ANGER MANAGES TO PUT SOCCER SKILLS TO USE CAMARILLO SENIOR IS ONE OF TOP-RANKED HIGH SCHOOL PUNTERS IN THE NATION.

Byline: IVAN OROZCO Staff Writer

CAMARILLO - Camarillo High punter Bryan Anger began developing his kicking skills in the backyard of his childhood home.

But he wasn't kicking a football.

Anger would chase after soccer balls, kicking them back to his father. It wasn't long before his parents realized he might be the best athlete in the family, better than his older brothers.

``He was molded by his brothers,'' said Mike Anger, Bryan's father. ``He's kind of a quiet assassin. Put a challenge in front of him, he'll get it done.''

Anger, about 5 years old when he started dribbling soccer balls with his feet, watched his brother Mike Anger receive a soccer scholarship to UC Irvine, then leave to kick footballs at the University of San Diego.

Now Bryan, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior, is regarded as one of the best punters in the country. He is rated as the No. 2 prospect among punters and kickers by the national recruiting Web site Rivals.com. Billy Bennett from Torrey Pines of San Diego is No.1.

Chris Sailer, Anger's personal kicking coach, has the Scorpions' punter No. 1 on his list.

``(Anger is) not just the prototypical punter,'' Sailer said. ``He's very athletic. Talent like his is hard to find among high school kids.''

Sailer, a former Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks and UCLA star and regarded among the finest kickers in state history, started working with Anger last October. His pupil finished first in punting at a LasVegas combine in January and has trained this year with former and current USC and UCLA punters. Sailer was the personal coach of UCLA kicker Kai Forbath, who also attended Notre Dame.

Anger has been offered scholarships from Cal, Oregon, Washington, LSU, Boise State and Northwestern.

He visited Oregon and Washington earlier this month, but has not committed.

``The money spent on coaching will be a drop in the bucket when he signs his letter of intent,'' Anger's father said. ``Bryan didn't want us to hire a coach, but because Camarillo doesn't have a kicking coach, we felt he could use the help.''

The Scorpions are looking to defend their Pacific View League title, and they'll look for more than just big kicks from Anger, who also is a wide receiver.

``You are probably thinking he's just a good punter, and that's it,'' the elder Mike Anger said. ``In Camarillo, people are getting their eyes open. He's a pretty good punter, but he's a surprising athlete at wideout.''

To Anger, forcing fair catches is what matters -- more than recruiters and rankings.

``It's pretty crazy,'' Anger said. ``I've only been doing this for four or five months. The recruiters and rankings are only part of it. Kicking the ball is what I really like to do.''

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CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) Camarillo High punter Bryan Anger also plays wide receiver for the Scorpions.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box:

(1) AREA'S BEST KICKERS/PUNTERS

(2) HONORABLE MENTION

- Erik Boal