for South Range and one of the smallest players on the team, who became a giant when he kicked a winning field goal to give the Raiders a 17-14 victory over Crestview in the second game of the regular season.
Majernik's 28-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining finished an 89-yard drive that was spearheaded by senior quarterback Mike Leskosky, who was 8-for-9 passing during the winning march that brought the team from behind.
Since then, South Range (11-0) and Crestview (10-1) have grown into powerhouses that are evenly-balanced, which means that another close game could be in the making Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Reilly Stadium in Salem, one of six playoff games this weekend involving area teams.
And that also may mean that Majernik's foot again could be a factor in the outcome, as it also has been throughout the season with his production of 49-for-52 in extra-point kicks points and 3-for-3 in field goals.
Perfect last week
Last Friday, Majernik was a perfect 5-for-5 in extra-point kicks to help South Range defeat Rittman, 35-13, in a quarterfinal.
Crestview also advanced last Friday with a 28-14 win over Smithville, to set up Friday's showdown.
For Majernik's career, he is 108-for-123 in placements and 5-for-8 in field goals, including 29-for-33 and 2-4 as a junior and 30-for-38 and 0-for-1 as a sophomore.
So then, what is Majernik's secret kicking formula?
Consistency, according to coach Dan Yeagley.
"He is real consistent. He is level headed. He gets the job done," said Yeagley.
In fact, "His consistency is amazing. We have a lot of faith in him."
He also possesses a strong leg that sends line drives high and true over the goal post.
But kicking for points is only one of Majernik's assets. Another talent he has is knowing how to place his kickoffs as part of a overall strategy to benefit the team.
Knows how to place ball
"We ask him to do other things," said Yeagley. "He has to kick off and put it in the right place. We ask him to put [the ball] into different locations and that is hard to do. We don't always kick it deep. Sometimes we kick it short or pooch it. We do it a couple of different ways. We plan our kicks and he executes it well."
And, "He can kick it short right, short left, left long, right long. It is very important to us that he place the ball," added Yeagley, noting that Majernik also has been kicking off for three years.
Yeagley believes that Majernik can kick in college.
"I think he is looking into it. He is interested. He can play at the college level. He can play at a smaller college," said Yeagley.
Another rematch
In another area rematch this weekend, Columbiana (10-1) will seek its second win this year over Mineral Ridge (9-2) on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Boardman Spartan Stadium in a Div. VI semifinal. The Clippers beat the Rams, 21-7, in the second game of the season.
Last Saturday in quarterfinals, Columbiana rolled past Mathews, 49-9, while Mineral Ridge got by Dalton, 14-6. The Clippers rebounded from their only loss of the year to Crestview, 35-14, the week before.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Mooney hopes to stay on course toward its second straight Div. IV state championship, when the Cardinals (9-2) oppose Akron Manchester (10-1) Saturday at 7 p.m. in a semifinal at Uniontown Lake Blue Streak Stadium.
In other semifinals, all on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Canfield (11-0) will meet perennial state power Columbus Watterson (10-1) at Massillon Paul Brown Stadium in Div. II; Liberty (11-0) faces Mentor Lake Catholic (10-1) at Solon Stewart Field in Div. III; and Warren JFK (10-1) goes against West Salem Northwest (9-2) at Stow-Monroe Falls Bulldog Stadium in Div. V.
kovach@vindy.com